Jeremiah 30

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying: —

Yahweh gave me another message. He said,

2 Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Write thee all the words which I have spoken to thee in a book.

“[I], Yahweh, the God whom the Israeli people [say they belong to], am telling you that you should write down everything that I have said to you.

3 For behold the days come, saith Jehovah, when I will bring back the captives of my people Israel and Judah, saith Jehovah, and cause them to return to the land which I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.

[I want you to know that] some day I will free my people, [the people of] Israel and Judah, from being slaves [in Babylon]. I will bring them back to this land that I gave to their ancestors, and this land will belong to them again. [That will surely happen because] I, Yahweh, have said it.”

4 And these are the words which Jehovah spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.

Yahweh gave [to me] another message concerning [the people of] Israel and Judah.

5 Behold, thus saith Jehovah: The voice of trembling do we hear; There is alarm, and no peace.

This is what he said: “I hear people screaming because they are terrified [DOU]; there is no peace [in the land].

6 Ask ye now and see, Whether a male doth bring forth? Why then do I see every man's hands upon his loins, like a woman in travail? And why are all faces turned into paleness?

But think about this: Men certainly do not [RHQ] give birth to babies. Therefore, why do strong men stand there, with their faces very white/pale, with their hands pressed against their stomachs, like women who are about to give birth to babies?

7 Alas! that day is great, So that there is none like it; It is a time of trouble for Jacob, Yet shall he be saved from it.

[Terrible things will soon happen]; that will be a terrible day! There has never been such a time. It will be a time when [my] Israeli people will experience great trouble, but [finally] they will be saved [from their sufferings].”

8 For in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, I will break his yoke from his neck, And his bands will I burst asunder, And he shall be subject to strangers no more.

The Commander of the armies of angels says this: “At that time [it will be as though] I will sever/cut the ropes [that are around my people], and I will free them from being (slaves/forced to do what the King of Babylon wants them to do) [MET]. People in other countries will no longer be their bosses.

9 But they shall serve Jehovah, their God, And David, their king, whom I will raise up for them.

My people will [again] serve me, Yahweh, their God, and [they will serve a king who is a descendant of] King David; [they will serve the king] whom I will appoint for them.

10 Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith Jehovah, And be not thou dismayed, O Israel! For, behold, I will bring thee safe from afar, And thy posterity from the land of their captivity; And Jacob shall return, and be at rest; Yea, he shall be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

So, [you people of] Israel who serve me, do not be dismayed/worried [now], because [some day] I will bring you back from distant places; I will bring your descendants [back home] from the land to which they were exiled. [Then you] Israeli people will [again] live peacefully and safely, and there will not be any [nation] that will cause you to be terrified.

11 For I will be with thee, saith Jehovah, to save thee; When I shall make a full end of all the nations Whither I have dispersed thee, Yet will I not make a full end of thee; I will correct thee in measure, Yet must I not leave thee wholly unpunished.

I, Yahweh, say that I will be with you and will rescue you; I will completely destroy the nations to which I have scattered you. But I will not completely destroy you. I will punish you [for your many sins], but I will punish you [only] as severely as you deserve: I would be doing wrong if I did not punish you at all.”

12 For thus saith Jehovah: Thy bruise is incurable; Thy wound is mortal.

Yahweh [also] says this: “[You have (suffered very much/endured many disasters)]; [it is as though] you have a terrible wound that cannot be cured.

13 No one offereth his help for thy cure; No healing medicines are applied to thee.

There is no one to help you, no one to put a bandage on your wound. There is no [medicine that will] heal you.

14 All thy lovers have forgotten thee; They inquire not after thee. For with the wound of an enemy have I smitten thee, With the chastisement of a cruel one, For the multitude of thine iniquities, Because thy sins were increased.

All your allies [MET] have deserted you and they do not want to help you [any more]. [It is true that] I have punished you severely, [like your] enemies would wound you, because you have committed many sins and you are very guilty.

15 Why criest thou because of thy bruise? Thy pain is without remedy. For the multitude of thine iniquities, Because thy sins were increased, Have I done these things to thee.

[Because that is true], why do you protest about my punishing you, [as though I had caused] a wound that could not be cured [RHQ]? It was necessary for me to punish you, because you had committed many sins and you were very guilty.

16 Yet all they that devour thee shall be devoured, And all thine enemies, yea, all of them, shall go into captivity, And they that spoil thee shall become a spoil, And all that plunder thee will I give up to plunder.

But [some day] all those who [are trying to] destroy you will be destroyed; all your enemies will be exiled [to other nations]. All those who have stolen things from you will have their [valuable] possessions stolen, and all those who attack you will be attacked.

17 For I will restore soundness to thee, And I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith Jehovah; For they have called thee the outcast, Zion, whom no man careth for.

[Everyone] says that you are (outcasts/people that they no longer associate with), and that [you live in] Jerusalem, a city that no one cares about.” But Yahweh says, “I will heal your injuries/wounds and cause you to be healthy again.”

18 Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will bring back the captives of the tents of Jacob, And I will have pity upon his dwelling-places, And the city shall be builded upon her heap, And the palace shall be inhabited as of old.

This is what Yahweh says: “I will bring the people of Israel back from the lands to which they were taken and enable them to possess their land and their houses again. [When that happens], Jerusalem will be rebuilt on top of its ruins, and the [king’s] palace will be rebuilt to be like it was before.

19 And out of them shall go forth thanksgiving, And the voice of them that make merry. And I will multiply them, and they shall not be few, And I will exalt them, and they shall not be low.

People will [again] sing joyfully to thank [me], and I will cause there to be more people [in Jerusalem], not fewer; I will cause them to be honored, not despised.

20 And their children shall be as aforetime, And their congregation shall be established before me, And I will punish all that oppress them.

Their children will [prosper] like they did before. I will cause them to be a group of people [who worship] me, and I will punish any [nation] that oppresses them.

21 And their princes shall be of themselves, And their governor shall proceed from the midst of them. And I will cause them to approach, and they shall come near to me; For who is he that would dare to come near to me? saith Jehovah.

One of their own people will be their king, and I will invite him to come close to me [to worship me], because no one [RHQ] would (dare/have courage) to come close to me [if I did not invite him].

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

You [Israeli people] will be my people, and I will be your God.”

23 Behold, a whirlwind from Jehovah, Furious doth it go forth, Even a sweeping whirlwind; Upon the head of the wicked shall it rush.

Yahweh will punish [MTY] [your enemies]; [it will be like a great] storm; it will come down [like] a whirlwind, swirling around the heads of wicked people.

24 The fierce anger of Jehovah shall not turn back Until he shall have executed, until he shall have accomplished, the purpose of his heart; In a future day ye shall understand it fully.

He will not stop being angry until he completely accomplishes [all] that he has planned. In the future, you will understand [all] of this [clearly].