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¶ Seyè a pale ak Jeremi, li di l' konsa:

-Al kanpe devan gwo pòtay kay Bondye a. Pale byen fò, epi di: Nou tout moun peyi Jida k'ap vini pase nan pòtay sa a pou n' al fè sèvis pou Seyè a, koute sa Seyè a voye di nou.

Men sa Seyè ki gen tout pouvwa a, Bondye pèp Izrayèl la, di: Se pou nou chanje jan n'ap viv la! Manyè sispann fè sa n'ap fè a pou m' ka kite nou viv isit la.

Nou pa bezwen kwè pawòl manti y'ap plede repete yo: Sa se gwo kay Seyè a! Sa se gwo kay Seyè a! Sa se gwo kay Seyè a! Anyen p'ap rive nou la.

Se pou nou chanje jan n'ap viv la. Sispann fè sa n'ap fè a! Rann tout moun jistis san patipri.

Pa pwofite sou moun lòt nasyon yo, sou timoun ki san papa yo, sou fanm ki pèdi mari yo. Sispann fè san moun inonsan koule nan peyi a. Pa kouri dèyè lòt bondye yo. Se va pou malè nou.

Lè sa a, m'a kite nou viv isit la, nan peyi mwen te bay zansèt nou yo pou tout tan tout tan.

Men, nou chita ap kwè yon bann pawòl manti ki p'ap sèvi nou anyen.

Kouman nou ta vle sa? N'ap vòlò, n'ap touye moun, n'ap fè adiltè, n'ap fè sèman pou bay manti, n'ap fè ofrann pou yo boule pou Baal, n'ap kouri fè sèvis pou yon bann lòt bondye nou pa t' janm konnen anvan.

10 Lèfini, n'ap vin kanpe devan m' nan kay yo mete apa pou mwen an, n'ap plede di: Nou sove! Epi nou donnen pi rèd nan fè bagay mwen pa vle wè?

11 Sanble nou pran kay yo mete apa pou mwen an fè yon kachèt pou vòlò? Se sa mwen wè n'ap fè. Se mwen menm Seyè a ki di sa.

12 Moute Silo, ale wè kote yo te mete apa pou mwen an, premye kote mwen te chwazi pou m' te rete nan mitan nou an. Ale wè sa m' te fè l' poutèt mechanste pèp Izrayèl mwen sa a.

13 Koulye a menm, gade tou sa nou fè. Se Seyè a menm ki di sa. Se pa ti kras pale mwen pale nou, nou derefize koute m'. Se pa ti kras rele mwen rele nou, nou pa reponn.

14 Enben! Sa m' te fè Silo a, se sa mwen pral fè kay yo mete apa pou mwen an, kay nou kwè ki ka sove nou an, ak peyi mwen te bay zansèt nou yo ansanm ak nou an.

15 M'ap wete nou devan je m', menm jan mwen te voye tout frè nou yo, tout moun branch fanmi Efrayim yo, jete byen lwen.

16 ¶ Seyè a di ankò: -Jeremi monchè, ou pa bezwen lapriyè nan pye m' pou pèp sa a. Ou pa bezwen rele, ni ou pa bezwen lapriyè pou yo. Pa vin plede kòz yo bò kote m'. Paske mwen p'ap koute ou.

17 Ou pa wè sa y'ap fè nan lavil peyi Jida yo, ak nan lari lavil Jerizalèm?

18 Timoun yo ap ranmase bwa. Mesye yo ap limen dife. Medam yo ap bat farin pou fè gato pou Larenn syèl la. Y'ap ofri diven vide atè pou lòt bondye. Y'ap fè tou sa pou yo fè m' lapenn.

19 Men, se pa mwen y'ap fè mal. Se Seyè a menm ki di sa. Se pwòp tèt yo menm y'ap fè mal, se tèt yo y'ap fè wont.

20 Se poutèt sa, men sa mwen menm, Seyè ki gen tout pouvwa a, mwen di: Mwen pral pase gwo kòlè m' ni sou Tanp lan, ni sou moun, ni sou bèt, ni sou pyebwa, ni sou rekòt yo. Kòlè mwen pral tankou yon dife pesonn p'ap ka tenyen.

