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A Time Without Rain

14 These are the words that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah ·about the time when there was no rain [concerning the drought; C often a punishment from God; Lev. 26:18–20; Deut. 28:22–24; 1 Kin. 17:1]:

“The nation of Judah ·cries as if someone has died [mourns],
    and her ·cities [L gates] ·are very sad [languish].
They ·are distressed [wail] over the land.
    A cry goes up [C to God] from Jerusalem.
The ·important men [nobles] send their ·servants [L young/little ones] to get water.
    They go to the ·wells [cisterns],
    but they find no water.
So they return with empty jars.
    They are ·ashamed [humiliated] and embarrassed
    and ·cover [veil] their heads [C in shame].
The ground is cracked open,
    because no rain falls on the land.
The farmers are ·upset and sad [L ashamed],
    so they ·cover [veil] their heads.
Even the mother deer in the field
    ·leaves her newborn fawn to die [L gives birth and leaves],
    because there is no ·grass [vegetation].
Wild donkeys stand on the bare hills
    and ·sniff the wind [pant] like ·wild dogs [jackals].
But their eyes go blind,
    because there is no ·food [pasture].”

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Drought and a Prayer for Mercy

14 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:


“Judah mourns
And her gates languish;
Her people sit on the ground in mourning clothes
And the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.

“Their nobles have sent their servants for water;
They have come to the cisterns and found no water.
They have returned with empty vessels;
They have been shamed and humiliated,
And they cover their heads.

“The ground is cracked
Because there has been no rain on the land;
The farmers are distressed,
And they have covered their heads [in shame].

“The doe in the field has given birth only to abandon her young
Because there is no grass.

“And the wild donkeys stand on the barren heights;
They pant for air like jackals,
Their eyesight fails
Because there is no grass.

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