Jeremiah Compelled to Preach

You deceived(A) me, Lord, and I was deceived.
You seized me and prevailed.
I am a laughingstock all the time;(B)
everyone ridicules me.
For whenever I speak, I cry out,
I proclaim, “Violence and destruction!” (C)
so the word of the Lord has become my
constant disgrace and derision.
I say, “I won’t mention him
or speak any longer in his name.”(D)
But his message becomes a fire burning in my heart,(E)
shut up in my bones.
I become tired of holding it in,(F)
and I cannot prevail.
10 For I have heard the gossip of many people,
“Terror is on every side!(G)
Report him; let’s report him!”
Everyone I trusted[a] watches for my fall.(H)
“Perhaps he will be deceived
so that we might prevail against him
and take our vengeance on him.”

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Notas al pie

  1. 20:10 Lit Every man of my peace

Total despair

Lord, you enticed me, and I was taken in.
    You were too strong for me, and you prevailed.
Now I’m laughed at all the time;
    everyone mocks me.
Every time I open my mouth, I cry out
    and say, “Violence and destruction!”
The Lord’s word has brought me
    nothing but insult and injury, constantly.
I thought, I’ll forget him;
    I’ll no longer speak in his name.
But there’s an intense fire in my heart,
    trapped in my bones.
    I’m drained trying to contain it;
        I’m unable to do it.
10 I hear many whispering—
    “Panic Lurks Everywhere!—
    proclaim, yes, let’s proclaim it ourselves!”
All my friends are waiting for me to stumble:
    “Perhaps he can be enticed.
        Then we’ll prevail against him
            and get our revenge on him!”

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