21 ¶ Men sa Seyè ki gen tout pouvwa a, Bondye pèp Izrayèl la, di ankò: -Pran tout vyann nou te konn ofri pou boule nan dife, mete yo sou vyann bèt nou touye yo. Lèfini, manje tout.

22 Lè mwen t'ap fè zansèt nou yo soti peyi Lejip, mwen pa t' ba yo ankenn lòd sou bèt pou yo te boule nan dife pou mwen, ni sou bèt pou yo te touye pou mwen.

23 Sèl bagay mwen te mande yo, se pou yo te koute m' lè m'ap pale ak yo. Konsa m'a toujou Bondye yo. Yo menm y'a pèp mwen. Mwen te di pou yo te swiv chemen mwen t'ap mete devan yo, pou tout bagay te ka mache byen pou yo.

24 Men, yo pa t' vle koute m', yo te bouche zòrèy yo. Yo fè sa ki nan lide yo, yo fè tèt di. Pase yo vin pi bon, yo vin pi mal.

25 Depi jou zansèt nou yo te soti kite peyi Lejip rive jòdi a, mwen toujou voye sèvitè m' yo, pwofèt yo, pou pale ak nou.

26 Men, pesonn pa koute yo, tout moun bouche zòrèy yo. Nou fè tèt di, nou fè pi mal pase zansèt nou yo.

27 Se poutèt sa, Jeremi, ou pral di yo tou sa, men yo p'ap koute ou. W'ap rele yo, men yo p'ap reponn.

28 W'a di yo: se yon nasyon ki pa koute sa Seyè a ap di yo yo ye. Malgre Bondye pini yo, yo pa chanje. Pesonn pa kenbe pawòl yo ak li. Yo pa pale sou sa menm ankò.

29 ¶ Nou menm moun lavil Jerizalèm, koupe tout cheve nan tèt nou voye jete. Moute sou tèt mòn yo, pou nou chante plenn sò nou, paske Seyè a pa vle wè moun ki fè l' fache. Li vire do ba yo, li voye yo jete.

30 Moun peyi Jida yo fè sa ki mal devan je m'. Se Seyè a menm ki di sa: Yo pran zidòl yo, yo enstale yo nan kay yo te mete apa pou mwen an. Konsa, li pa nan kondisyon pou sèvi m' ankò.

31 Nan Fon Benninon an, yo bati yon lotèl yo rele Tofèt pou yo ka boule pitit gason ak pitit fi yo nan dife sou li. Sa se bagay mwen p'ap mande yo fè, bagay ki pa janm vin nan lide m' pou m' mande yo fè.

32 Se poutèt sa, men sa mwen menm Seyè a, mwen di: Yon lè yo p'ap rele kote sa a Tofèt, osinon Fon Benninon, men Fon Masak: Se la y'a antere moun, paske p'ap gen plas lòt kote ankò pou antere yo.

33 Kadav moun yo va sèvi manje pou zwazo nan syèl ak bèt nan bwa. P'ap gen pesonn pou pouse bèt yo ale.

34 Peyi a pral tounen yon dezè. Nan lavil peyi Jida yo ak nan lari lavil Jerizalèm, ou p'ap tande yon moun ap pran plezi l', ou p'ap tande yon moun ap ri. p'ap menm gen fèt pou moun marye yo. Se mwen menm k'ap fè tou sa rive.

¶ Men sa Seyè a di ankò: -Lè sa a, yo pral detere zosman wa Jida yo, zosman chèf li yo, zosman prèt yo, zosman pwofèt yo, zosman tout moun ki te rete lavil Jerizalèm yo.

Yo pral kite yo atè a konsa devan solèy la, devan lalin lan, devan zetwal yo ki nan syèl la, paske se bagay sa yo moun sa yo te renmen, se sa yo t'ap sèvi, se sa yo t'ap swiv. Se sa yo t' al mande sa pou yo fè. Se pou yo yo t'ap fè sèvis. Pesonn p'ap ranmase zosman yo pou antere yo. Y'a tounen fimye atè a.

Nan move ras sa a, gen yon ti rès moun ki va chape. Mwen pral gaye yo yon bann kote sou latè pou yo rete. Lè sa a, y'a règrèt yo pa t' mouri pito. Se Seyè a ki gen tout pouvwa a menm ki di sa.

¶ W'a di yo pou mwen men pawòl ki soti nan bouch Seyè a: Lè yon moun tonbe, èske li pa leve ankò? Lè yon moun pèdi chemen l', èske li pa tounen kote l' soti a?

