Jeremiah 4
1 Yahweh says, “You Israeli [people], come back to me! If you get rid of those detestable idols and do not turn away from me [again],
| אִם־תָּשׁ֨וּב יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל ׀ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֛ה אֵלַ֖י תָּשׁ֑וּב וְאִם־תָּסִ֧יר שִׁקּוּצֶ֛יךָ מִפָּנַ֖י וְלֹ֥א תָנֽוּד׃ |
2 and if you declare, ‘Just as surely as Yahweh lives, what he says is true,’ and if you [start to] always say what is true and act justly/fairly and righteously, then the [people in the other] nations [of the world] will request that I bless them [as I have blessed you], and they will [all come and] honor/praise me.”
| וְנִשְׁבַּ֙עְתָּ֙ חַי־יְהוָ֔ה בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט וּבִצְדָקָ֑ה וְהִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ בֹ֛ו גֹּויִ֖ם וּבֹ֥ו יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃ ס |
3 This is what Yahweh says to the people of Jerusalem and [the other cities in] Judah: “[Prepare yourselves to receive my messages] like farmers plow up hard ground [in order that they can plant seed in it]. Just as farmers do not [waste good seed by] sowing seeds among thorny plants, [I do not want to waste my time telling you messages that you are not ready to receive].
| כִּי־כֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה לְאִ֤ישׁ יְהוּדָה֙ וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם נִ֥ירוּ לָכֶ֖ם נִ֑יר וְאַֽל־תִּזְרְע֖וּ אֶל־קֹוצִֽים׃ |
4 Purify your inner beings and your minds for me. If you do not do that, my being angry with you [MTY] because of [all] the sins that you have committed will be like a fire that will be impossible to extinguish.”
| הִמֹּ֣לוּ לַיהֹוָ֗ה וְהָסִ֙רוּ֙ עָרְלֹ֣ות לְבַבְכֶ֔ם אִ֥ישׁ יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם פֶּן־תֵּצֵ֨א כָאֵ֜שׁ חֲמָתִ֗י וּבָעֲרָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין מְכַבֶּ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶֽם׃ |
5 “Declare this [DOU] to [all the people in] Jerusalem and [the rest of] Judea; blow the trumpets everywhere in the land [to warn the people]. Tell them that they should flee to the cities that have high walls around them.
| הַגִּ֣ידוּ בִֽיהוּדָ֗ה וּבִירוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ הַשְׁמִ֔יעוּ וְאִמְר֕וּ ותִּקְעוּ (תִּקְע֥וּ) שֹׁופָ֖ר בָּאָ֑רֶץ קִרְא֤וּ מַלְאוּ֙ וְאִמְר֔וּ הֵאָסְפ֥וּ וְנָבֹ֖ואָה אֶל־עָרֵ֥י הַמִּבְצָֽר׃ |
6 Shout to the people of Jerusalem, ‘Run away [now]! Do not delay, because I am about to cause you to experience a terrible disaster [DOU] that will come from the north.
| שְׂאוּ־נֵ֣ס צִיֹּ֔ונָה הָעִ֖יזוּ אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֑דוּ כִּ֣י רָעָ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י מֵבִ֥יא מִצָּפֹ֖ון וְשֶׁ֥בֶר גָּדֹֽול׃ |
7 [An army] that has destroyed [many] nations will attack you [like] [MET] a lion that comes out of its den [to attack other animals]. [The soldiers of that army] have taken down their tents and they are ready to march toward your land. They will destroy your cities and leave them without any people still living in them.’
| עָלָ֤ה אַרְיֵה֙ מִֽסֻּבְּכֹ֔ו וּמַשְׁחִ֣ית גֹּויִ֔ם נָסַ֖ע יָצָ֣א מִמְּקֹמֹ֑ו לָשׂ֤וּם אַרְצֵךְ֙ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה עָרַ֥יִךְ תִּצֶּ֖ינָה מֵאֵ֥ין יֹושֵֽׁב׃ |
8 So, put on sackcloth/rough clothes and weep and beat your chests [to show that you are very sorry for what you have done], because Yahweh is still very angry with us.
