16 Thus says the Lord:

“Stand in the ways and see,
And ask for the (A)old paths, where the good way is,
And walk in it;
Then you will find (B)rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.
17 Also, I set (C)watchmen over you, saying,
(D)‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
18 Therefore hear, you nations,
And know, O congregation, what is among them.
19 (E)Hear, O earth!
Behold, I will certainly bring (F)calamity on this people—
(G)The fruit of their thoughts,
Because they have not heeded My words
Nor My law, but rejected it.
20 (H)For what purpose to Me
Comes frankincense (I)from Sheba,
And (J)sweet cane from a far country?
(K)Your burnt offerings are not acceptable,
Nor your sacrifices sweet to Me.”

21 Therefore thus says the Lord:

“Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people,
And the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them.
The neighbor and his friend shall perish.”

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16 Thus says Yahweh: “Stand at the roads and look,
    and ask for the ancient paths, where the way of the good is,
and walk in it, and find rest for your inner selves.[a]
    But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’[b]
17 And I raised up watchmen over you:
    ‘Listen attentively to the sound of a horn.’
    But they said, ‘We will not listen attentively.’
18 Therefore[c] hear, O nations, and know, O community,
    what will happen to them.[d]
19 Hear, O earth,
    look, I am about to bring disaster to this people,
    the fruit of their plans,
because they have not listened attentively to my words,
    and my teaching, they have rejected it also.
20 What is this to me?
    Frankincense comes from Sheba,
and the precious spice reed from a distant land.
    Your burnt offerings are not acceptable,[e]
    your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”
21 Therefore[f] thus says Yahweh:
    “Look, I am about to put before this people stumbling blocks,
and they will stumble against them,
    fathers and children together,
    neighbor and his friend will perish.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 6:16 Hebrew “inner self”
  2. Jeremiah 6:16 Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
  3. Jeremiah 6:18 Literally “To thus”
  4. Jeremiah 6:18 Literally “what among them”
  5. Jeremiah 6:20 Literally “for acceptance”
  6. Jeremiah 6:21 Literally “To thus”