Poukisa atò, nou menm pèp lavil Jerizalèm, nou vire do ban mwen, epi nou pa vle chanje? Nou kenbe pye zidòl nou yo la tòt. Nou derefize tounen vin jwenn mwen.

M' pare zòrèy mwen pou m' tande tout sa n'ap di: Men, pawòl ki soti nan bouch nou pa laverite. Pa gen yonn nan nou ki gen lapenn pou mechanste n'ap fè yo. Pa gen yonn ki di: Kisa m'ap fè la a konsa? Tankou yon chwal k'ap kouri pou al nan lagè, yo pa tande yo pa wè, yo lage kò yo pi fon nan mechanste yo.

Ata zwezo yo rele sigòy yo konnen lè pou yo tounen lakay yo. Menm toutrèl, ziwondèl ak valèt, yo konnen lè pou yo vwayaje tounen. Men, nou menm pèp mwen an, nou pa konnen regleman mwen ban nou pou nou swiv yo.

Ki jan nou ka fè di nou gen bon konprann, lalwa Seyè a avèk nou? Men dirèktè lalwa yo, se yon bann malonèt. Avèk bèl pawòl yo, yo fè l' di sa li pa di.

Nou fè moun ki gen bon konprann yo wont. Yo kraponnen, yo kite moun pran tèt yo. Yo voye pawòl Seyè a jete. Kote bon konprann yo koulye a?

10 Se poutèt sa m'ap pran madanm yo bay lòt moun. M'ap pran jaden yo bay moun k'ap anvayi peyi yo a. Paske yo tout, gran kou piti, ap fè akrèk dèyè lajan. Ni pwofèt yo, ni prèt yo, yo tout ap twonpe pèp la pou fè lajan.

11 Yo pa pran malè ki rive pèp mwen an pou anyen. Y'ap plede di: Tout bagay ap mache byen! Pa gen danje! Epi, manti! Anyen p'ap mache.

12 Ou kwè yo ta wont pou bagay lèd yo fè yo? Bichi! Yo pa wont menm. Yo pa konn sa ki rele wont. Se poutèt sa, yo pral tonbe menm jan lòt yo te tonbe a. Lè m'a pini yo, se va bout yo. Se Seyè a ki di sa.

13 ¶ Mwen te soti pou m' te ranmase pèp mwen an tankou moun k'ap ranmase rekòt li. Men, yo te tankou pye rezen san yon rezen ladan l', tankou pye fig frans san yon fig frans ladan l'. Se poutèt sa m' kite etranje pran peyi a nan men yo.

14 Pèp la menm ap di: -Poukisa nou rete bra kwaze konsa? Annou sanble! Ann kouri ale nan lavil ki gen ranpa yo! Se la pou nou mouri. Paske Seyè a, Bondye nou an, kondannen nou pou n' mouri. Li ban nou pwazon pou n' bwè, paske nou antò devan li.

15 Nou t'ap tann li ban nou kè poze ak lasante. Men anyen pa mache. Nou t'ap tann li vin geri nou, men se pè l'ap fè nou pè.

16 Lènmi deja rive nan zòn lavil Dann lan. Nou tande souf chwal yo. Tout tè a ap tranble lè chwal yo ap ranni. Lènmi an ap vini, l'ap detwi peyi a ansanm ak tou sa ki ladan l'. L'ap kraze lavil yo ansanm ak tout moun ki ladan yo.

17 Seyè a di ankò: -Men m'ap lage sèpan dèyè nou, move sèpan nou p'ap ka chame. Y'ap mòde nou.

18 Anyen pa ka soulaje lapenn mwen! Kè m' ap fann!

19 Koute jan pèp mwen an ap rele mande sekou toupatou nan peyi a. Gen lè Seyè a pa sou mòn Siyon an ankò? Gen lè wa Siyon an pa la ankò? Seyè a reponn: -Poukisa nou fè m' fache konsa? N'ap sèvi zidòl, n'ap fè sèvis pou bondye lòt nasyon yo ki pa vo anyen.

