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Jeremiah 4
Legacy Standard Bible
Jeremiah 4
Legacy Standard Bible
Yahweh Calls Israel to Return to Him
4 “If you will (A)return, O Israel,” declares Yahweh,
“Then you should return to Me.
And (B)if you will put away your detested things from My presence
And will not waver
2 And you will (C)swear, ‘As Yahweh lives,’
(D)In truth, in justice, and in righteousness;
Then the (E)nations will [a]be blessed in Him,
And (F)in Him they will boast.”
3 For thus says Yahweh to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem,
“[b](G)Break up your fallow ground,
And (H)do not sow among thorns.
4 (I)Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh
And remove the foreskins of your heart,
Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Lest My (J)wrath go forth like fire
And burn with (K)none to quench it
Because of the evil of your deeds.”
Evil from the North
5 Declare in Judah and make it heard in Jerusalem and say,
“(L)Blow the trumpet in the land;
Call out, make your voice full, and say,
‘(M)Gather yourselves, and let us go
Into the fortified cities.’
6 Lift up a (N)standard toward Zion!
Seek safety, do not stand still,
For I am bringing (O)evil from the north,
And great destruction.
7 A (P)lion has gone up from his thicket,
And a (Q)destroyer of nations has set out;
He has gone out from his place
To (R)make your land a desolation.
Your cities will be turned into ruins
Without inhabitant.
8 For this, (S)I gird myself with sackcloth,
Lament and wail;
For the (T)burning anger of Yahweh
Has not turned back from us.”
9 “It will be in that day,” declares Yahweh, “that the (U)heart of the king and the heart of the princes will perish; and the priests will be appalled, and the (V)prophets will be astonished.”
10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Surely You have utterly (W)deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘(X)You will have peace’; whereas a sword touches the [c]throat.”
11 In that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A [d](Y)scorching wind from the bare heights in the wilderness along the way of the daughter of My people—not to winnow and not to cleanse, 12 a wind too full for these things—will come [e]for My purpose; now I will also speak judgments against them.
13 Behold, he (Z)goes up like clouds,
And his (AA)chariots like the whirlwind;
His horses are (AB)swifter than eagles.
Woe to us, for (AC)we are devastated!”
14 Wash your heart from evil, O Jerusalem,
That you may be saved.
How long will your (AD)wicked thoughts
Lodge within you?
15 For a voice declares from (AE)Dan,
And makes wickedness heard from Mount Ephraim.
16 “Make mention of it to the nations, saying, ‘Behold!’
Make it heard over Jerusalem,
‘Besiegers come from a (AF)far country,
And (AG)give forth their voices against the cities of Judah.
17 Like watchmen of a field they are (AH)against her round about
Because she has (AI)rebelled against Me,’ declares Yahweh.
18 Your (AJ)ways and your deeds
Have done these things to you.
This is your evil. How (AK)bitter!
How it has touched your heart!”
Anguish over Judah’s Desolation
19 (AL)My [f]soul, my [g]soul! I am in anguish! [h]Oh, my heart!
My (AM)heart is pounding in me;
I cannot be silent
Because [i]you have heard, O my soul,
The (AN)sound of the trumpet,
The shout of war.
20 (AO)Destruction upon destruction is called out,
For the (AP)whole land is devastated;
Suddenly my (AQ)tents are devastated,
My curtains in an instant.
21 How long must I see the standard
And hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 “(AR)For My people are ignorant fools,
They know Me not;
They are simpleminded children
And have no understanding.
They are wise to (AS)do evil,
But to do good they do not know.”
23 I saw on the earth, and behold, it was [j](AT)formless and void;
And to the heavens, and they had no light.
24 I saw on the mountains, and behold, they were (AU)quaking,
And all the hills [k]moved to and fro.
25 I saw, and behold, there was no man,
And all the (AV)birds of the sky had fled.
26 I saw, and behold, [l]the (AW)fruitful orchard was a wilderness,
And all its cities were torn down
Before Yahweh, before His burning anger.
