1 T he word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

2 T hus speaks Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying, Write all the words that I have spoken to you in a book.

“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Write in a book all the words which I have spoken to you.

3 F or, behold, the days come, says Yahweh, that I will turn again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, says Yahweh; and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.

For the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘when I will bring back My people Israel and Judah from where they are held.’ The Lord says, ‘I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers before them, and it will be theirs.’”

4 T hese are the words that Yahweh spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah.

These are the words which the Lord spoke about Israel and Judah:

5 F or Yahweh says: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.

“The Lord says, ‘I have heard cries of much trouble, of being afraid, and there is no peace.

6 A sk now, and see whether a man does travail with child: why do I see every man with his hands on his waist, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

Ask now and see, can a man give birth to a child? Why do I see every man with his hands on his body like a woman giving birth? Why have all faces turned white?

7 A las! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble; but he shall be saved out of it.

That day will be very bad! There is none like it. It is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he will be saved out of it.

8 I t shall come to pass in that day, says Yahweh of Armies, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and will burst your bonds; and strangers shall no more make him their bondservant;

On that day,’ says the Lord of All, ‘I will break the cross-bar off from their neck, and will tear off their chains. Strangers will no longer make them their servants.

9 b ut they shall serve Yahweh their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up to them.

But they will serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

10 T herefore don’t you be afraid, O Jacob my servant, says Yahweh; neither be dismayed, Israel: for, behold, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and no one shall make him afraid.

So do not be afraid, O Jacob My servant,’ says the Lord, ‘and do not be troubled, O Israel, for see, from far away I will save you and your children from the land where they are being held. Jacob will return and have quiet rest, and no one will make him afraid.

11 F or I am with you, says Yahweh, to save you: for I will make a full end of all the nations where I have scattered you, but I will not make a full end of you; but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.

For I am with you to save you,’ says the Lord. ‘I will make a complete end of all the nations where I have sent you. I will not make a complete end of you, but I will give you the right punishment. I will not let you go without being punished.’

12 F or Yahweh says, Your hurt is incurable, and your wound grievous.

“For the Lord says, ‘Your hurt cannot be healed. Your hurt is very bad.

13 T here is no one to plead your cause, that you may be bound up: you have no healing medicines.

There is no one to ask for you in your cause, no help for your hurt, no healing for you.

14 A ll your lovers have forgotten you; they don’t seek you: for I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins were increased.

All your lovers have forgotten you. They do not care about you. For I have hurt you as if you were hurt by one who hates you. You have been punished without pity, because you have much guilt. You have done many sins.

15 W hy do you cry for your hurt? Your pain is incurable: for the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins were increased, I have done these things to you.

Why do you cry out because of your hurt? Your pain cannot be healed. Because you have much guilt and have done many sins, I have done these things to you.

16 T herefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; and all your adversaries, everyone of them, shall go into captivity; and those who plunder you shall be plunder, and all who prey on you will I give for a prey.

But all who destroy you will be destroyed. Every one of those who hate you will be taken away against their will. Those who rob you will be robbed, and all who hurt you will be hurt.

17 F or I will restore health to you, and I will heal you of your wounds, says Yahweh; because they have called you an outcast, saying, It is Zion, whom no man seeks after.

For I will heal you. I will heal you where you have been hurt,’ says the Lord, ‘because they have said that you are not wanted. They have said, “It is Zion. No one cares for her.”’

18 Y ahweh says: Behold, I will turn again the captivity of Jacob’s tents, and have compassion on his dwelling places; and the city shall be built on its own hill, and the palace shall be inhabited in its own way.

“The Lord says, ‘I will bring the tents of Jacob back from Babylon, and will have pity on his houses. The city will be built up again on its broken walls. And the king’s house will stand where it used to be.

19 O ut of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of those who make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.

The people who live there will give much thanks and happy voices will be heard. And I will add to their numbers. They will not be made less. I will honor them, and they will be important.

20 T heir children also shall be as before, and their congregation shall be established before me; and I will punish all who oppress them.

Their children will be as they were before. They will be a strong people before Me. And I will punish all those who make it hard for them.

21 T heir prince shall be of themselves, and their ruler shall proceed from among them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach to me: for who is he who has had boldness to approach to me? says Yahweh.

Their leader will be one of them. Their ruler will come from among them. I will bring him near, and he will come close to Me. For who would have the strength of heart to come near Me on his own?’ says the Lord.

22 Y ou shall be my people, and I will be your God.

‘And you will be My people, and I will be your God.’”

23 B ehold, Yahweh’s storm, his wrath, has gone out, a sweeping storm: it shall burst on the head of the wicked.

See the storm of the Lord! Anger has gone out, a very bad storm. It will break upon the heads of the sinful.

24 T he fierce anger of Yahweh will not return, until he has executed, and until he has performed the intentions of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it.

The burning anger of the Lord will not turn back until He has done what He has planned in His heart to do. In days to come you will understand this.