20 Pèp la ap rele: -Sezon chalè a fini. Sezon rekòt la pase. Nou pa sove jouk koulye a!

21 Kè m' ap fann lè m' wè jan y'ap kraze pèp mwen an. M' pa wè sa pou m' fè ankò! M' dekouraje nèt.

22 Pa gen renmèd pou yo nan peyi Galarad? Pa gen dòktè ankò laba a? Poukisa atò pèp mwen an pa ka jwenn lasante?

¶ Jan mwen ta renmen wè tèt mwen tounen yon sous dlo, de je m' yo tounen de fontenn k'ap bay dlo, pou m' kriye lajounen kou lannwit, pou moun yo touye nan pèp mwen an!

Jan mwen ta renmen jwenn yon ti kote pou m' rete nan mitan dezè a, pou m' manyè kite pèp mwen an, pou m' al byen lwen yo. Yo yonn pa kenbe pawòl yo ak Bondye. Se yon bann trèt yo ye.

Yo toujou pare pou bay manti. Se metye yo sa. Se sa ki penmèt yo rive vin chèf nan peyi a. Y'ap fè dezaksyon sou dezaksyon. Yo pa konnen m' ankò. Se Seyè a menm ki di sa.

Se pou tout moun veye kò yo ak zanmi yo. Pesonn pa ka fè frè yo konfyans. Paske tout frè vle pase devan pwòp frè yo. Tout moun ap bay zanmi yo kout lang.

Yo tout ap woule zanmi yo. Pesonn pa di laverite. Y'ap file lang yo pou bay manti. Y'ap touye tèt yo nan fè mechanste.

Y'ap fè britalite sou britalite. Y'ap twonpe moun yonn dèyè lòt. Yo derefize rekonèt mwen. Se Seyè a menm ki di sa.

Se poutèt sa, men sa Seyè ki gen tout pouvwa a di: -Mwen pral pase yo nan dife pou m' netwaye yo tankou yo fè l' pou lò. Mwen pral sonde yo. Pèp mwen an fè twòp mechanste. Pou jan yo fè mechanste, se sa m' bliye m' p'ap fè yo.

Lang yo tankou ponya wouye. Se manti ase ki nan bouch yo. Lè y'ap pale ak zanmi yo, se bèl pawòl ase ki nan bouch yo. Men nan kè yo, se pèlen y'ap pare pou yo.

Atò pou m' pa ta pini yo pou tout bagay sa yo? Atò pou m' pa ta pran revanj mwen sou yon nasyon konsa? Se Seyè a menm ki di sa.

10 Mwen di: -Mwen pral kriye, mwen pral plenn pou mòn yo, mwen pral plenn sò patiraj bèt yo. Paske yo fin boule. Pesonn pa pase la ankò. Ou pa tande bri yon bèt ladan yo. Depi zwezo k'ap vole nan syèl la jouk bèt nan bwa, tout met deyò, y' ale.

11 M'ap fè lavil Jerizalèm tounen yon pil mazi kote chat mawon rete. M'ap fè tout lavil peyi Jida yo tounen dezè san pesonn ladan yo.

12 ¶ Mwen mande ki moun gen lespri ase pou konprann sa k'ap rive la a? Ki moun Seyè a te esplike bagay sa yo? Se pou l' fè moun konnen poukisa peyi a fini konsa, poukisa li boule tankou dezè a, poukisa pa gen pesonn ladan l' ankò.

13 Seyè a reponn mwen: -Sa rive konsa paske pèp mwen an pa kenbe tou sa mwen te moutre yo. Yo pa koute m'. Yo pa fè sa m' te di yo fè.

14 Yo fè tèt di pi rèd, yo rete ap sèvi zidòl Baal zansèt yo te fè yo konnen an.

15 Se poutèt sa, men sa mwen menm, Seyè ki gen tout pouvwa a, Bondye pèp Izrayèl la, m' di: Mwen pral ba yo zèb anmè pou yo manje, mwen pral ba yo dlo anpwazonnen pou yo bwè.

16 Mwen pral gaye yo nan mitan yon bann nasyon ni yo menm ni zansèt yo pa t' janm konnen. Mwen pral voye lènmi fè yo lagè jouk mwen fin touye yo nèt.

17 Men sa Seyè a di ankò: -Kalkile sou sa ki gen pou rive a! Rele medam yo pou yo vin kenbe rèl la pou nou! Voye chache sa ki konn rele yo! Fè yo vini!