27 For thus says Yahweh,
“The (AX)whole land shall be a desolation,
Yet I will (AY)not execute a complete destruction.
28 For this the (AZ)earth shall mourn
And the (BA)heavens above be dark
Because I have (BB)spoken; I have purposed,
And I will not [m]relent, nor will I turn from it.”
29 At the sound of the horseman and bowman (BC)every city flees;
They (BD)go into the thickets and climb up among the rocks;
(BE)Every city is forsaken,
And no man inhabits them.
30 And you, O devastated one, (BF)what will you do?
Although you dress in scarlet,
Although you decorate yourself with ornaments of gold,
Although you (BG)enlarge your eyes with paint,
In vain you make yourself beautiful.
Your [n](BH)lovers despise you;
They seek your life.
31 For I heard a sound as of a woman in labor pains,
The distress as of one giving birth to her first child,
The sound of the daughter of Zion (BI)gasping for breath,
(BJ)Stretching out her [o]hands, saying,
“Ah, woe is me, for my soul faints before murderers.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 4:2 Or experience blessing repeatedly, bless themselves
- Jeremiah 4:3 Lit Plow for yourselves plowed ground
- Jeremiah 4:10 Or life
- Jeremiah 4:11 Lit shimmering
- Jeremiah 4:12 Lit for Me
- Jeremiah 4:19 Lit inward parts
- Jeremiah 4:19 Lit inward parts
- Jeremiah 4:19 Lit The walls of my heart
- Jeremiah 4:19 Or I, my soul, heard
- Jeremiah 4:23 Or a waste and emptiness
- Jeremiah 4:24 Lit moved lightly
- Jeremiah 4:26 Or Carmel
- Jeremiah 4:28 Or regret, cf. 1 Sam 15:11, 29, 3
- Jeremiah 4:30 Lit paramours
- Jeremiah 4:31 Lit palms
Jeremiah 4
New International Version
Jeremiah 4
New International Version
4 “If you, Israel, will return,(A)
then return to me,”
declares the Lord.
“If you put your detestable idols(B) out of my sight
and no longer go astray,
2 and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
you swear,(C) ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’(D)
then the nations will invoke blessings(E) by him
and in him they will boast.(F)”
3 This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem:
“Break up your unplowed ground(G)
and do not sow among thorns.(H)
4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
circumcise your hearts,(I)
you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
or my wrath(J) will flare up and burn like fire(K)
because of the evil(L) you have done—
burn with no one to quench(M) it.
Disaster From the North
5 “Announce in Judah and proclaim(N) in Jerusalem and say:
‘Sound the trumpet(O) throughout the land!’
Cry aloud and say:
‘Gather together!
Let us flee to the fortified cities!’(P)
6 Raise the signal(Q) to go to Zion!
Flee for safety without delay!
For I am bringing disaster(R) from the north,(S)
even terrible destruction.”
7 A lion(T) has come out of his lair;(U)
a destroyer(V) of nations has set out.
He has left his place
to lay waste(W) your land.
Your towns will lie in ruins(X)
without inhabitant.
8 So put on sackcloth,(Y)
lament(Z) and wail,
for the fierce anger(AA) of the Lord
has not turned away from us.
9 “In that day,” declares the Lord,
“the king and the officials will lose heart,(AB)
the priests will be horrified,
and the prophets will be appalled.”(AC)
10 Then I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! How completely you have deceived(AD) this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’(AE) when the sword is at our throats!”
11 At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, “A scorching wind(AF) from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse; 12 a wind(AG) too strong for that comes from me. Now I pronounce my judgments(AH) against them.”
13 Look! He advances like the clouds,(AI)
his chariots(AJ) come like a whirlwind,(AK)
his horses(AL) are swifter than eagles.(AM)
Woe to us! We are ruined!(AN)
14 Jerusalem, wash(AO) the evil from your heart and be saved.(AP)
How long(AQ) will you harbor wicked thoughts?
