1 T he word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:

Yahweh’s word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.

2 J udah mourns and her gates languish; sit in black upon the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem goes up.

Judah mourns, and its gates languish, they sit in black on the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.

3 A nd their nobles send their little ones and their inferiors for water; they come to the cisterns and find no water. They return with empty vessels; they are put to shame and confounded and cover their heads.

Their nobles send their little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are disappointed and confounded, and cover their heads.

4 B ecause the ground is cracked and the tillers are dismayed, since there has been no rain on the land, the plowmen are put to shame, and they cover their heads.

Because of the ground which is cracked, because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are disappointed, they cover their heads.

5 Y es, even the hind gives birth to her calf in the field and forsakes it, because there is no grass or herbage.

Yes, the hind also in the field calves, and forsakes her young, because there is no grass.

6 A nd the wild donkeys stand on the bare heights; they pant for air like jackals or crocodiles; their eyesight fails because there is no grass.

The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage.

7 O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, deal and work with us for Your own name’s sake! For our backslidings are many; we have sinned against You.

Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name’s sake, Yahweh; for our rebellions are many; we have sinned against you.

8 O Hope of Israel, her Savior in time of trouble, why should You be like a sojourner in the land and like a wayfaring man who turns aside and spreads his tent to tarry for a night?

You hope of Israel, its Savior in the time of trouble, why should you be as a foreigner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a night?

9 W hy should You be like a man stunned and confused, like a mighty man who cannot save? Yet You, O Lord, are in the midst of us, and we are called by Your name; do not leave us!

Why should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can’t save? Yet you, Yahweh, are in the middle of us, and we are called by your name; don’t leave us.

10 T hus says the Lord to this people: In the manner and to the degree already pointed out have they loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet. Therefore the Lord does not accept them; He will now remember their iniquity and punish them for their sins.

Yahweh says to this people, Even so have they loved to wander; they have not refrained their feet: therefore Yahweh does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.

11 T he Lord said to me, Do not pray for this people for their good.

Yahweh said to me, Don’t pray for this people for their good.

12 T hough they fast, I will not hear their cry; and though they offer burnt offering and cereal offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.

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 T hen said I, Alas, Lord God! Behold, the prophets say to them, You will not see the sword, nor will you have famine; but I will give you assured peace (peace that lasts, the peace of truth) in this place.

Then I said, Ah, Lord Yahweh! behold, the prophets tell them, You shall not see the sword, neither shall you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.

14 T hen the Lord said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, nor have I spoken to them. They prophesy to you a false or pretended vision, a worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds.

Then Yahweh said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I didn’t send them, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke I to them: they prophesy to you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.

15 T herefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name—although I did not send them—and who say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

Therefore Yahweh says concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, and I didn’t send them, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

16 A nd the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword; and they shall have none to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their wickedness upon them.

The people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have no one to bury them—them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness on them.

17 T herefore you shall say to them, Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people has been smitten with a great wound, with a very grievous blow.

You shall say this word to them, Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.

18 I f I go out into the field, then behold, those slain with the sword! And if I enter the city, then behold, those tormented with the diseases of famine! For both prophet and priest go about not knowing what to do or as beggars in a land that they know not, and they have no knowledge.

If I go out 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.

19 h ave You utterly rejected Judah? Do You loathe Zion? Why have You smitten us so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace and completeness, but no good came, and for a time of healing, but behold, dismay, disaster, and terror!

Have you utterly rejected Judah? has your soul loathed Zion? why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay!

20 W e know and acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against You.

We acknowledge, Yahweh, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you.

21 D o not abhor, condemn, and spurn us, for Your name’s sake; do not dishonor, debase, and lightly esteem Your glorious throne; remember, break not Your covenant or solemn pledge with us.

Do not abhor us, for your name’s sake; do not disgrace the throne of your glory: remember, don’t break your covenant with us.

22 A re there any among the false gods of the nations who can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O Lord our God? Therefore we will wait for You, for You have made all these things.

Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? or can the sky give showers? Aren’t you he, Yahweh our God? therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things.