18 Pèp la di: Di yo fè vit vin plenn sò nou! Annou kriye, annou fè je nou kouri dlo!

19 Tande rèl moun yo sou mòn Siyon an. -Woy! Woy! Gade jan nou fini! Ala wont nou wont! Se pou nou kite peyi nou an! Yo kraze tout kay nou yo.

20 Mwen di: -Nou menm medam, koute sa Seyè a ap di. Louvri zòrèy nou pou nou tande pawòl k'ap soti nan bouch li. Moutre pitit fi nou yo jan pou yo plenn. Y'a moutre zanmi fi yo jan pou yo rele.

21 Lanmò ap pase nan fennèt yo. L'ap antre nan gwo bèl kay nou yo. Li pase men l' pran timoun nan lari, ak jenn gason sou plas mache yo.

22 Seyè a di: -Kadav yo gaye toupatou, tankou fimye yo simen nan jaden, tankou grap diri moun k'ap ranmase rekòt yo kite atè. Pa gen pesonn pou ranmase yo.

23 ¶ Piga moun ki gen lespri yo fè grandizè dèske yo gen bon konprann, ni moun ki vanyan yo dèske yo vanyan, ni moun rich yo dèske yo rich.

24 Men si yon moun vle fè grandizè, l'a fè grandizè dèske li konnen m', dèske li konprann mwen. Paske mwen gen bon kè, Mwen fè sa ki dwat ak sa ki kòrèk sou latè. Se bagay sa yo ki fè m' plezi. Se mwen Seyè a ki di sa.

25 Seyè a di ankò: -Yon jou pral rive kote mwen pral regle moun ki pote mak kontra m' lan sou kò yo, men ki pa konnen m' nan kè yo:

26 moun peyi Lejip yo, moun peyi Jida yo, moun peyi Edon yo, moun peyi Amon yo, moun peyi Moab yo, moun ki koupe cheve yo kout epi ki rete nan dezè a. Yo yonn pa kenbe kontra m' lan. Wi, ni moun peyi sa yo ni moun pèp Izrayèl yo, yo yonn pa kenbe kontra m' lan.

False Religion Worthless

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Stand(A) at the gate of the Lord’s house and there proclaim this message:

“‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways(B) and your actions, and I will let you live(C) in this place. Do not trust(D) in deceptive(E) words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” If you really change(F) your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly,(G) if you do not oppress(H) the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood(I) in this place, and if you do not follow other gods(J) to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land(K) I gave your ancestors(L) for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting(M) in deceptive(N) words that are worthless.

“‘Will you steal(O) and murder,(P) commit adultery(Q) and perjury,[a](R) burn incense to Baal(S) and follow other gods(T) you have not known, 10 and then come and stand(U) before me in this house,(V) which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things?(W) 11 Has this house,(X) which bears my Name, become a den of robbers(Y) to you? But I have been watching!(Z) declares the Lord.

12 “‘Go now to the place in Shiloh(AA) where I first made a dwelling(AB) for my Name,(AC) and see what I did(AD) to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 While you were doing all these things, declares the Lord, I spoke(AE) to you again and again,(AF) but you did not listen;(AG) I called(AH) you, but you did not answer.(AI) 14 Therefore, what I did to Shiloh(AJ) I will now do to the house that bears my Name,(AK) the temple(AL) you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. 15 I will thrust you from my presence,(AM) just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’(AN)

16 “So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea(AO) or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen(AP) to you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven.(AQ) They pour out drink offerings(AR) to other gods to arouse(AS) my anger. 19 But am I the one they are provoking?(AT) declares the Lord. Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame?(AU)

20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign(AV) Lord says: My anger(AW) and my wrath will be poured(AX) out on this place—on man and beast, on the trees of the field and on the crops of your land—and it will burn and not be quenched.(AY)

21 “‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices(AZ) and eat(BA) the meat yourselves! 22 For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands(BB) about burnt offerings and sacrifices,(BC) 23 but I gave them this command:(BD) Obey(BE) me, and I will be your God and you will be my people.(BF) Walk in obedience to all(BG) I command you, that it may go well(BH) with you. 24 But they did not listen(BI) or pay attention;(BJ) instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts.(BK) They went backward(BL) and not forward. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again(BM) I sent you my servants(BN) the prophets.(BO) 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention.(BP) They were stiff-necked(BQ) and did more evil than their ancestors.’(BR)

27 “When you tell(BS) them all this, they will not listen(BT) to you; when you call to them, they will not answer.(BU) 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction.(BV) Truth(BW) has perished; it has vanished from their lips.

