MLV(i)
1 The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.
2 Judah mourns and the gates of it languish. They sit in black upon the ground and the cry of Jerusalem has gone up. 3 And their ranking men send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns and find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They are put to shame and confounded and cover their heads, 4 because of the ground which is cracked. Because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are put to shame; they cover their heads. 5 Yes, the female-deer also in the field calves and forsakes it because there is no grass. 6 And the wild donkeys stand on the bare heights. They pant for air like jackals. Their eyes fail because there is no herbage.
7 Though our iniquities testify against us, work you for your name's sake, O Jehovah. For our backslidings are many. We have sinned against you.
8 O you hope of Israel, the Savior of it in the time of trouble, why should you be as a traveler in the land and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to abide for a night? 9 Why should you be as a man frightened, as a mighty man who cannot save? Yet you, O Jehovah, are in the midst of us and we are called by your name. Do not leave us.
10 Jehovah says thus to this people: Even so they have loved to wander. They have not restrained their feet. Therefore Jehovah does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and visit their sins.
11 And Jehovah said to me, Pray not for this people for good. 12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry. And when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword and by the famine and by the pestilence.
13 Then I said, Ah, lord Jehovah! Behold, the prophets say to them, You* will not see the sword, nor will you* have famine, but I will give you* assured peace in this place.
14 Then Jehovah said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I did not send them, nor have I commanded them, nor did I speak to them. They prophesy to you* a lying vision and divination and a thing of nothing and the deceit of their own heart.
15 Therefore Jehovah says thus concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name and I did not send them, yet they say, Sword and famine will not be in this land: By sword and famine those prophets will be consumed. 16 And the people to whom they prophesy will be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword and they will have none to bury them–them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters. For I will pour their wickedness upon them.
17 And you will say this word to them: Let my eyes run down with tears night and day and do not let them cease. For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.
18 If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! And if I enter into the city, then, behold, those who are sick with famine! For both the prophet and the priest go about in the land and have no knowledge.
2 Judah mourns and the gates of it languish. They sit in black upon the ground and the cry of Jerusalem has gone up. 3 And their ranking men send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns and find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They are put to shame and confounded and cover their heads, 4 because of the ground which is cracked. Because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are put to shame; they cover their heads. 5 Yes, the female-deer also in the field calves and forsakes it because there is no grass. 6 And the wild donkeys stand on the bare heights. They pant for air like jackals. Their eyes fail because there is no herbage.
7 Though our iniquities testify against us, work you for your name's sake, O Jehovah. For our backslidings are many. We have sinned against you.
8 O you hope of Israel, the Savior of it in the time of trouble, why should you be as a traveler in the land and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to abide for a night? 9 Why should you be as a man frightened, as a mighty man who cannot save? Yet you, O Jehovah, are in the midst of us and we are called by your name. Do not leave us.
10 Jehovah says thus to this people: Even so they have loved to wander. They have not restrained their feet. Therefore Jehovah does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and visit their sins.
11 And Jehovah said to me, Pray not for this people for good. 12 When they fast, I will not hear their cry. And when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword and by the famine and by the pestilence.
13 Then I said, Ah, lord Jehovah! Behold, the prophets say to them, You* will not see the sword, nor will you* have famine, but I will give you* assured peace in this place.
14 Then Jehovah said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I did not send them, nor have I commanded them, nor did I speak to them. They prophesy to you* a lying vision and divination and a thing of nothing and the deceit of their own heart.
15 Therefore Jehovah says thus concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name and I did not send them, yet they say, Sword and famine will not be in this land: By sword and famine those prophets will be consumed. 16 And the people to whom they prophesy will be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword and they will have none to bury them–them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters. For I will pour their wickedness upon them.
17 And you will say this word to them: Let my eyes run down with tears night and day and do not let them cease. For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.
18 If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! And if I enter into the city, then, behold, those who are sick with famine! For both the prophet and the priest go about in the land and have no knowledge.