15 A voice is announcing from Dan,(AR)
proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.(AS)
16 “Tell this to the nations,
proclaim concerning Jerusalem:
‘A besieging army is coming from a distant land,(AT)
raising a war cry(AU) against the cities of Judah.(AV)
17 They surround(AW) her like men guarding a field,
because she has rebelled(AX) against me,’”
declares the Lord.
18 “Your own conduct and actions(AY)
have brought this on you.(AZ)
This is your punishment.
How bitter(BA) it is!
How it pierces to the heart!”
19 Oh, my anguish, my anguish!(BB)
I writhe in pain.(BC)
Oh, the agony of my heart!
My heart pounds(BD) within me,
I cannot keep silent.(BE)
For I have heard the sound of the trumpet;(BF)
I have heard the battle cry.(BG)
20 Disaster follows disaster;(BH)
the whole land lies in ruins.(BI)
In an instant my tents(BJ) are destroyed,
my shelter in a moment.
21 How long must I see the battle standard(BK)
and hear the sound of the trumpet?(BL)
22 “My people are fools;(BM)
they do not know me.(BN)
They are senseless children;
they have no understanding.(BO)
They are skilled in doing evil;(BP)
they know not how to do good.”(BQ)
23 I looked at the earth,
and it was formless and empty;(BR)
and at the heavens,
and their light(BS) was gone.
24 I looked at the mountains,
and they were quaking;(BT)
all the hills were swaying.
25 I looked, and there were no people;
every bird in the sky had flown away.(BU)
26 I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert;(BV)
all its towns lay in ruins(BW)
before the Lord, before his fierce anger.(BX)
27 This is what the Lord says:
“The whole land will be ruined,(BY)
though I will not destroy(BZ) it completely.
28 Therefore the earth will mourn(CA)
and the heavens above grow dark,(CB)
because I have spoken and will not relent,(CC)
I have decided and will not turn back.(CD)”
29 At the sound of horsemen and archers(CE)
every town takes to flight.(CF)
Some go into the thickets;
some climb up among the rocks.(CG)
All the towns are deserted;(CH)
no one lives in them.
耶利米书 4
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
耶利米书 4
Chinese New Version (Traditional)
呼召以色列和猶大悔改
4 “以色列啊！你要是回轉，
就當回轉歸向我。”
這是耶和華的宣告。
“如果你從我面前除掉你可憎的偶像，
不到處浪蕩；
2 如果你憑真理、公正、公義，
指著永活的耶和華起誓；
列國就必因耶和華蒙福，
也必以他為榮。”
3 耶和華對猶大和耶路撒冷的人這樣說：
“你們要為自己開墾未經耕耘之地，
卻不要撒種在荊棘中！
4 猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民哪！
你們要為了耶和華的緣故自行割禮，
除去心裡的污穢；
不然，我的忿怒必因你們的惡行，
如火一般發出來，
無人能熄滅！”
5 “你們應當在猶大宣告，
在耶路撒冷傳揚，說：
‘要在境內吹號。’
高聲呼叫，說：
‘你們要集合起來，我們要進到堅固的城裡去！’
6 要向錫安豎起旗號，
趕快逃命，不可停留，
因為我必使災禍與嚴重的毀滅，
從北方而來。”
