1 ¶ The word of the LORD that was given to Jeremiah concerning the famine.

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:

2 J udah mourns, and its gates languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.

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

3 A nd their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded and covered their heads.

And 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.

4 B ecause the ground is chapped, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

Because 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.

5 E ven the hind calved in the field and forsook it, because there was no grass.

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

6 A nd the wild asses stood in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes failed because there was no grass.

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

7 O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do it for thy name’s sake; for our rebellions have multiplied; we have sinned against thee.

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.

8 O the hope of Israel, the Keeper thereof in time of trouble, why should thou be as a stranger in the land and as a wayfaring man that turns aside to tarry for a night?

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?

9 W hy should thou be as a speechless man as a mighty man that cannot save? Yet thou, O LORD, art in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; do not leave us.

Why 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!

10 ¶ Thus hath the LORD said unto this people, Thus have they loved to move, nor have they refrained their feet; therefore the LORD does not have them in his will; he will now remember their iniquity and visit their sins.

Thus 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.

11 T hen the LORD said unto me, Do not pray for this people for their good.

The Lord said to me, Do not pray for this people for their good.

12 W hen they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by sword and by famine and by pestilence.

Though 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.

13 T hen I said, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you true peace in this place.

Then 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.

14 T hen the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I did not send them, neither have I commanded them, neither did I speak unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision, divination, vanity, and the deceit of their heart.

Then 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.

15 T herefore thus hath the LORD said concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name which I did not send and that say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

Therefore 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.

16 A nd 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, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters; for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

And 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.

17 ¶ Therefore thou shalt say this word unto 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 blow.

Therefore 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.

18 I f I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold those that are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest walked around in circles in the land, and they did not know it.

If 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.

19 H ast thou utterly rejected Judah? Hath thy soul loathed Zion? Why didst thou cause us to be smitten when no healing remains for us? We waited for peace, and there was no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble!

have 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!

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

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

21 D o not cast us away; for thy name’s sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory; remember, do not break thy covenant with us.

Do 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.

22 A re there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause it to rain? or can the heavens give rain? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee, for thou hast made all these things.

Are 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.