Jeremiah 14

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

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

2 "Judah mourns, and its gates languish, they sit in black on the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.

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

3 Their nobles send their little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are disappointed and confounded, and cover their heads.

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, because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are disappointed, they cover their heads.

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

5 Yes, the hind also in the field calves, and forsakes her young, because there is no grass.

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

6 The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage."

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

7 "Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name's sake, YHWH; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.

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

8 Hope of Israel, its Savior in the time of trouble, why should you be as a foreigner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a night?

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

9 Why should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can't save? Yet you, YHWH, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us."

Wilt thou be as a man asleep, or as a [strong] man that cannot save? yet thou art among us, O Lord, and thy name is called upon us; forget us not.

10 Thus says YHWH to this people, "Even so have they loved to wander; they have not refrained their feet: therefore YHWH does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity, and visit their sins."

Thus saith 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 YHWH said to me, "Do not pray for 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 cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence."

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 I said, "Ah, YHWH. Look, the prophets tell them, 'You shall not see the sword, neither shall you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.'"

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

14 Then YHWH said to me, "The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I did not send them, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke I to them: they prophesy to you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.

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 says YHWH concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, and I did not send them, yet they say, 'Sword and famine shall not be in this land:' 'By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.'

Therefore thus saith 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 The people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them—them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness on 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 "You shall say this word to them, 'Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.

And thou shalt 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, then, look, the slain with the sword. And if I enter into the city, then, look, those who are sick with famine. For both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.'"

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 "Have you utterly rejected Judah? Has your soul loathed Zion? Why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and look, dismay.

Hast thou utterly rejected Juda? and has thy soul departed from Sion? wherefore has thou smitten 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 acknowledge, YHWH, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you.

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

21 Do not abhor us, for your name's sake; do not disgrace the throne of your glory: remember, do not break your covenant with us.

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

22 Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the sky give showers? Aren't you he, YHWH our God? Therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things."

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