Jeremiah, 14

1. The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth.

1. The word of Yahweh concerning drought came to Jeremiah:

2. Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up.

2. Judah mourns, the cities languish, desolate, they sink to the ground. From Jerusalem a cry is heard.

3. And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, [and] found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.

3. The rich sent the poor for water, but they found none at the cisterns, and returned with empty vessels.

4. Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads.

4. The soil is cracked because there is no rain in the land; the farmers are dismayed and have covered their heads like mourners.

5. Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook [it], because there was no grass.

5. Even the doe in the fields abandons her newborn calf because there is no pasture.

6. And the wild asses did stand in the high places, they snuffed up the wind like dragons; their eyes did fail, because [there was] no grass.

6. The wild donkeys stand on the heights sniffing the air like jackals and languish as they find not even a thistle!

7. O LORD, though our iniquities testify against us, do thou [it] for thy name's sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.

7. Even if our faults accuse us, you Yahweh, work for the glory of your Name. In truth, many have been our rebellions and great is our sin against you.

8. O the hope of Israel, the saviour thereof in time of trouble, why shouldest thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man [that] turneth aside to tarry for a night?

8. O Yahweh! Hope of Israel, you who save in the time of distress, why are you as a stranger in this land, or like a traveler who stays only a night?

9. Why shouldest thou be as a man astonied, as a mighty man [that] cannot save? yet thou, O LORD, [art] in the midst of us, and we are called by thy name; leave us not.

9. Why should you be as if bewildered, like a warrior unable to save? But you are in our midst Yahweh, and on us your Name has been invoked. Do not abandon us!

10. Thus saith the LORD unto this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not refrained their feet, therefore the LORD doth not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.

10. This is what Yahweh says about this people, "They like to wander here and there, not stopping for a moment, so Yahweh takes no pleasure in them; he remembers their wickedness and will punish their sins."

11. Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for [their] good.

11. And Yahweh said, "Do not pray for the well-being of this people!

12. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

12. If they fast I will not listen to their cry; if they offer me burnt offerings and oblations, I will not accept them. Instead I am going to make an end of them with sword, famine and plague."

13. Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.

13. And I said, "Ah, Lord Yahweh! You know what the prophets are saying to them: 'You will not see the sword nor suffer famine for I will give you true peace in this place.'"

14. Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

14. But Yahweh said, "These prophets have proclaimed untruths in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. False visions, worthless divinations and delusions of their own imagination - that is what they prophesy."

15. Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

15. And Yahweh added, "These prophets whom I did not send and who prophesy in my name, saying that the sword and famine will not touch this land - these same prophets will perish by the sword and famine.

16. And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

16. As for the people listening to them, their corpses will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem. There will be no one to bury them or their wives, their sons or daughters, when they die of famine and by the sword. For I shall make their own malice fall upon them.

17. Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.

17. This you will say to them: Let my eyes shed tears night and day without ceasing! For with a great wound has the virgin daughter of my people been wounded, a most grievous wound.

18. If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not.

18. If I go into the country, I see those slain by the sword. If I enter the city I see the ravages of famine. For the prophet and the priest did not understand what was happening in the land."

19. Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul lothed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and [there is] no healing for us? we looked for peace, and [there is] no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble!

19. Have you then rejected Judah forever? Do you abhor Zion? Why have you wounded us and left us with no hope of recovery? We hoped for salvation but received nothing good; we waited for healing, but terror came!

20. We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, [and] the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.

20. Yahweh, we know our wickedness and that of our fathers, and the times we have sinned against you.

21. Do not abhor [us], for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.

21. For your name's sake do not despise us; do not dishonor the throne of your glory. Remember us. Do not break your covenant with us!

22. Are there [any] among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? [art] not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these [things].

22. Among the worthless idols of the nations, are there any who can bring rain, or make the skies send showers? Only in you, Yahweh our God, do we hope, for it is you who do all this.