| עַל־זֹ֛את חִגְר֥וּ שַׂקִּ֖ים סִפְד֣וּ וְהֵילִ֑ילוּ כִּ֥י לֹא־שָׁ֛ב חֲרֹ֥ון אַף־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ פ |
9 Yahweh said that at the time [he punishes you], the King of Judah and [all his] officials will be very afraid. The priests and the prophets will be terrified.
| וְהָיָ֤ה בַיֹּום־הַהוּא֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה יֹאבַ֥ד לֵב־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וְלֵ֣ב הַשָּׂרִ֑ים וְנָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וְהַנְּבִיאִ֖ים יִתְמָֽהוּ׃ |
10 Then I replied, “Yahweh [my] God, you completely deceived the people by telling them that there would be peace in Jerusalem, but now [our enemies] [PRS] are ready to slaughter us with their swords!”
| וָאֹמַ֞ר אֲהָ֣הּ ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה אָכֵן֩ הַשֵּׁ֨א הִשֵּׁ֜אתָ לָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ וְלִירוּשָׁלַ֣͏ִם לֵאמֹ֔ר שָׁלֹ֖ום יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם וְנָגְעָ֥ה חֶ֖רֶב עַד־הַנָּֽפֶשׁ׃ |
11 When that happens, [Yahweh] will say to the people of Jerusalem, [“A huge army will come to attack you]. They will not [be like a gentle breeze that] separates wheat from chaff. [They will be like] a very hot wind [that blows in] from the desert [MET].
| בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא יֵאָמֵ֤ר לָֽעָם־הַזֶּה֙ וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם ר֣וּחַ צַ֤ח שְׁפָיִים֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר דֶּ֖רֶךְ בַּת־עַמִּ֑י לֹ֥וא לִזְרֹ֖ות וְלֹ֥וא לְהָבַֽר׃ |
12 [They will be like] [MET] a strong blast that I will send. Now I am declaring that I will punish/destroy you.”
| ר֧וּחַ מָלֵ֛א מֵאֵ֖לֶּה יָ֣בֹוא לִ֑י עַתָּ֕ה גַּם־אֲנִ֛י אֲדַבֵּ֥ר מִשְׁפָּטִ֖ים אֹותָֽם׃ |
13 [Our enemies] are about to rush down on us; their chariots are like [SIM] whirlwinds. Their horses are faster than eagles. It will be terrible for us!
| הִנֵּ֣ה ׀ כַּעֲנָנִ֣ים יַעֲלֶ֗ה וְכַסּוּפָה֙ מַרְכְּבֹותָ֔יו קַלּ֥וּ מִנְּשָׁרִ֖ים סוּסָ֑יו אֹ֥וי לָ֖נוּ כִּ֥י שֻׁדָּֽדְנוּ׃ |
14 [You people of] Jerusalem [APO], purify your hearts/inner beings, in order that Yahweh will rescue you. How long will you continue to think about [doing] evil things?
| כַּבְּסִ֨י מֵרָעָ֤ה לִבֵּךְ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם לְמַ֖עַן תִּוָּשֵׁ֑עִי עַד־מָתַ֛י תָּלִ֥ין בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ךְ מַחְשְׁבֹ֥ות אֹונֵֽךְ׃ |
15 From Dan [city in the far north] to the hills of Ephraim [a few miles/kilometers north of Jerusalem] messengers are proclaiming that disasters are coming.
| כִּ֛י קֹ֥ול מַגִּ֖יד מִדָּ֑ן וּמַשְׁמִ֥יעַ אָ֖וֶן מֵהַ֥ר אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ |
16 Tell this to the [people in other] nations [but also] announce it in Jerusalem: [Yahweh says], “An army is coming to Jerusalem from far away; they will shout [a battle-cry] against the cities in Judah.
