Jeremiah 6

1 O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

"Flee for safety, you people of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem; for evil looks forth from the north, and a great destruction.

2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate [woman].

The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off.

3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch [their] tents against her on every side; they shall feed every one in his place.

Shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch their tents against her all around; they shall feed everyone in his place."

4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! for the day departeth, for the shadows of the evening are lengthened.

"Prepare war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us. For the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces."

6 For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this [is] the city to be visited; she [is] wholly oppression in the midst of her.

For the LORD of hosts said, "Cut down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem. She is the city to be punished; she is full of oppression in the midst of her.

7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and devastation is heard in her; before me continually [are] grief and wounds.

As a well casts forth its waters, so she casts forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds.

8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you; lest I make you a desolation, a land not inhabited."

9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thy hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets.

Thus says the LORD of hosts, "They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Pass your hand again as a grape gatherer into the baskets."

10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ear [is] uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is to them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? Look, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can't listen. Look, the word of the LORD has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it.

11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with [him that is] full of days.

Therefore I am full of the wrath of the LORD. I am weary with holding in. "Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.

12 And their houses shall be turned to others, [with their] fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.

Their houses shall be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land," says the LORD.

13 For from the least of them even to the greatest of them every one [is] given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest every one dealeth falsely.

"For from their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.

14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when [there is] no peace.

They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, 'Peace, peace.' when there is no peace.

15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? no, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time [that] I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I visit them, they shall be cast down," says the LORD.

16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk in it, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [in it].

Thus says the LORD, "Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, 'Where is the good way?' and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls." But they said, "We will not walk in it."

17 Also I set watchmen over you, [saying], Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

"I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Listen to the sound of the trumpet.'" But they said, "We will not listen."

18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what [is] among them.

"Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what will happen to them.

19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, [even] the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened to my words, nor to my law, but have rejected it.

Hear, earth. 'Look, I will bring disaster on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.

20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a distant country? your burnt-offerings [are] not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet to me.

To what purpose comes there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.'

21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbor and his friend shall perish.

Therefore thus says the LORD, 'Look, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them. The neighbor and his friend shall perish.'

22 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.

"Thus says the LORD, 'Look, a people comes from the north country. A great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they [are] cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.

They take hold of bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Zion.'"

24 We have heard the fame of it: our hands become feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail.

"We have heard its report; our hands become feeble: anguish has taken hold of us, and pains as of a woman in labor.

25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy [and] fear [is] on every side.

Do not go forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and terror, are on every side."

26 O daughter of my people, gird [thee] with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, [as for] an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

"Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes. Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come on us."

27 I have set thee [for] a tower [and] a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

"I have made you a tester of metals and a fortress among my people; that you may know and try their way."

28 They [are] all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: [they are] brass and iron; they [are] all corrupters.

"They are all grievous rebels, going about with slanders; they are bronze and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.

29 The bellows is burned, the lead is consumed by the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.

The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away.

30 Reprobate silver shall [men] call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.

Men will call them 'rejected silver,' because the LORD has rejected them."