7 獅子從牠的密林中上來了，
毀壞列國的已經動身，
從他的本處出發，
為要使你的地荒涼，
使你的城市破毀，無人居住。
8 因此，你們應當披上麻布，
痛哭哀號，
因為耶和華的烈怒，
還沒有離開我們。
9 “到那日，君王和首領的勇氣消失，
祭司也要驚惶，
先知都必詫異。”
這是耶和華的宣告。
10 於是我說：“噢！主耶和華啊！你真的欺騙了這人民，也欺騙了耶路撒冷，說：‘你們必平安無事’，其實刀劍已經架在頸項上了！”
11 到那時，必有話對這人民和耶路撒冷說：“有一陣熱風從曠野光禿的高岡，颳向我的子民（“我的子民”原文作“我子民的女子”），不是為簸散，也不是為揚淨； 12 這過強的風要為我颳來，我就要向他們宣告我的判詞。”
13 看哪！他必如密雲湧聚，
他的戰車如旋風，
他的馬比鷹還快。
我們有禍了，我們滅亡了！
14 耶路撒冷啊！洗淨你心中的邪惡，
使你可以得救！
你心存惡念，
要到幾時呢？
15 因為有聲音從但宣告，
從以法蓮山傳出災禍的警報。
16 “要向列國提說，
向耶路撒冷宣揚：
‘圍攻的人從遠地而來，
向猶大的各城鎮大聲吶喊。
17 他們四面包圍耶路撒冷，
好像看守田地的人一樣，
因為耶路撒冷背叛了我。’”
這是耶和華的宣告。
18 “你這一切災禍是你的所作所為作成的，
這就是你的惡果，
實在是苦，直透心底。”
先知為 神的子民悲哀
19 我的肺腑，我的肺腑啊！我絞痛欲絕。
我的心哪！我的心在我裡面顫抖，
我不能緘默不語。
我的靈啊！我聽見了號角的聲音，
也聽見了戰爭的吶喊。
20 毀滅的消息頻傳，
因為全國盡都毀壞，
我的帳棚忽然毀壞，
我的幔子轉瞬破裂。
21 我看見旗號要到幾時呢？
我聽見號角的聲音要到幾時呢？
22 “我的子民愚妄，
他們連我都不認識，
是無知的兒女，
沒有悟性；
他們有智慧行惡，
卻沒有知識行善。”
23 我觀看地，地是空虛混沌；
我仰視天，天上也全然無光。
24 我觀看大山，它們盡都震動，
小山也都搖來搖去。
25 我觀看，毫無人跡；
空中的飛鳥也逃掉了。
26 我觀看，肥美田園變為荒野；
在耶和華面前，就是在他烈怒之下，
所有的城市都被拆毀。
27 因為耶和華這樣說：
“全國都必荒涼，
我卻不盡行毀滅。
28 因此，地要悲哀，
天必昏暗。
因為我說過，就不後悔；
我定了意，決不改變。”
29 因著騎兵和弓箭手的響聲，
各城的人盡都逃跑。
他們進入密林，爬上巖穴；
各城都被撇下，
無人住在其中。
30 你這被毀壞的啊！你在幹甚麼？
即使你穿上朱紅色的服裝，
佩戴黃金飾物，
用顏料畫大你的眼睛，
你自炫漂亮，也是白費的。
愛你的人仍然鄙視你，
他們都在尋索你的命！
31 我聽到好像婦人產痛的叫聲，
正像生頭胎孩子的婦人疼痛的叫聲，
就是錫安居民（“居民”原文作“女子”）的聲音，他們喘著氣，
伸開雙手，說：
“哎！我有禍了！
在那些殺人者跟前，我發昏了！”
Jeremiah 4
New King James Version
Jeremiah 4
New King James Version
Jeremiah Laments over Judah
4 “If you will return, O Israel,” says the Lord,
(A)“Return to Me;
And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight,
Then you shall not be moved.
2 (B)And you shall swear, ‘The Lord lives,’
(C)In truth, in [a]judgment, and in righteousness;
(D)The nations shall bless themselves in Him,
And in Him they shall (E)glory.”
3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:
(F)“Break up your [b]fallow ground,
And (G)do not sow among thorns.
4 (H)Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
And take away the foreskins of your hearts,
You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Lest My fury come forth like fire,
And burn so that no one can quench it,
Because of the evil of your doings.”
An Imminent Invasion
5 Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say:
(I)“Blow the trumpet in the land;
Cry, ‘Gather together,’
And say, (J)‘Assemble yourselves,
And let us go into the fortified cities.’
6 Set up the [c]standard toward Zion.
Take refuge! Do not delay!
For I will bring disaster from the (K)north,
And great destruction.”
7 (L)The lion has come up from his thicket,
And (M)the destroyer of nations is on his way.
He has gone forth from his place
(N)To make your land desolate.