| הַזְכִּ֣ירוּ לַגֹּויִ֗ם הִנֵּה֙ הַשְׁמִ֣יעוּ עַל־יְרוּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם נֹצְרִ֥ים בָּאִ֖ים מֵאֶ֣רֶץ הַמֶּרְחָ֑ק וַֽיִּתְּנ֛וּ עַל־עָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה קֹולָֽם׃ |
17 They will set up tents around Jerusalem like people set up temporary shelters [SIM] around a field [at harvest time]. That will happen because the people of Judah have rebelled against me.
| כְּשֹׁמְרֵ֣י שָׂדַ֔י הָי֥וּ עָלֶ֖יהָ מִסָּבִ֑יב כִּי־אֹתִ֥י מָרָ֖תָה נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ |
18 You will be punished very severely; it will [be as though a sword] has stabbed your inner beings. But you are causing those things to happen to you because of the evil things that you have done.”
| דַּרְכֵּךְ֙ וּמַ֣עֲלָלַ֔יִךְ עָשֹׂ֥ו אֵ֖לֶּה לָ֑ךְ זֹ֤את רָעָתֵךְ֙ כִּ֣י מָ֔ר כִּ֥י נָגַ֖ע עַד־לִבֵּֽךְ׃ ס |
19 I am extremely anguished/sad; the pain in my inner being is very severe. My heart beats wildly. But I cannot remain silent because I have heard [our enemies] blowing their trumpets to announce that the battle [against Judah will start immediately].
| מֵעַ֣י ׀ מֵעַ֨י ׀ אָחוּלָה (אֹוחִ֜ילָה) קִירֹ֥ות לִבִּ֛י הֹֽמֶה־לִּ֥י לִבִּ֖י לֹ֣א אַחֲרִ֑ישׁ כִּ֣י קֹ֤ול שֹׁופָר֙ שָׁמַעְתִּי (שָׁמַ֣עַתְּ) נַפְשִׁ֔י תְּרוּעַ֖ת מִלְחָמָֽה׃ |
20 Disasters will occur one after another until the whole land is ruined. Suddenly [all] our tents will be destroyed; [even] the curtains [inside the tents] will be ripped apart.
| שֶׁ֤בֶר עַל־שֶׁ֙בֶר֙ נִקְרָ֔א כִּ֥י שֻׁדְּדָ֖ה כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ פִּתְאֹם֙ שֻׁדְּד֣וּ אֹהָלַ֔י רֶ֖גַע יְרִיעֹתָֽי׃ |
21 How long will this battle continue? How long will I continue to see the enemy battle flags and hear the sound of their trumpets being blown?
| עַד־מָתַ֖י אֶרְאֶה־נֵּ֑ס אֶשְׁמְעָ֖ה קֹ֥ול שֹׁופָֽר׃ ס |
22 [Yahweh says], “My people are [very] foolish! They do not have a relationship with me. They are [like] [MET] stupid children who do not understand [anything]. They very cleverly do what is wrong, but they do not know how to do what is good.”
| כִּ֣י ׀ אֱוִ֣יל עַמִּ֗י אֹותִי֙ לֹ֣א יָדָ֔עוּ בָּנִ֤ים סְכָלִים֙ הֵ֔מָּה וְלֹ֥א נְבֹונִ֖ים הֵ֑מָּה חֲכָמִ֥ים הֵ֙מָּה֙ לְהָרַ֔ע וּלְהֵיטִ֖יב לֹ֥א יָדָֽעוּ׃ |
23 [God gave me a vision in which] I saw that the earth was barren and without form. I looked at the sky, and there was no light there.
| רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהִנֵּה־תֹ֖הוּ וָבֹ֑הוּ וְאֶל־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ין אֹורָֽם׃ |
24 I looked at the mountains and hills, and they shook and moved from side to side.
| רָאִ֙יתִי֙ הֶֽהָרִ֔ים וְהִנֵּ֖ה רֹעֲשִׁ֑ים וְכָל־הַגְּבָעֹ֖ות הִתְקַלְקָֽלוּ׃ |
25 I looked and saw that there were no [more] people, and all the birds had flown away.
| רָאִ֕יתִי וְהִנֵּ֖ה אֵ֣ין הָאָדָ֑ם וְכָל־עֹ֥וף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם נָדָֽדוּ׃ |
26 I looked and saw that the fields that previously were fertile had become a desert. The cities were all ruined; they had all been destroyed by Yahweh because he was extremely angry.
| רָאִ֕יתִי וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַכַּרְמֶ֖ל הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְכָל־עָרָ֗יו נִתְּצוּ֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י חֲרֹ֥ון אַפֹּֽו׃ ס |
27 This is what Yahweh is saying: “The entire land [of Judah] will be ruined, but I will not destroy it completely.
| כִּי־כֹה֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה שְׁמָמָ֥ה תִהְיֶ֖ה כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְכָלָ֖ה לֹ֥א אֶעֱשֶֽׂה׃ |
28 I will do to my people what I said that I would do, and I will not change my mind. So [when that happens, it will be as though] the earth will mourn and the sky will become very dark.”
| עַל־זֹאת֙ תֶּאֱבַ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ וְקָדְר֥וּ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם מִמָּ֑עַל עַ֤ל כִּי־דִבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ זַמֹּ֔תִי וְלֹ֥א נִחַ֖מְתִּי וְלֹא־אָשׁ֥וּב מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ |
29 [When the people hear] the sound of the [enemy] army marching, [they will be terrified as] they flee from their cities. Some of them will find places to hide in the bushes, and others will run toward the mountains/hills [to escape being killed by their enemies]. All the cities [in Judah] will be abandoned; not one person will remain in them.
| מִקֹּ֨ול פָּרָ֜שׁ וְרֹ֣מֵה קֶ֗שֶׁת בֹּרַ֙חַת֙ כָּל־הָעִ֔יר בָּ֚אוּ בֶּעָבִ֔ים וּבַכֵּפִ֖ים עָל֑וּ כָּל־הָעִ֣יר עֲזוּבָ֔ה וְאֵין־יֹושֵׁ֥ב בָּהֵ֖ן אִֽישׁ׃ |
30 So you who will surely be destroyed, [why are you doing the things that you are doing now]? Why are you wearing beautiful clothes and jewelry? Why are you putting paint around your eyes? Doing those things will not help you, because the people [in other countries that you think] love you [actually] despise you, and they will try to kill you.
| וְאַתִּי (וְאַ֨תְּ) שָׁד֜וּד מַֽה־תַּעֲשִׂ֗י כִּֽי־תִלְבְּשִׁ֨י שָׁנִ֜י כִּי־תַעְדִּ֣י עֲדִי־זָהָ֗ב כִּֽי־תִקְרְעִ֤י בַפּוּךְ֙ עֵינַ֔יִךְ לַשָּׁ֖וְא תִּתְיַפִּ֑י מָאֲסוּ־בָ֥ךְ עֹגְבִ֖ים נַפְשֵׁ֥ךְ יְבַקֵּֽשׁוּ׃ |
31 [It is as though] I already hear [the people in Jerusalem] crying very loudly, like [SIM] a woman cries when she is giving birth to her first child; she gasps for breath and pleads for someone to help her. [It is as though Jerusalem] is crying, “Something terrible is happening to me! They are about to murder me!”
| כִּי֩ קֹ֨ול כְּחֹולָ֜ה שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי צָרָה֙ כְּמַבְכִּירָ֔ה קֹ֧ול בַּת־צִיֹּ֛ון תִּתְיַפֵּ֖חַ תְּפָרֵ֣שׂ כַּפֶּ֑יהָ אֹֽוי־נָ֣א לִ֔י כִּֽי־עָיְפָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י לְהֹרְגִֽים׃ פ |
