¹⁷ I never sat with the ·crowd
    as they laughed [^Lcrowd of merrymakers/revelers] and ·had fun [^LI did not rejoice].
I sat by ·myself [alone], ·because you were there [^Lfrom before your hand/power],
    and you filled me with anger [^Cat the evil people around him].
¹⁸ ·I don’t understand why my pain has [^LWhy does my pain have…?] no end.
    ·I don’t understand why my injury is not cured or healed [^LMy wound is uncurable and refuses to be healed].
Will you be like a ·brook that goes dry [^Ldeceitful brook]?
    Will you be like a ·spring that stops flowing [^Lunreliable spring]?
¹⁹ So this is what the Lord says:
“If you ·change your heart and return to me [^Lreturn/repent], I will ·take you back [^Lreturn to you].
    Then you may ·serve me [^Lstand before me].
And if you [^CJeremiah] speak things that ·have worth [are precious],
    not useless words,
    then you may ·speak for me [^Lbe like my mouth].
Let them [^Cthe people of Judah] turn to you,
    but you must not ·change and be like them [^Lturn to them].