יִרְמְיָהוּ 14

1 אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֤ה דְבַר־יְהוָה֙ אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ עַל־דִּבְרֵ֖י הַבַּצָּרֽוֹת׃

This is the LORD’s word that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:

2 אָבְלָ֣ה יְהוּדָ֔ה וּשְׁעָרֶ֥יהָ אֻמְלְל֖וּ קָדְר֣וּ לָאָ֑רֶץ וְצִוְחַ֥ת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם עָלָֽתָה׃

“Judah mourns, and its gates languish. They sit in black on the ground. The cry of Jerusalem goes up.

3 וְאַדִּ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם שָׁלְח֥וּ צעוריהם לַמָּ֑יִם בָּ֣אוּ עַל־גֵּבִ֞ים לֹא־מָ֣צְאוּ מַ֗יִם שָׁ֤בוּ כְלֵיהֶם֙ רֵיקָ֔ם בֹּ֥שׁוּ וְהָכְלְמ֖וּ וְחָפ֥וּ רֹאשָֽׁם׃

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.

4 בַּעֲב֤וּר הָאֲדָמָה֙ חַ֔תָּה כִּ֛י לֹא־הָיָ֥ה גֶ֖שֶׁם בָּאָ֑רֶץ בֹּ֥שׁוּ אִכָּרִ֖ים חָפ֥וּ רֹאשָֽׁם׃

Because of the ground which is cracked, because no rain has been in the land, the ploughmen are disappointed. They cover their heads.

5 כִּ֤י גַם־אַיֶּ֙לֶת֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה יָלְדָ֖ה וְעָז֑וֹב כִּ֥י לֹֽא־הָיָ֖ה דֶּֽשֶׁא׃

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

6 וּפְרָאִים֙ עָמְד֣וּ עַל־שְׁפָיִ֔ם שָׁאֲפ֥וּ ר֖וּחַ כַּתַּנִּ֑ים כָּל֥וּ עֵינֵיהֶ֖ם כִּי־אֵ֥ין עֵֽשֶׂב׃

The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights. They pant for air like jackals. Their eyes fail, because there is no vegetation.

7 אִם־עֲוֺנֵ֙ינוּ֙ עָ֣נוּ בָ֔נוּ יְהוָ֕ה עֲשֵׂ֖ה לְמַ֣עַן שְׁמֶ֑ךָ כִּֽי־רַבּ֥וּ מְשׁוּבֹתֵ֖ינוּ לְךָ֥ חָטָֽאנוּ׃

Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name’s sake, LORD; for our rebellions are many. We have sinned against you.

8 מִקְוֵה֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל מֽוֹשִׁיע֖וֹ בְּעֵ֣ת צָרָ֑ה לָ֤מָּה תִֽהְיֶה֙ כְּגֵ֣ר בָּאָ֔רֶץ וּכְאֹרֵ֖חַ נָטָ֥ה לָלֽוּן׃

You hope of Israel, its Saviour 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?

9 לָ֤מָּה תִֽהְיֶה֙ כְּאִ֣ישׁ נִדְהָ֔ם כְּגִבּ֖וֹר לֹא־יוּכַ֣ל לְהוֹשִׁ֑יעַ וְאַתָּ֧ה בְקִרְבֵּ֣נוּ יְהוָ֗ה וְשִׁמְךָ֛ עָלֵ֥ינוּ נִקְרָ֖א אַל־תַּנִּחֵֽנוּ׃ ס

Why should you be like a scared man, as a mighty man who can’t save? Yet you, LORD, are in the middle of us, and we are called by your name. Don’t leave us.

10 כֹּֽה־אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֗ה כֵּ֤ן אָֽהֲבוּ֙ לָנ֔וּעַ רַגְלֵיהֶ֖ם לֹ֣א חָשָׂ֑כוּ וַיהוָה֙ לֹ֣א רָצָ֔ם עַתָּה֙ יִזְכֹּ֣ר עֲוֺנָ֔ם וְיִפְקֹ֖ד חַטֹּאתָֽם׃ ס

The LORD says to this people: “Even so they have loved to wander. They have not restrained their feet. Therefore the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, and punish them for their sins.”

11 וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י אַל־תִּתְפַּלֵּ֛ל בְּעַד־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה לְטוֹבָֽה׃

The LORD said to me, “Don’t pray for this people for their good.

12 כִּ֣י יָצֻ֗מוּ אֵינֶ֤נִּי שֹׁמֵ֙עַ֙ אֶל־רִנָּתָ֔ם וְכִ֧י יַעֲל֛וּ עֹלָ֥ה וּמִנְחָ֖ה אֵינֶ֣נִּי רֹצָ֑ם כִּ֗י בַּחֶ֙רֶב֙ וּבָרָעָ֣ב וּבַדֶּ֔בֶר אָנֹכִ֖י מְכַלֶּ֥ה אוֹתָֽם׃ ס

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, by famine, and by pestilence.”

13 וָאֹמַ֞ר אֲהָ֣הּ ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יְהוִ֗ה הִנֵּ֨ה הַנְּבִאִ֜ים אֹמְרִ֤ים לָהֶם֙ לֹֽא־תִרְא֣וּ חֶ֔רֶב וְרָעָ֖ב לֹֽא־יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־שְׁל֤וֹם אֱמֶת֙ אֶתֵּ֣ן לָכֶ֔ם בַּמָּק֖וֹם הַזֶּֽה׃ ס

Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets tell them, ‘You will not see the sword, neither will you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.’”

