Add parallel Print Page Options

13 “I will utterly consume them,” says Adonai.
    “There will be no grapes on the vine,
        and no figs on the fig tree,
        and even the leaf will wither,
        and what I gave them will pass away.”
14 “Why are we sitting here?
Assemble!
    Let us flee to the fortified cities
        and perish there!
    For Adonai Eloheinu has silenced us
        and given us poisoned water to drink.
    For we have sinned against Adonai.
15 We hoped for shalom,
    but it is no good,
    for a time of healing
        —and suddenly, terror!”

16 From Dan is heard
        the snorting of his horses.
    At the sound of his stallions neighing,
        the whole land quakes.
    For they come and devour
        the land and everything in it—
        the city and all who live there.
17 “For I am about to send serpents on you,
        vipers for which there is no charm,
        and they will bite you.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.

Weeping for Jerusalem

18 My joy is overcome by grief,
    my heart is faint within me.
19 Listen, the sound of the cry of the daughter of my people
    —a voice from a distant land—
    “Is Adonai no longer in Zion?
        Is her King no longer in her?”

    “Why have they provoked Me with their graven images,
        with foreign idols?”

20 “Harvest is past,
    summer is over,
    yet we are not saved.”

21 “Because of the brokenness of the daughter of my people,
        I am brokenhearted.
    I mourn—desolation grips me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead?
    Is there no physician there?
    Then why has no healing gone up
        for the daughter of my people?
23 If only my head were water
        and my eyes a fountain of tears,
    then I would weep day and night
        for the slain of the daughter of my people!
If only I had a travelers’ lodging place
        in the wilderness,
    then I might leave my people
        and get away from them!
    For they are all adulterers,
        a bunch of traitors.
They bend their tongue like a bow.
    Lies, not faithfulness,
        prevail in the land.
    “For they go from evil to evil
    and do not know Me,” says Adonai.
Beware, everyone, of your neighbor!
    Don’t even trust a brother.
    For every brother grabs like Jacob
    and every neighbor spreads slander.
Everyone deceives his neighbor
    and does not speak the truth.
    They taught their tongue to speak lies.
    They wear themselves out doing wrong.
“You dwell in the midst of deceit.
    In deceit they refuse to know Me.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.

Therefore thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot:
    “I am about to refine them and test them.
    For what else can I do
        for the daughter of My people?
Their tongue is a deadly arrow,
    speaking deceit.
    With his mouth
    each says shalom to his neighbor,
    while inwardly setting a trap for him.
For such things shall I not punish them?”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
    “Should I not avenge Myself
        on such a nation as this?”

For the mountains I lift up weeping and wailing,
    a lament for the desert pastures.
    For they are so scorched
        that no one passes through—
        the lowing of cattle is not heard.
    The birds of the air have fled
        and the animals are gone.

10 “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,
        a lair for jackals.
    I will make the cities of Judah
        a wasteland without inhabitant.
11 Who is the one wise enough to understand this?
    To whom has the mouth of Adonai spoken
        that he may explain it?
    Why is the land ruined,
        laid waste like a wilderness,
        so that no one passes through?”

12 Adonai said “It is because they have forsaken My Torah that I set before them. They have neither obeyed My voice nor walked according to it, 13 but have walked after the stubbornness of their heart, and after the Baalim that their fathers taught them. 14 Therefore, thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Israel, “look, I will make this people eat wormwood and drink poisoned water. 15 I will scatter them among the nations whom neither they nor their fathers have known. I will pursue them with the sword, until I have finished with them.”

16 Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot:
    “Pay attention! Call the dirge-singers and let them come.
    Send for the most skillful wailers and let them come!”
17 “Let them come quickly
        and lift up a wailing over us
    so our eyes may run down with tears
        and our eyelids gush with water.”
18 For a wailing voice is heard from Zion:
        “How we are ruined!
        We are utterly ashamed—
        we have forsaken the land,
        for they tore down our dwellings.”
19 Now, hear the word of Adonai, O women,
        let your ear receive the word of His mouth.
    Teach your daughters wailing
        and everyone her neighbor a dirge.
20 For death has climbed through our windows.
    It has entered into our palaces
        to cut off children from the street
        and young men from the squares.”