Your cities will be laid waste,
Without inhabitant.
8 For this, (O)clothe yourself with sackcloth,
Lament and wail.
For the fierce anger of the Lord
Has not turned back from us.
9 “And it shall come to pass in that day,” says the Lord,
“That the heart of the king shall perish,
And the heart of the princes;
The priests shall be astonished,
And the prophets shall wonder.”
10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God!
(P)Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem,
(Q)Saying, ‘You shall have peace,’
Whereas the sword reaches to the [d]heart.”
11 At that time it will be said
To this people and to Jerusalem,
(R)“A dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness
Toward the daughter of My people—
Not to fan or to cleanse—
12 A wind too strong for these will come for Me;
Now (S)I will also speak judgment against them.”
13 “Behold, he shall come up like clouds,
And (T)his chariots like a whirlwind.
(U)His horses are swifter than eagles.
Woe to us, for we are plundered!”
14 O Jerusalem, (V)wash your heart from wickedness,
That you may be saved.
How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?
15 For a voice declares (W)from Dan
And proclaims [e]affliction from Mount Ephraim:
16 “Make mention to the nations,
Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem,
That watchers come from a (X)far country
And raise their voice against the cities of Judah.
17 (Y)Like keepers of a field they are against her all around,
Because she has been rebellious against Me,” says the Lord.
18 “Your(Z) ways and your doings
Have procured these things for you.
This is your wickedness,
Because it is bitter,
Because it reaches to your heart.”
Sorrow for the Doomed Nation
19 O my (AA)soul, my soul!
I am pained in my very heart!
My heart makes a noise in me;
I cannot hold my peace,
Because you have heard, O my soul,
The sound of the trumpet,
The alarm of war.
20 (AB)Destruction upon destruction is cried,
For the whole land is plundered.
Suddenly (AC)my tents are plundered,
And my curtains in a moment.
21 How long will I see the [f]standard,
And hear the sound of the trumpet?
22 “For My people are foolish,
They have not known Me.
They are [g]silly children,
And they have no understanding.
(AD)They are wise to do evil,
But to do good they have no knowledge.”
23 (AE)I beheld the earth, and indeed it was (AF)without form, and void;
And the heavens, they had no light.
24 (AG)I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled,
And all the hills moved back and forth.
25 I beheld, and indeed there was no man,
And (AH)all the birds of the heavens had fled.
26 I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a (AI)wilderness,
And all its cities were broken down
At the presence of the Lord,
By His fierce anger.
27 For thus says the Lord:
“The whole land shall be desolate;
(AJ)Yet I will not make a full end.
28 For this (AK)shall the earth mourn,
And (AL)the heavens above be black,
Because I have spoken.
I have (AM)purposed and (AN)will not relent,
Nor will I turn back from it.
29 The whole city shall flee from the noise of the horsemen and bowmen.
They shall go into thickets and climb up on the rocks.
Every city shall be forsaken,
And not a man shall dwell in it.
30 “And when you are plundered,
What will you do?
Though you clothe yourself with crimson,
Though you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold,
(AO)Though you enlarge your eyes with paint,
In vain you will make yourself fair;
(AP)Your lovers will despise you;
They will seek your life.
31 “For I have heard a voice as of a woman in [h]labor,
The anguish as of her who brings forth her first child,
The voice of the daughter of Zion bewailing herself;
She (AQ)spreads her hands, saying,
‘Woe is me now, for my soul is [i]weary
Because of murderers!’
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 4:2 justice
- Jeremiah 4:3 untilled
- Jeremiah 4:6 banner
- Jeremiah 4:10 Lit. soul
- Jeremiah 4:15 Or wickedness
- Jeremiah 4:21 banner
- Jeremiah 4:22 foolish
- Jeremiah 4:31 childbirth
- Jeremiah 4:31 faint
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New International Version (NIV) 
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Chinese New Version (Traditional) (CNVT) 
Chinese New Version (CNV). Copyright © 1976, 1992, 1999, 2001, 2005 by Worldwide Bible Society.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.