Jeremiah 14:17-22

English Standard Version

¹⁷“You shall say to them this word:
^(A)‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day,
    and let them not cease,
for the virgin ^(B)daughter of my people is shattered with a great wound,
    ^(C)with a very grievous blow.
¹⁸^(D)If I go out into the field,
    behold, those pierced by the sword!
^(E)And if I enter the city,
    behold, the diseases of famine!
^(F)For both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land
    and have no knowledge.’”

¹⁹^(G)Have you utterly rejected Judah?
    Does your soul loathe Zion?
Why have you struck us down
    ^(H)so that there is no healing for us?
^(I)We looked for peace, but no good came;
    ^(J)for a time of healing, but behold, terror.
²⁰^(K)We acknowledge our wickedness, O Lord,
    and the iniquity of our fathers,
    ^(L)for we have sinned against you.
²¹Do not spurn us, ^(M)for your name's sake;
    do not dishonor your glorious throne;
    ^(N)remember and do not break your covenant with us.
²²Are there any among ^(O)the false gods of the nations ^(P)that can bring rain?
    Or can the heavens give showers?
Are you not he, O Lord our God?
    We set our hope on you,
    ^(Q)for you do all these things.

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Jeremiah 15:10-21

English Standard Version

Jeremiah's Complaint

¹⁰^(A)Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! ^(B)I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet all of them curse me. ¹¹The Lord said, “Have I not^[a] set you free for their good? Have I not pleaded for you before the enemy in the time of trouble and in the time of distress? ¹²Can one break iron, iron ^(C)from the north, and bronze?

¹³^(D)“Your wealth and your treasures I will give as ^(E)spoil, without price, for all your sins, throughout all your territory. ¹⁴I will make you serve your enemies ^(F)in a land that you do not know, ^(G)for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.”

¹⁵^(H)O Lord, you know;
    ^(I)remember me and visit me,
    ^(J)^(K)and take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In your forbearance take me not away;
    ^(L)know that ^(M)for your sake I bear reproach.
¹⁶Your words were found, ^(N)and I ate them,
    and ^(O)your words became to me a joy
    and the delight of my heart,
^(P)for I am called by your name,
    O Lord, God of hosts.
¹⁷^(Q)I did not sit in the company of revelers,
    nor did I rejoice;
^(R)I sat alone, because your hand was upon me,
    for you had filled me with indignation.
¹⁸Why is my pain unceasing,
    ^(S)my wound incurable,
    refusing to be healed?
Will you be to me ^(T)like a deceitful brook,
    like waters that fail?

¹⁹Therefore thus says the Lord:
^(U)“If you return, I will restore you,
    and you shall ^(V)stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
    you shall be as my mouth.
They shall turn to you,
    but you shall not turn to them.
²⁰^(W)And I will make you to this people
    a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
    ^(X)but they shall not prevail over you,
^(Y)for I am with you
    to save you and deliver you,
declares the Lord.
²¹^(Z)I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
    and redeem you from the grasp of ^(AA)the ruthless.”