21 “Say this,” declares Adonai.
    “The carcasses of men will lie
    like dung on the open field,
    like cut grain behind the reaper,
        with no one gathering them.”

Boast in Knowing Adonai

22 Thus says Adonai:
“Let not the wise boast in his wisdom
    nor the mighty boast in his might
    nor the rich glory in his riches.
23 But let one who boasts boast in this:
    that he understands and knows Me.
    For I am Adonai who exercises lovingkindness,
        justice and righteousness on earth.
    For in these things I delight.”
It is a declaration of Adonai.

13 אָסֹ֥ף אֲסִיפֵ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָֹ֑ה אֵין֩ עֲנָבִ֨ים בַּגֶּ֜פֶן וְאֵ֧ין תְּאֵנִ֣ים בַּתְּאֵנָ֗ה וְהֶֽעָלֶה֙ נָבֵ֔ל וָאֶתֵּ֥ן לָהֶ֖ם יַעַבְרֽוּם׃

14 עַל־מָה֙ אֲנַ֣חְנוּ יֹֽשְׁבִ֔ים הֵֽאָסְפ֗וּ וְנָב֛וֹא אֶל־עָרֵ֥י הַמִּבְצָ֖ר וְנִדְּמָה־שָּׁ֑ם כִּי֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵ֤ינוּ הֲדִמָּ֙נוּ֙ וַיַּשְׁקֵ֣נוּ מֵי־רֹ֔אשׁ כִּ֥י חָטָ֖אנוּ לַיהוָֽה׃

15 קַוֵּ֥ה לְשָׁל֖וֹם וְאֵ֣ין ט֑וֹב לְעֵ֥ת מַרְפֵּ֖ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה בְעָתָֽה׃

16 מִדָּ֤ן נִשְׁמַע֙ נַחְרַ֣ת סוּסָ֗יו מִקּוֹל֙ מִצְהֲל֣וֹת אַבִּירָ֔יו רָעֲשָׁ֖ה כָּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּב֗וֹאוּ וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ אֶ֣רֶץ וּמְלוֹאָ֔הּ עִ֖יר וְיֹ֥שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ׃ ס

17 כִּי֩ הִנְנִ֨י מְשַׁלֵּ֜חַ בָּכֶ֗ם נְחָשִׁים֙ צִפְעֹנִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵין־לָהֶ֖ם לָ֑חַשׁ וְנִשְּׁכ֥וּ אֶתְכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס

18 מַבְלִ֥יגִיתִ֖י עֲלֵ֣י יָג֑וֹן עָלַ֖י לִבִּ֥י דַוָּֽי׃

19 הִנֵּה־ק֞וֹל שַֽׁוְעַ֣ת בַּת־עַמִּ֗י מֵאֶ֙רֶץ֙ מַרְחַקִּ֔ים הַֽיהוָה֙ אֵ֣ין בְּצִיּ֔וֹן אִם־מַלְכָּ֖הּ אֵ֣ין בָּ֑הּ מַדּ֗וּעַ הִכְעִס֛וּנִי בִּפְסִלֵיהֶ֖ם בְּהַבְלֵ֥י נֵכָֽר׃

20 עָבַ֥ר קָצִ֖יר כָּ֣לָה קָ֑יִץ וַאֲנַ֖חְנוּ ל֥וֹא נוֹשָֽׁעְנוּ׃

21 עַל־שֶׁ֥בֶר בַּת־עַמִּ֖י הָשְׁבָּ֑רְתִּי קָדַ֕רְתִּי שַׁמָּ֖ה הֶחֱזִקָֽתְנִי׃

22 הַצֳרִי֙ אֵ֣ין בְּגִלְעָ֔ד אִם־רֹפֵ֖א אֵ֣ין שָׁ֑ם כִּ֗י מַדּ֙וּעַ֙ לֹ֣א עָֽלְתָ֔ה אֲרֻכַ֖ת בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃

23 מִֽי־יִתֵּ֤ן רֹאשִׁי֙ מַ֔יִם וְעֵינִ֖י מְק֣וֹר דִּמְעָ֑ה וְאֶבְכֶּה֙ יוֹמָ֣ם וָלַ֔יְלָה אֵ֖ת חַֽלְלֵ֥י בַת־עַמִּֽי׃

מִֽי־יִתְּנֵ֣נִי בַמִּדְבָּ֗ר מְלוֹן֙ אֹֽרְחִ֔ים וְאֶֽעֶזְבָה֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י וְאֵלְכָ֖ה מֵֽאִתָּ֑ם כִּ֤י כֻלָּם֙ מְנָ֣אֲפִ֔ים עֲצֶ֖רֶת בֹּגְדִֽים׃

וַֽיַּדְרְכ֤וּ אֶת־לְשׁוֹנָם֙ קַשְׁתָּ֣ם שֶׁ֔קֶר וְלֹ֥א לֶאֱמוּנָ֖ה גָּבְר֣וּ בָאָ֑רֶץ כִּי֩ מֵרָעָ֨ה אֶל־רָעָ֧ה׀ יָצָ֛אוּ וְאֹתִ֥י לֹֽא־יָדָ֖עוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס

אִ֤ישׁ מֵרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ הִשָּׁמֵ֔רוּ וְעַל־כָּל־אָ֖ח אַל־תִּבְטָ֑חוּ כִּ֤י כָל־אָח֙ עָק֣וֹב יַעְקֹ֔ב וְכָל־רֵ֖עַ רָכִ֥יל יַהֲלֹֽךְ׃

וְאִ֤ישׁ בְּרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ יְהָתֵ֔לּוּ וֶאֱמֶ֖ת לֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ לִמְּד֧וּ לְשׁוֹנָ֛ם דַּבֶּר־שֶׁ֖קֶר הַעֲוֵ֥ה נִלְאֽוּ׃

שִׁבְתְּךָ֖ בְּת֣וֹךְ מִרְמָ֑ה בְּמִרְמָ֛ה מֵאֲנ֥וּ דַֽעַת־אוֹתִ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס

לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת הִנְנִ֥י צוֹרְפָ֖ם וּבְחַנְתִּ֑ים כִּֽי־אֵ֣יךְ אֶעֱשֶׂ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י בַּת־עַמִּֽי׃

חֵ֥ץ ׳שׁוֹחֵט׳ ״שָׁח֛וּט״ לְשׁוֹנָ֖ם מִרְמָ֣ה דִבֵּ֑ר בְּפִ֗יו שָׁל֤וֹם אֶת־רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ יְדַבֵּ֔ר וּבְקִרְבּ֖וֹ יָשִׂ֥ים אָרְבּֽוֹ׃

הַעַל־אֵ֥לֶּה לֹֽא־אֶפְקָד־בָּ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה אִ֚ם בְּג֣וֹי אֲשֶׁר־כָּזֶ֔ה לֹ֥א תִתְנַקֵּ֖ם נַפְשִֽׁי׃ ס

עַל־הֶ֨הָרִ֜ים אֶשָּׂ֧א בְכִ֣י וָנֶ֗הִי וְעַל־נְא֤וֹת מִדְבָּר֙ קִינָ֔ה כִּ֤י נִצְּתוּ֙ מִבְּלִי־אִ֣ישׁ עֹבֵ֔ר וְלֹ֥א שָׁמְע֖וּ ק֣וֹל מִקְנֶ֑ה מֵע֤וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֔ה נָדְד֖וּ הָלָֽכוּ׃

10 וְנָתַתִּ֧י אֶת־יְרוּשָׁלִַ֛ם לְגַלִּ֖ים מְע֣וֹן תַּנִּ֑ים וְאֶת־עָרֵ֧י יְהוּדָ֛ה אֶתֵּ֥ן שְׁמָמָ֖ה מִבְּלִ֖י יוֹשֵֽׁב׃ ס

