Jeremiah 30

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying:

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

2 'Thus speaketh the LORD, the God of Israel, saying: Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.

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

3 For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will turn the captivity of My people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD; and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.'

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.

4 And these are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah.

This what the Lord said about Israel and Judah.

5 For thus saith the LORD: We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.

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

6 Ask ye now, and see whether a man doth travail with child; wherefore do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

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?

7 Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is a time of trouble unto Jacob, but out of it shall he be saved.

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.

8 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst thy bands; and strangers shall no more make him their bondman;

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.

9 But they shall serve the LORD their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up unto them.

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

10 Therefore fear thou not, O Jacob My servant, saith the LORD; neither be dismayed, O Israel; for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall again be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

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.

11 For I am with thee, saith the LORD, to save thee; for I will make a full end of all the nations whither I have scattered thee, but I will not make a full end of thee; for I will correct thee in measure, and will not utterly destroy thee.

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.

12 For thus saith the LORD: Thy hurt is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.

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

13 None deemeth of thy wound that it may be bound up; thou hast no healing medicines.

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

14 All thy lovers have forgotten thee, they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one; for the greatness of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased.

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.

15 Why criest thou for thy hurt, that thy pain is incurable? For the greatness of thine iniquity, because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.

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.

16 Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured, and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.

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.

17 For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they have called thee an outcast: 'She is Zion, there is none that careth for her.'

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.

18 Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I will turn the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have compassion on his dwelling-places; and the city shall be builded upon her own mound, and the palace shall be inhabited upon its wonted place.

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.

19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry; and I will multiply them, and they shall not be diminished, I will also increase them, and they shall not dwindle away.

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.

20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before Me, and I will punish all that oppress them.

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

21 And their prince shall be of themselves, and their ruler shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto Me; for who is he that hath pledged his heart to approach unto Me? saith the LORD.

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.

22 And ye shall be My people, and I will be your God.

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

23 Behold, a storm of the LORD is gone forth in fury, a sweeping storm; it shall whirl upon the head of the wicked.

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

24 The fierce anger of the LORD shall not return, until He have executed, and till He have performed the purposes of His heart; in the end of days ye shall consider it.

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