Jeremiah 6:20-30

English Standard Version

²⁰^(A)What use to me is ^(B)frankincense that comes from ^(C)Sheba,
    or sweet cane from a distant land?
^(D)Your burnt offerings are not acceptable,
    nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.
²¹Therefore thus says the Lord:
^(E)‘Behold, I will lay before this people
    stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble;
fathers and sons together,
    neighbor and friend shall perish.’”

²²Thus says the Lord:
^(F)“Behold, a people is coming ^(G)from the north country,
    a great nation is stirring from ^(H)the farthest parts of the earth.
²³They lay hold on bow and javelin;
    they are ^(I)cruel and have no mercy;
    ^(J)the sound of them is like the roaring sea;
they ride on horses,
    set in array as a man for battle,
    against you, O daughter of Zion!”
²⁴We have heard the report of it;
    ^(K)our hands fall helpless;
anguish has taken hold of us,
    ^(L)pain as of a woman in labor.
²⁵Go not out into the field,
    nor walk on the road,
for the enemy has a sword;
    ^(M)terror is on every side.
²⁶O daughter of my people, ^(N)put on sackcloth,
    and ^(O)roll in ashes;
^(P)make mourning as for an only son,
    most bitter lamentation,
for suddenly the destroyer
    will come upon us.

²⁷“I have made you ^(Q)a tester of metals among my people,
    that you may know and ^(R)test their ways.
²⁸^(S)They are all stubbornly rebellious,
    ^(T)going about with slanders;
they are ^(U)bronze and iron;
    all of them act corruptly.
²⁹The ^(V)bellows blow fiercely;
    the lead is consumed by the fire;
^(W)in vain the refining goes on,
    for the wicked are not removed.
³⁰^(X)Rejected silver they are called,
    for the Lord has rejected them.”