1
“At that time,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “They bring the bones of the kings of Judah, || And the bones of its princes, || And the bones of the priests, || And the bones of the prophets, || And the bones of inhabitants of Jerusalem, || Out of their graves,
2
And have spread them to sun, and to moon, || And to all the host of the heavens, that they have loved, || And that they have served, || And that they have walked after, || And that they have sought, || And to which they have bowed themselves, || They are not gathered, nor buried, || They are for dung on the face of the ground.
3
And death is chosen rather than life || By all the remnant who are left of this evil family, || In all the remaining places, to where I have driven them,” || A declaration of YHWH of Hosts.
4
“And you have said to them, Thus said YHWH: Do they fall, and not rise? Does he turn back, and not return?
5
Why has this people of Jerusalem || Turned back—a continuous backsliding? They have kept hold on deceit, || They have refused to turn back.
6
I have given attention, indeed, I listen, || They do not speak right, || No man has sighed over his wickedness, || Saying, What have I done? Everyone has turned to his courses, || As a horse is rushing into battle.
7
Even a stork in the heavens has known her seasons, || And turtle, and swallow, and crane, || Have watched the time of their coming, || And—My people have not known the judgment of YHWH.
8
How do you say, We [are] wise, || And the Law of YHWH [is] with us? Surely, behold, it has worked falsely, || The false pen of scribes.
9
The wise have been ashamed, || They have been frightened, and are captured, || Behold, they kicked against a word of YHWH, || And what wisdom do they have?
10
Therefore, I give their wives to others, || Their fields to dispossessors, || For from the least even to the greatest, || Everyone is gaining dishonest gain, || From prophet even to priest, everyone is dealing falsely.
11
And they heal the breach of the daughter of My people slightly, || Saying, Peace, peace! And there is no peace.
12
They were ashamed when they did abomination! Indeed, they are not ashamed at all, || And they have not known blushing, || Therefore, they fall among falling ones, || They stumble in the time of their inspection, said YHWH.
13
I utterly consume them,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “There are no grapes in the vine, || Indeed, there are no figs in the fig tree, || And the leaf has faded, || And the strength they have passes from them.
The People Respond
14
Why are we sitting still? Be gathered, and we go into the fortified cities, || And we are silent there, || For our God YHWH has made us silent, || Indeed, He causes us to drink water of gall, || For we have sinned against YHWH.
15
Looking for peace—and there is no good, || For a time of healing, and behold—terror.
16
The snorting of his horses has been heard from Dan, || From the voice of the neighings of his mighty ones, || All the land has trembled, || And they come in and consume the land and its fullness, || The city and the inhabitants in it.
17
For behold, I am sending serpents among you, || Vipers that have no charmer, || And they have bitten you,” || A declaration of YHWH.
Jeremiah Weeps for His People
18
My sorrow [is] beyond comfort, || My heart [is] sick in me.
19
Behold, the voice of a cry of the daughter of my people from a far-off land, || Is YHWH not in Zion? Is her King not in her? “Why have they provoked Me with their carved images, || With the vanities of a foreigner?”
20
Harvest has passed, summer has ended, || And we have not been saved.
21
For a breach of the daughter of my people I have been broken, || I have been dark, || Astonishment has seized me.
22
Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why has the health of the daughter of my people not gone up?
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