Jeremiah 14

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

AND THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME TO JEREMIAS CONCERNING THE DROUGHT.

2 Judah mourneth, and her gates languish; they lie grieved on the ground; and the distressed cry of Jerusalem ascendeth upward.

Judea has mourned, and her gates are emptied, and are darkened upon the earth; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.

3 And their nobles have sent out their subordinates for water: they come to the pits, they find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are ashamed and confounded, and cover their head.

And her nobles have sent their little ones to the water: they came to the wells, and found no water: and brought back their vessels empty.

4 Because of the ground which is cracked open, since there hath been no rain in the land, are the ploughmen ashamed, they cover their head.

And the labours of the land failed, because there was no rain: the husbandmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

5 Yea, the hind also bringeth forth her young in the field, and forsaketh [them], because there is no grass.

And hinds calved in the field, and forsook [it], because there was no grass.

6 And the wild asses stand on the mountain-tops, they snuff up the wind like serpents: their eyes fail, because there are no herbs.

The wild asses stood by the forests, and snuffed up the wind; their eyes failed, because there was no grass.

7 If our iniquities testify against us, O Lord, do thou act for the sake of thy name; for our backslidings are many; against thee have we sinned.

Our sins have risen up against us: O Lord, do you for us for your own sake; for our sins are many before you; for we have sinned against you.

8 O thou hope of Israel, his saviour in time of trouble, why shouldst thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfarer that turneth aside to lodge for a night?

O Lord, [you are] the hope of Israel, and deliver [us] in time of troubles; why are you become as a sojourner upon the land, or as one born in the land, yet turning aside for a resting-place?

9 Why shouldst thou be as a man that is surprised, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet thou art in the midst of us, O Lord, and we are called by thy name: abandon us not.

Will you be as a man asleep, or as a [strong] man that can’t save? yet you are amongst us, O Lord, and your name is called upon us; forget us not.

10 Thus hath said the Lord unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander about, their feet have they not restrained: therefore the Lord doth not receive them in favor; now will he remember their iniquity, and will punish their sins.

Thus says the Lord to this people, They have loved to wander, and they have not spared, therefore God has not prospered them; now will he remember their iniquity.

11 Then said the Lord unto me, Pray not in behalf of this people for their good.

And the Lord said to me, Pray not for this people for [their] good:

12 When they fast, I will not hear their entreaty: and when they offer burnt-offering and meat-offering, I will not receive them in favor; but by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence, will I make an end of them.

for though they fast, I will not hear their supplication; and though they offer whole burnt offerings and sacrifices, I will take no pleasure in them: for I will consume them with sword, and with famine, and with pestilence.

13 Then said I, Ah, Lord Eternal! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but a permanent peace will I give you in this place.

And I said, O [ever] living Lord! behold, their prophets prophesy, and say, You shall not see a sword, nor shall famine be amongst you; for I will give truth and peace on the land, and in this place.

14 Then said the Lord unto me, Falsehood do the prophets prophesy in my name; I have not sent them, neither have I commanded them, neither have I spoken unto them: a vision of falsehood, and divination, and idolatrous folly, and the deceit of their heart do they prophesy unto you.

Then the Lord said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, and I commanded them not, and I spoke not to them: for they prophesy to you false visions, and divinations, and auguries, and devices of their own heart.

15 Therefore thus hath said the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, when I have not sent them, while they say, Sword and famine shall not come in this land: By the sword and by the famine shall these prophets come to their end.

Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy lies in my name, and I sent them not, who say, Sword and famine shall not be upon this land; they shall die by a grievous death, and the prophets shall be consumed by famine.

16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall lie cast down in the streets of Jerusalem by means of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters; for I will pour out their wickedness over them.

And the people to whom they prophesy, they also shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem, because of the sword and famine; and there shall be none to bury them: their wives also, and their sons, and their daughters [shall die thus]; and I will pour out their wickedness upon them.

17 But thou shalt say unto them this word. My eyes shall run down with tears night and day, and they shall not cease; for with a great breach is the virgin-daughter of my people broken, with a very painful blow.

And you shall speak this word to them; Let your eyes shed tears day and night, and let them not cease: for the daughter of my people has been sorely bruised, and her plague is very grievous.

18 If I go forth into the field, behold, there are the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, behold, there are those that are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest travel round into a land that they know not.

If I go forth into the plain, then behold the slain by the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold the distress of famine! for priest and prophet have gone to a land which they knew not.

19 Hast thou entirely rejected Judah? or hath thy soul loathing on Zion? why hast thou smitten us, so that there is no healing for us? we hoped for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold, there is terror!

Hast you utterly rejected Juda? and has your soul departed from Sion? therefore has you struck us, and there is no healing for us? we waited for peace, but there was no prosperity; for a time of healing, and behold trouble!

20 We know, O Lord, our wickedness, the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against thee.

We know, O Lord, our sins, [and] the iniquities of our fathers: for we have sinned before you.

21 Do not cast us off, for the sake of thy name, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.

Refrain for your name's sake, destroy not the throne of your glory: remember, break not your covenant with us.

22 Are there any among the vanities of the nations those that bestow rain? or can the heavens give forth showers? Behold, thou art this, O Lord our God, and we will hope in thee; for thou hast done all these things.

Is there any one amongst the idols of the Gentiles that can give rain? and will the sky yield his fulness [at their bidding]? Are not you he? we will even wait on you, O Lord: for you have made all these things.