14 Cursed be the (A)day when I was born;
May the day when my mother gave birth to me not be blessed!
15 Cursed be the man who brought the news
To my father, saying,
“A [a](B)boy has been born to you!”
And made him very happy.
16 But may that man be like the cities
Which the Lord (C)overthrew without [b]relenting,
And may he hear an (D)outcry in the morning
And [c]an alarm for war at noon;
17 Because he did not (E)kill me [d]before birth,
So that my mother would have been my grave,
And her womb forever pregnant.
18 Why did I ever come out of the womb
To (F)look at trouble and sorrow,
So that my (G)days have been spent in (H)shame?

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 20:15 Lit male child
  2. Jeremiah 20:16 Lit being sorry
  3. Jeremiah 20:16 Or a trumpet blast
  4. Jeremiah 20:17 Lit from the womb

14 Cursed be the day
    on which I was born!
The day when my mother bore me,
    let it not be blessed!(A)
15 Cursed be the man
    who brought the news to my father, saying,
“A child is born to you, a son,”
    making him very glad.(B)
16 Let that man be like the cities
    that the Lord overthrew without pity;
let him hear a cry in the morning
    and an alarm at noon,(C)
17 because he did not kill me in the womb;
    so my mother would have been my grave
    and her womb forever pregnant.(D)
18 Why did I come forth from the womb
    to see toil and sorrow
    and spend my days in shame?(E)

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