29 “‘Cut off(BX) your hair and throw it away; take up a lament(BY) on the barren heights, for the Lord has rejected and abandoned(BZ) this generation that is under his wrath.

The Valley of Slaughter

30 “‘The people of Judah have done evil(CA) in my eyes, declares the Lord. They have set up their detestable idols(CB) in the house that bears my Name and have defiled(CC) it. 31 They have built the high places of Topheth(CD) in the Valley of Ben Hinnom(CE) to burn their sons and daughters(CF) in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.(CG) 32 So beware, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when people will no longer call it Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter,(CH) for they will bury(CI) the dead in Topheth until there is no more room. 33 Then the carcasses(CJ) of this people will become food(CK) for the birds and the wild animals, and there will be no one to frighten them away.(CL) 34 I will bring an end to the sounds(CM) of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride and bridegroom(CN) in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem,(CO) for the land will become desolate.(CP)

“‘At that time, declares the Lord, the bones of the kings and officials of Judah, the bones of the priests and prophets, and the bones(CQ) of the people of Jerusalem will be removed(CR) from their graves. They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served(CS) and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped.(CT) They will not be gathered up or buried,(CU) but will be like dung lying on the ground.(CV) Wherever I banish them,(CW) all the survivors of this evil nation will prefer death to life,(CX) declares the Lord Almighty.’

Sin and Punishment

“Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘When people fall down, do they not get up?(CY)
    When someone turns away,(CZ) do they not return?
Why then have these people turned away?
    Why does Jerusalem always turn away?
They cling to deceit;(DA)
    they refuse to return.(DB)
I have listened(DC) attentively,
    but they do not say what is right.
None of them repent(DD) of their wickedness,
    saying, “What have I done?”
Each pursues their own course(DE)
    like a horse charging into battle.
Even the stork in the sky
    knows her appointed seasons,
and the dove, the swift and the thrush
    observe the time of their migration.
But my people do not know(DF)
    the requirements of the Lord.

“‘How can you say, “We are wise,
    for we have the law(DG) of the Lord,”
when actually the lying pen of the scribes
    has handled it falsely?
The wise(DH) will be put to shame;
    they will be dismayed(DI) and trapped.(DJ)
Since they have rejected the word(DK) of the Lord,
    what kind of wisdom(DL) do they have?
10 Therefore I will give their wives to other men
    and their fields to new owners.(DM)
From the least to the greatest,
    all are greedy for gain;(DN)
prophets(DO) and priests alike,
    all practice deceit.(DP)
11 They dress the wound of my people
    as though it were not serious.
“Peace, peace,” they say,
    when there is no peace.(DQ)
12 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
    No, they have no shame(DR) at all;
    they do not even know how to blush.
So they will fall among the fallen;
    they will be brought down when they are punished,(DS)
says the Lord.(DT)

13 “‘I will take away their harvest,
declares the Lord.
    There will be no grapes on the vine.(DU)
There will be no figs(DV) on the tree,
    and their leaves will wither.(DW)
What I have given them
    will be taken(DX) from them.[b]’”

14 Why are we sitting here?
    Gather together!
Let us flee to the fortified cities(DY)
    and perish there!
For the Lord our God has doomed us to perish
    and given us poisoned water(DZ) to drink,
    because we have sinned(EA) against him.
15 We hoped for peace(EB)
    but no good has come,
for a time of healing
    but there is only terror.(EC)
16 The snorting of the enemy’s horses(ED)
    is heard from Dan;(EE)
at the neighing of their stallions
    the whole land trembles.(EF)
They have come to devour(EG)
    the land and everything in it,
    the city and all who live there.

17 “See, I will send venomous snakes(EH) among you,
    vipers that cannot be charmed,(EI)
    and they will bite you,”
declares the Lord.

18 You who are my Comforter[c] in sorrow,
    my heart is faint(EJ) within me.
19 Listen to the cry of my people
    from a land far away:(EK)
“Is the Lord not in Zion?
    Is her King(EL) no longer there?”