14 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י שֶׁ֚קֶר הַנְּבִאִים֙ נִבְּאִ֣ים בִּשְׁמִ֔י לֹ֤א שְׁלַחְתִּים֙ וְלֹ֣א צִוִּיתִ֔ים וְלֹ֥א דִבַּ֖רְתִּי אֲלֵיהֶ֑ם חֲז֨וֹן שֶׁ֜קֶר וְקֶ֤סֶם ואלול ותרמות לִבָּ֔ם הֵ֖מָּה מִֽתְנַבְּאִ֥ים לָכֶֽם׃ ס

Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I didn’t send them. I didn’t command them. I didn’t speak to them. They prophesy to you a lying vision, divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.

15 לָכֵ֞ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה עַֽל־הַנְּבִאִ֞ים הַנִּבְּאִ֣ים בִּשְׁמִי֮ וַאֲנִ֣י לֹֽא־שְׁלַחְתִּים֒ וְהֵ֙מָּה֙ אֹֽמְרִ֔ים חֶ֣רֶב וְרָעָ֔ב לֹ֥א יִהְיֶ֖ה בָּאָ֣רֶץ הַזֹּ֑את בַּחֶ֤רֶב וּבָֽרָעָב֙ יִתַּ֔מּוּ הַנְּבִאִ֖ים הָהֵֽמָּה׃

Therefore the LORD says concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, but I didn’t send them, yet they say, ‘Sword and famine will not be in this land.’ Those prophets will be consumed by sword and famine.

16 וְהָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֣מָּה נִבְּאִ֣ים לָהֶ֡ם יִֽהְי֣וּ מֻשְׁלָכִים֩ בְּחֻצ֨וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם מִפְּנֵ֣י ׀ הָרָעָ֣ב וְהַחֶ֗רֶב וְאֵ֤ין מְקַבֵּר֙ לָהֵ֔מָּה הֵ֣מָּה נְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם וּבְנֵיהֶ֖ם וּבְנֹֽתֵיהֶ֑ם וְשָׁפַכְתִּ֥י עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם אֶת־רָעָתָֽם׃

The people to whom they prophesy will be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. They will have no one to bury them—them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters, for I will pour their wickedness on them.

17 וְאָמַרְתָּ֤ אֲלֵיהֶם֙ אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֔ה תֵּרַ֨דְנָה עֵינַ֥י דִּמְעָ֛ה לַ֥יְלָה וְיוֹמָ֖ם וְאַל־תִּדְמֶ֑ינָה כִּי֩ שֶׁ֨בֶר גָּד֜וֹל נִשְׁבְּרָ֗ה בְּתוּלַת֙ בַּת־עַמִּ֔י מַכָּ֖ה נַחְלָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃

“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.

18 אִם־יָצָ֣אתִי הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה וְהִנֵּה֙ חַלְלֵי־חֶ֔רֶב וְאִם֙ בָּ֣אתִי הָעִ֔יר וְהִנֵּ֖ה תַּחֲלוּאֵ֣י רָעָ֑ב כִּֽי־גַם־נָבִ֧יא גַם־כֹּהֵ֛ן סָחֲר֥וּ אֶל־אֶ֖רֶץ וְלֹ֥א יָדָֽעוּ׃ ס

If I go out into the field, then behold, the slain with the sword! If I enter into the city, then behold, those who are sick with famine! For both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.’”

19 הֲמָאֹ֨ס מָאַ֜סְתָּ אֶת־יְהוּדָ֗ה אִם־בְּצִיּוֹן֙ גָּעֲלָ֣ה נַפְשֶׁ֔ךָ מַדּ֙וּעַ֙ הִכִּיתָ֔נוּ וְאֵ֥ין לָ֖נוּ מַרְפֵּ֑א קַוֵּ֤ה לְשָׁלוֹם֙ וְאֵ֣ין ט֔וֹב וּלְעֵ֥ת מַרְפֵּ֖א וְהִנֵּ֥ה בְעָתָֽה׃

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 behold, dismay!

20 יָדַ֧עְנוּ יְהוָ֛ה רִשְׁעֵ֖נוּ עֲוֺ֣ן אֲבוֹתֵ֑ינוּ כִּ֥י חָטָ֖אנוּ לָֽךְ׃

We acknowledge, LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you.

21 אַל־תִּנְאַץ֙ לְמַ֣עַן שִׁמְךָ֔ אַל־תְּנַבֵּ֖ל כִּסֵּ֣א כְבוֹדֶ֑ךָ זְכֹ֕ר אַל־תָּפֵ֥ר בְּרִֽיתְךָ֖ אִתָּֽנוּ׃

Do not abhor us, for your name’s sake. Do not disgrace the throne of your glory. Remember, and don’t break your covenant with us.

22 הֲיֵ֨שׁ בְּהַבְלֵ֤י הַגּוֹיִם֙ מַגְשִׁמִ֔ים וְאִם־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם יִתְּנ֣וּ רְבִבִ֑ים הֲלֹ֨א אַתָּה־ה֜וּא יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֵ֙ינוּ֙ וּ֨נְקַוֶּה־לָּ֔ךְ כִּֽי־אַתָּ֥ה עָשִׂ֖יתָ אֶת־כָּל־ אֵֽלֶּה׃ פ

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