Jeremiah 14

1 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the words of the drought.

The word of YHWH that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.

2 “Judea has mourned. And its gates have fallen and become hard to discern on the ground. And the outcry of Jerusalem has ascended.

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

3 The greater ones have sent their lesser ones to the water. They went to draw water; they did not find water; they carried their vessels back empty. They were confounded and afflicted, and so they covered 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 Because of the devastation of the earth, because rain did not fall upon the earth, the farmers were confounded; they covered 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 For even the doe has given birth in the field, and then left it behind. For there was no grass.

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

6 And the wild donkeys stood upon the rocks; like dragons, they drew in the wind, but their eyes failed. For there was 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, if our iniquities have responded against us, let it be for the sake of your name. For our rebellions are many; we have sinned against you.

"Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name's sake, YHWH; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.

8 O Hope of Israel, its Savior in time of tribulation, why would you be like a sojourner in the land, and like a traveler turning aside for lodging?

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 Why would you be like a wandering man, like a strong man who is unable to save? But you, O Lord, are with us, and your name is invoked over us, so do not abandon us!”

Why should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can't save? Yet you, YHWH, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us."

10 Thus says the Lord to this people, who have loved to move their feet, and who have not rested, but who have not pleased the Lord: “Now he will remember their iniquities, and now he will visit against their sins.”

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

11 And the Lord said to me: “Do not choose to pray for this people for good.

YHWH said to me, "Do not pray for this people for their good.

12 When they will fast, I will not heed their petitions. And if they offer holocausts and victims, I will not accept them. For I will consume them by the sword, and 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 And I said: “Alas, alas, alas, O Lord God! The prophets are saying to them: ‘You will not see the sword, and there will be no famine among you. Instead, he will give you true peace in this place.’”

Then I said, "Ah, YHWH. Look, 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 And the Lord said to me: “The prophets prophesy falsely in my name. I did not send them, and I did not instruct them, and I have not spoken to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, and a divination, and a fraud, and a seduction from their own heart.

Then YHWH said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I did not 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 For this reason, thus says the Lord about the prophets who prophesy in my name, whom I have not sent, who say: ‘Sword and famine will not be in this land.’ By sword and famine those prophets will be consumed.

Therefore thus says YHWH concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, and I did not send them, yet they say, 'Sword and famine shall not be in this land:' 'By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.'

16 And the people, to whom they prophesy, will be cast into the streets of Jerusalem, due to famine and the sword, and there will be no one who may bury them, they and their wives, their sons and daughters, and I will pour out their own evil 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 none to bury them—them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness on them."

17 And you shall speak this word to them: Let my eyes shed tears throughout the night and day, and let them not cease. For the virgin daughter of my people has been crushed by a great affliction, by a very grievous wound.”

"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 “If I go out into the fields: behold, those slain by the sword. And if I enter into the city: behold, those weakened by famine. Likewise, the prophet, too, and the priest, have gone into a land that they did not know.

If I go forth into the field, then, look, the slain with the sword. And if I enter into the city, then, look, those who are sick with famine. For both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.'"

19 Could you have utterly cast out Judah? Or has your soul abhorred Zion? Then why have you struck us, so much so that there is no health for us? We have waited for peace, but there is nothing good, and for the time of healing, and behold, trouble.

"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 look, dismay.

20 O Lord, we acknowledge our impieties, the iniquities of our fathers, that we have sinned against you.

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

21 For the sake of your name, do not give us over into disgrace. And do not dishonor in us the throne of your glory. Remember, do not make void, your covenant with us.

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

22 Could any of the graven images of the Gentiles send rain? Or are the heavens able to give showers? Have we not hoped in you, the Lord our God? 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, YHWH our God? Therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things."