“Why have they aroused(EM) my anger with their images,
    with their worthless(EN) foreign idols?”(EO)

20 “The harvest is past,
    the summer has ended,
    and we are not saved.”

21 Since my people are crushed,(EP) I am crushed;
    I mourn,(EQ) and horror grips me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead?(ER)
    Is there no physician(ES) there?
Why then is there no healing(ET)
    for the wound of my people?

[d]Oh, that my head were a spring of water
    and my eyes a fountain of tears!(EU)
I would weep(EV) day and night
    for the slain of my people.(EW)
Oh, that I had in the desert(EX)
    a lodging place for travelers,
so that I might leave my people
    and go away from them;
for they are all adulterers,(EY)
    a crowd of unfaithful(EZ) people.

“They make ready their tongue
    like a bow, to shoot lies;(FA)
it is not by truth
    that they triumph[e] in the land.
They go from one sin to another;
    they do not acknowledge(FB) me,”
declares the Lord.
“Beware of your friends;(FC)
    do not trust anyone in your clan.(FD)
For every one of them is a deceiver,[f](FE)
    and every friend a slanderer.(FF)
Friend deceives friend,(FG)
    and no one speaks the truth.(FH)
They have taught their tongues to lie;(FI)
    they weary themselves with sinning.
You[g] live in the midst of deception;(FJ)
    in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,”
declares the Lord.

Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says:

“See, I will refine(FK) and test(FL) them,
    for what else can I do
    because of the sin of my people?
Their tongue(FM) is a deadly arrow;
    it speaks deceitfully.
With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbors,(FN)
    but in their hearts they set traps(FO) for them.(FP)
Should I not punish them for this?”
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge(FQ) myself
    on such a nation as this?”

10 I will weep and wail for the mountains
    and take up a lament concerning the wilderness grasslands.(FR)
They are desolate and untraveled,
    and the lowing of cattle is not heard.
The birds(FS) have all fled
    and the animals are gone.

11 “I will make Jerusalem a heap(FT) of ruins,
    a haunt of jackals;(FU)
and I will lay waste the towns of Judah(FV)
    so no one can live there.”(FW)

12 Who is wise(FX) enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross?

13 The Lord said, “It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law.(FY) 14 Instead, they have followed(FZ) the stubbornness of their hearts;(GA) they have followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them.” 15 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “See, I will make this people eat bitter food(GB) and drink poisoned water.(GC) 16 I will scatter them among nations(GD) that neither they nor their ancestors have known,(GE) and I will pursue them with the sword(GF) until I have made an end of them.”(GG)

17 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Consider now! Call for the wailing women(GH) to come;
    send for the most skillful of them.
18 Let them come quickly
    and wail over us
till our eyes overflow with tears
    and water streams from our eyelids.(GI)
19 The sound of wailing is heard from Zion:
    ‘How ruined(GJ) we are!
    How great is our shame!
We must leave our land
    because our houses are in ruins.’”

20 Now, you women, hear the word of the Lord;
    open your ears to the words of his mouth.(GK)
Teach your daughters how to wail;
    teach one another a lament.(GL)
21 Death has climbed in through our windows(GM)
    and has entered our fortresses;
it has removed the children from the streets
    and the young men(GN) from the public squares.

22 Say, “This is what the Lord declares:

“‘Dead bodies will lie
    like dung(GO) on the open field,
like cut grain behind the reaper,
    with no one to gather them.’”

23 This is what the Lord says:

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom(GP)
    or the strong boast of their strength(GQ)
    or the rich boast of their riches,(GR)
24 but let the one who boasts boast(GS) about this:
    that they have the understanding to know(GT) me,
that I am the Lord,(GU) who exercises kindness,(GV)
    justice and righteousness(GW) on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.

25 “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh(GX) 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places.[h](GY) For all these nations are really uncircumcised,(GZ) and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.(HA)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 7:9 Or and swear by false gods
  2. Jeremiah 8:13 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
  3. Jeremiah 8:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.
  4. Jeremiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-26 is numbered 9:1-25.
  5. Jeremiah 9:3 Or lies; / they are not valiant for truth
  6. Jeremiah 9:4 Or a deceiving Jacob
  7. Jeremiah 9:6 That is, Jeremiah (the Hebrew is singular)
  8. Jeremiah 9:26 Or wilderness and who clip the hair by their foreheads