Jeremiah 9

1 Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

2 Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they [be] all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people, and go from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

3 And they bend their tongues [like] their bow [for] lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.

And they bend their tongue-their bow-for falsehood, and they have grown strong in the land, but not for truth. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, says Jehovah.

4 Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.

Take ye heed each one of his neighbor, and trust ye not in any brother, for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders.

5 And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, [and] weary themselves to commit iniquity.

And they will deceive each one his neighbor, and will not speak the truth. They have taught their tongue to speak lies. They weary themselves to commit iniquity.

6 Thine habitation [is] in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.

Thy habitation is in the midst of deceit. Through deceit they refuse to know me, says Jehovah.

7 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?

Therefore thus says Jehovah of hosts: Behold, I will melt them, and try them, for how else should I do, because of the daughter of my people?

8 Their tongue [is as] an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: [one] speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.

Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceit. He speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he lies wait for him.

9 Shall I not visit them for these [things]? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

Shall I not visit them for these things? says Jehovah. Shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

10 For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through [them; ] neither can [men] hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone.

For the mountains I will take up a weeping and wailing, and for the pastures of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none passes through, nor can men hear the voice of the cattle. Both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled; they are gone.

11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, [and] a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.

And I will make Jerusalem heaps, a dwelling-place of jackals. And I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.

12 Who [is] the wise man, that may understand this? and [who is he] to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth [and] is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?

Who is the wise man, who may understand this, and he to whom the mouth of Jehovah has spoken, that he may declare it? Why has the land perished and burned up like a wilderness, so that none passes through?

13 And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;

And Jehovah says, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, nor walked in it,

14 But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:

but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baalim, which their fathers taught them.

15 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, [even] this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

Therefore thus says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

16 I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.

I will scatter them also among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. And I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them.

17 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning [women], that they may come:

Thus says Jehovah of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come, and send for the skilful women, that they may come.

18 And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

19 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast [us] out.

For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How we are ruined! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.

20 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.

Yet hear the word of Jehovah, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and each one her neighbor lamentation.

21 For death is come up into our windows, [and] is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, [and] the young men from the streets.

For death has come up into our windows. It has entered into our palaces, to cut off the sons from outside, the young men from the streets.

22 Speak, Thus saith the LORD, Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather [them].

Speak, Thus says Jehovah: The dead bodies of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather.

23 Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise [man] glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty [man] glory in his might, let not the rich [man] glory in his riches:

Thus says Jehovah: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor let the mighty man glory in his might. Let not the rich man glory in his riches,

24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I [am] the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these [things] I delight, saith the LORD.

but let him who boasts boast in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am Jehovah who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth. For in these things I delight, says Jehovah.

25 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all [them which are] circumcised with the uncircumcised;

Behold, the days come, says Jehovah, that I will punish all those who are circumcised in their uncircumcision:

26 Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all [that are] in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all [these] nations [are] uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel [are] uncircumcised in the heart.

Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the sons of Ammon, and Moab, and all who have the corners of their hair cut off, who dwell in the wilderness. For all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.