11 מִֽי־הָאִ֤ישׁ הֶֽחָכָם֙ וְיָבֵ֣ן אֶת־זֹ֔את וַאֲשֶׁ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר פִּֽי־יְהוָ֛ה אֵלָ֖יו וְיַגִּדָ֑הּ עַל־מָה֙ אָבְדָ֣ה הָאָ֔רֶץ נִצְּתָ֥ה כַמִּדְבָּ֖ר מִבְּלִ֖י עֹבֵֽר׃ ס

12 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה עַל־עָזְבָם֙ אֶת־תּ֣וֹרָתִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֥ר נָתַ֖תִּי לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹא־שָׁמְע֥וּ בְקוֹלִ֖י וְלֹא־הָ֥לְכוּ בָֽהּ׃

13 וַיֵּ֣לְכ֔וּ אַחֲרֵ֖י שְׁרִר֣וּת לִבָּ֑ם וְאַחֲרֵי֙ הַבְּעָלִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לִמְּד֖וּם אֲבוֹתָֽם׃ ס

14 לָכֵ֗ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֞ר יְהוָ֤ה צְבָאוֹת֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הִנְנִ֧י מַאֲכִילָ֛ם אֶת־הָעָ֥ם הַזֶּ֖ה לַֽעֲנָ֑ה וְהִשְׁקִיתִ֖ים מֵי־רֹֽאשׁ׃

15 וַהֲפִֽצוֹתִים֙ בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם אֲשֶׁר֙ לֹ֣א יָֽדְע֔וּ הֵ֖מָּה וַֽאֲבוֹתָ֑ם וְשִׁלַּחְתִּ֤י אַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙ אֶת־הַחֶ֔רֶב עַ֥ד כַּלּוֹתִ֖י אוֹתָֽם׃ פ

16 כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ יְהוָ֣ה צְבָא֔וֹת הִתְבּֽוֹנְנ֛וּ וְקִרְא֥וּ לַמְקוֹנְנ֖וֹת וּתְבוֹאֶ֑ינָה וְאֶל־הַחֲכָמ֥וֹת שִׁלְח֖וּ וְתָבֽוֹאנָה׃

17 וּתְמַהֵ֕רְנָה וְתִשֶּׂ֥נָה עָלֵ֖ינוּ נֶ֑הִי וְתֵרַ֤דְנָה עֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙ דִּמְעָ֔ה וְעַפְעַפֵּ֖ינוּ יִזְּלוּ־מָֽיִם׃

18 כִּ֣י ק֥וֹל נְהִ֛י נִשְׁמַ֥ע מִצִּיּ֖וֹן אֵ֣יךְ שֻׁדָּ֑דְנוּ בֹּ֤שְׁנֽוּ מְאֹד֙ כִּֽי־עָזַ֣בְנוּ אָ֔רֶץ כִּ֥י הִשְׁלִ֖יכוּ מִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵֽינוּ׃ ס

19 כִּֽי־שְׁמַ֤עְנָה נָשִׁים֙ דְּבַר־יְהוָ֔ה וְתִקַּ֥ח אָזְנְכֶ֖ם דְּבַר־פִּ֑יו וְלַמֵּ֤דְנָה בְנֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ נֶ֔הִי וְאִשָּׁ֥ה רְעוּתָ֖הּ קִינָֽה׃

20 כִּֽי־עָ֤לָה מָ֙וֶת֙ בְּחַלּוֹנֵ֔ינוּ בָּ֖א בְּאַרְמְנוֹתֵ֑ינוּ לְהַכְרִ֤ית עוֹלָל֙ מִח֔וּץ בַּחוּרִ֖ים מֵרְחֹבֽוֹת׃

21 דַּבֵּ֗ר כֹּ֚ה נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה וְנָֽפְלָה֙ נִבְלַ֣ת הָֽאָדָ֔ם כְּדֹ֖מֶן עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּכְעָמִ֛יר מֵאַחֲרֵ֥י הַקֹּצֵ֖ר וְאֵ֥ין מְאַסֵּֽף׃ ס

