Jeremiah 30

1 This is the message that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:

The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,

2 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Write down in a book everything I've told you.

'Thus spake Jehovah, God of Israel, saying, Write for thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee on a book.

3 Look, the time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will bring back my people Israel and Judah from captivity, declares the Lord. I will bring them back to the country I gave to their forefathers, and they will own it again.

For, lo, days are coming — an affirmation of Jehovah — and I have turned back [to] the captivity of My people Israel and Judah, said Jehovah, and I have caused them to turn back unto the land that I gave to their fathers, and they do possess it.'

4 This what the Lord said about Israel and Judah.

And these [are] the words that Jehovah hath spoken concerning Israel and concerning Judah:

5 This is what the Lord says: Hear the cries of panic, cries of fear, not peace.

Surely thus said Jehovah: A voice of trembling we have heard, Fear — and there is no peace.

6 Think about it! Can men give birth? No. So why do I see every man holding his stomach with his hands like a woman in labor. Why is every face white as a sheet?

Ask, I pray you, and see, is a male bringing forth? Wherefore have I seen every man, His hands on his loins, as a travailing woman, And all faces have been turned to paleness?

7 What a terrible day it will be—a day like never before! This is the time of trouble for Jacob's descendants, but they will be rescued from it.

Woe! for great [is] that day, without any like it, Yea, a time of adversity it [is] to Jacob, Yet out of it he is saved.

8 On that day, declares the Lord Almighty, I will break the yoke from their necks and tear off their chains. Foreigners won't make them slaves anymore.

And it hath come to pass, in that day, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, I break his yoke from off thy neck, And thy bands I draw away, And lay no more service on him do strangers.

9 They will serve the Lord their God, and their king, David's descendant whom I will give them.

And they have served Jehovah their God, And David their king whom I raise up to them.

10 As far as you're concerned, my servant Jacob, don't be afraid, declares the Lord, Israel, don't be discouraged. I promise to save you from your distant places of exile, your descendants from the countries where they're being held captive. The descendants of Jacob will go home to a quiet and comfortable life, free from any threats.

And thou, be not afraid, My servant Jacob, An affirmation of Jehovah, Nor be affrighted, O Israel, For, lo, I am saving thee from afar, And thy seed from the land of their captivity, And Jacob hath turned back and rested, And is quiet, and there is none troubling.

11 I am with you and I will save you, declares the Lord. Even though I'm going to completely destroy all the nations where I scattered you, I won't completely destroy you. However, I will discipline you as you deserve, and you can be sure I won't leave you unpunished.

For with thee [am] I, An affirmation of Jehovah — to save thee, For I make an end of all the nations Whither I have scattered thee, Only, of thee I do not make an end, And I have chastised thee in judgment, And do not entirely acquit thee.

12 This is what the Lord says: You have a wound that cannot be healed, you have a terrible injury.

For thus said Jehovah: Incurable is thy breach, grievous thy stroke,

13 There's no one to take care of your case, no cure for your sores, no healing for you.

There is none judging thy cause to bind up, Healing medicines there are none for thee.

14 All your lovers have forgotten about you; they don't bother looking for you anymore, because I have beaten you as if I were your enemy, the discipline of a cruel person, because of how wicked you are, because of your many sins.

all loving thee have forgotten thee, Thee they do not seek, For with the stroke of an enemy I smote thee, The chastisement of a fierce one, Because of the abundance of thy iniquity, Mighty have been thy sins!

15 Why are you crying over your wound? You pain can't be cured. I did this to you because of how wicked you are, because of your many sins.

What! — thou criest concerning thy breach! Incurable [is] thy pain, Because of the abundance of thy iniquity, Mighty have been thy sins! I have done these to thee.

16 Even so, everyone who destroys you will be destroyed. All your enemies, every last one, will be sent into exile. Those who plundered you will be plundered, and all who robbed you will be robbed.

Therefore all consuming thee are consumed, And all thine adversaries — all of them — Into captivity do go, And thy spoilers have been for a spoil, And all thy plunderers I give up to plunder.

17 But I will give you back your health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord, because people say you've been abandoned and that no one cares about you, Zion.

For I increase health to thee, And from thy strokes I do heal thee, An affirmation of Jehovah, For 'Outcast' they have called to thee, 'Zion it [is], there is none seeking for her.'

18 This is what the Lord says: I will bring Jacob's descendants back to their homes and have mercy on their families. The city will be rebuilt on top of its ruins, and the palace once again stand where it should.

Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I turn back [to] the captivity of the tents of Jacob, And his dwelling places I pity, And the city hath been built on its heap, And the palace according to its ordinance remaineth.

19 People will be singing songs of thanks, the sounds of celebration. I will increase their number—they will not become less. I will honor them—they will not be treated as insignificant.

And gone forth from them hath thanksgiving, And the voice of playful ones, And I have multiplied them and they are not few, And made them honourable, and they are not small.

20 Their children will be looked after like they used to be. I will make their nation strong again, and punish anyone who attacks them.

And his sons have been as aforetime, And his company before Me is established, And I have seen after all his oppressors.

21 Their leader will be from their own country, their ruler will be chosen from among them. I will invite him to come close to me, and he will do so, for would anyone dare to approach me without being asked? declares the Lord.

And his honourable one hath been of himself, And his ruler from his midst goeth forth, And I have caused him to draw near, And he hath drawn nigh unto Me, For who [is] he who hath pledged his heart To draw nigh unto Me? An affirmation of Jehovah.

22 You will be my people, and I will be your God.

And ye have been to Me for a people, And I am to you for God.

23 Watch out! The Lord has sent out a furious storm, a tornado swirling around the heads of the wicked.

Lo, a whirlwind of Jehovah — Fury hath gone forth — a cutting whirlwind, On the head of the wicked it stayeth.

24 The Lord's anger won't fade until he's finished doing everything he wants. Only then will you really understand.

The fierceness of the anger of Jehovah Doth not turn back till His doing, Yea, till His establishing the devices of His heart, In the latter end of the days we consider it!