Jeremiah 14
1 The worde of the Lord that came vnto Ieremiah, concerning the dearth.
The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah when there was no water.
2 Iudah hath mourned, and the gates thereof are desolate, they haue bene brought to heauinesse vnto the grounde, and the cry of Ierusalem goeth vp.
Judah is weeping and its doors are dark with sorrow, and people are seated on the earth clothed in black; and the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.
3 And their nobles haue sent their inferiours to the water, who came to the welles, and founde no water: they returned with their vessels empty: they were ashamed and confounded, and couered their heads.
Their great men have sent their servants for water: they come to the holes and there is no water to be seen; they come back with nothing in their vessels; they are overcome with shame and fear, covering their heads.
4 For the grounde was destroyed, because there was no rayne in the earth: the plowmen were ashamed, and couered their heads.
Those who do work on the land are in fear, for there has been no rain on the land, and the farmers are shamed, covering their heads.
5 Yea, the hinde also calued in the fielde, and forsooke it, because there was no grasse.
And the roe, giving birth in the field, lets her young one be uncared for, because there is no grass.
6 And the wilde asses did stande in the hygh places, and drew in their winde like dragons their eyes did faile, because there was no grasse.
And the asses of the field on the open hilltops are opening their mouths wide like jackals to get air; their eyes are hollow because there is no grass.
7 O Lord, though our iniquities testifie against vs, deale with vs according to thy name: for our rebellions are many, we sinned against thee.
Though our sins give witness against us, do something, O Lord, for the honour of your name: for again and again we have been turned away from you, we have done evil against you.
8 O the hope of Israel, the sauiour thereof in the time of trouble, why art thou as a strager in ye land, as one that passeth by to tary for a night?
O you hope of Israel, its saviour in time of trouble, why are you like one who is strange in the land, and like a traveller putting up his tent for a night?
9 Why art thou as a man astonied, and as a strong man that cannot helpe? yet thou, O Lord, art in the middes of vs, and thy Name is called vpon vs: forsake vs not.
Why are you like a man surprised, like a man of war who is not able to give help? but you, O Lord, are with us, and we are named by your name; do not go away from us.
10 Thus saith the Lord vnto this people, Thus haue they delited to wander: they haue not refrained their feete, therefore the Lord hath no delight in them: but he will now remember their iniquitie, and visite their sinnes.
This is what the Lord has said about this people: Even so they have been glad to go from the right way; they have not kept their feet from wandering, so the Lord has no pleasure in them; now he will keep their wrongdoing in mind and send punishment for their sins.
11 Then sayd the Lord vnto me, Thou shalt not pray to do this people good.
And the Lord said to me, Make no prayer for this people for their good.
12 When they fast, I will not heare their cry, and when they offer burnt offering, and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sworde, and by the famine and by the pestilence.
When they go without food, I will not give ear to their cry; when they give burned offerings and meal offerings, I will not take pleasure in them: but I will put an end to them by the sword and by need of food and by disease.
13 Then answered I, Ah Lord God, beholde, the prophets say vnto them, Ye shall not see the sworde, neither shall famine come vpon you, but I wil giue you assured peace in this place.
Then I said, Ah, Lord God! see, the prophets say to them, You will not see the sword or be short of food; but I will give you certain peace in this place.
14 Then the Lord said vnto me, The prophets prophecie lyes in my Name: I haue not sent them, neither did I command them, neither spake I vnto them, but they prophecie vnto you a false vision, and diuination, and vanitie, and deceitfulnes of their owne heart.
Then the Lord said to me, The prophets say false words in my name, and I gave them no orders, and I said nothing to them: what they say to you is a false vision and wonder-working words without substance, the deceit of their hearts.
15 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Concerning the prophets that prophecie in my Name, whom I haue not sent, yet they say, Sworde and famine shall not be in this land, by sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.
So this is what the Lord has said about the prophets who make use of my name, though I sent them not, and say, The sword and need of food will not be in this land: the sword and need of food will put an end to those prophets.
16 And the people to whome these prophets doe prophecie, shalbe cast out in the streetes of Ierusalem, because of the famine, and the sword, and there shall be none to bury them, both they, and their wiues, and their sonnes, and their daughters: for I wil powre their wickednes vpon them.
And the people to whom they are prophets will be pushed out dead into the streets of Jerusalem, because there is no food, and because of the sword; and they will have no one to put their bodies into the earth, them or their wives or their sons or their daughters: for I will let loose their evil-doing on them.
17 Therefore thou shalt say this worde vnto them, Let mine eyes drop downe teares night and day without ceasing: for the virgine daughter of my people is destroyed with a great destruction, and with a sore grieuous plague.
And you are to say this word to them, Let my eyes be streaming with water night and day, and let it not be stopped; for the virgin daughter of my people is wounded with a great wound, with a very bitter blow.
18 For if I go into the field, behold the slaine with the sworde: and if I enter into the citie, behold them that are sicke for hunger also: moreouer the Prophet also and the Priest go a wandring into a land that they know not.
If I go out into the open country, there are those put to death by the sword! and if I go into the town, there are those who are diseased from need of food! for the prophet and the priest go about in the land and have no knowledge.
19 Hast thou vtterly reiected Iudah, or hath thy soule abhorred Zion? why hast thou smitten vs, that we cannot be healed? Wee looked for peace, and there is no good, and for the time of health, and behold trouble.
Have you completely given up Judah? is your soul turned in disgust from Zion? why have you given us blows from which there is no one to make us well? we were looking for peace, but no good came; and for a time of well-being, but there was only a great fear.
20 We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickednesse and the iniquitie of our fathers: for we haue sinned against thee.
We are conscious, O Lord, of our sin and of the wrongdoing of our fathers: we have done evil against you.
21 Doe not abhorre vs: for thy Names sake cast not downe the throne of thy glory: remember and breake not thy couenant with vs.
Do not be turned from us in disgust, because of your name; do not put shame on the seat of your glory: keep us in mind, let not your agreement with us be broken.
22 Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles, that can giue raine? or can the heauens giue showres? is it not thou, O Lord our God? therefore we will waite vpon thee: for thou hast made all these things.
Are any of the false gods of the nations able to make rain come? are the heavens able to give showers? are you not he, O Lord our God? so we will go on waiting for you, for you have done all these things.