22 כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֤ל חָכָם֙ בְּחָכְמָת֔וֹ וְאַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל הַגִּבּ֖וֹר בִּגְבֽוּרָת֑וֹ אַל־יִתְהַלֵּ֥ל עָשִׁ֖יר בְּעָשְׁרֽוֹ׃

23 כִּ֣י אִם־בְּזֹ֞את יִתְהַלֵּ֣ל הַמִּתְהַלֵּ֗ל הַשְׂכֵּל֮ וְיָדֹ֣עַ אוֹתִי֒ כִּ֚י אֲנִ֣י יְהוָ֔ה עֹ֥שֶׂה חֶ֛סֶד מִשְׁפָּ֥ט וּצְדָקָ֖ה בָּאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־בְאֵ֥לֶּה חָפַ֖צְתִּי נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ ס

13 “‘I will take away their harvest,
declares the Lord.
    There will be no grapes on the vine.(A)
There will be no figs(B) on the tree,
    and their leaves will wither.(C)
What I have given them
    will be taken(D) from them.[a]’”

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

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

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

“Why have they aroused(S) my anger with their images,
    with their worthless(T) foreign idols?”(U)

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

21 Since my people are crushed,(V) I am crushed;
    I mourn,(W) and horror grips me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead?(X)
    Is there no physician(Y) there?
Why then is there no healing(Z)
    for the wound of my people?

[c]Oh, that my head were a spring of water
    and my eyes a fountain of tears!(AA)
I would weep(AB) day and night
    for the slain of my people.(AC)
Oh, that I had in the desert(AD)
    a lodging place for travelers,
so that I might leave my people
    and go away from them;
for they are all adulterers,(AE)
    a crowd of unfaithful(AF) people.

“They make ready their tongue
    like a bow, to shoot lies;(AG)
it is not by truth
    that they triumph[d] in the land.
They go from one sin to another;
    they do not acknowledge(AH) me,”
declares the Lord.
“Beware of your friends;(AI)
    do not trust anyone in your clan.(AJ)
For every one of them is a deceiver,[e](AK)
    and every friend a slanderer.(AL)
Friend deceives friend,(AM)
    and no one speaks the truth.(AN)
They have taught their tongues to lie;(AO)
    they weary themselves with sinning.
You[f] live in the midst of deception;(AP)
    in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,”
declares the Lord.

Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says:

“See, I will refine(AQ) and test(AR) them,
    for what else can I do
    because of the sin of my people?
Their tongue(AS) is a deadly arrow;
    it speaks deceitfully.
With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbors,(AT)
    but in their hearts they set traps(AU) for them.(AV)
Should I not punish them for this?”
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge(AW) 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.(AX)
They are desolate and untraveled,
    and the lowing of cattle is not heard.
The birds(AY) have all fled
    and the animals are gone.

11 “I will make Jerusalem a heap(AZ) of ruins,
    a haunt of jackals;(BA)
and I will lay waste the towns of Judah(BB)
    so no one can live there.”(BC)

12 Who is wise(BD) 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.(BE) 14 Instead, they have followed(BF) the stubbornness of their hearts;(BG) 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(BH) and drink poisoned water.(BI) 16 I will scatter them among nations(BJ) that neither they nor their ancestors have known,(BK) and I will pursue them with the sword(BL) until I have made an end of them.”(BM)

17 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Consider now! Call for the wailing women(BN) 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.(BO)
19 The sound of wailing is heard from Zion:
    ‘How ruined(BP) 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.(BQ)
Teach your daughters how to wail;
    teach one another a lament.(BR)
21 Death has climbed in through our windows(BS)
    and has entered our fortresses;
it has removed the children from the streets
    and the young men(BT) from the public squares.

22 Say, “This is what the Lord declares:

“‘Dead bodies will lie
    like dung(BU) 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(BV)
    or the strong boast of their strength(BW)
    or the rich boast of their riches,(BX)

Footnotes

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