That which came
as the word
of the LORD
to Jeremiah
in regard
to the adrought
:
"Judah mourns
And aher gates
languish
; They sit
on the ground
bin mourning
, And the ccry
of Jerusalem
has ascended
.
"Their nobles have asent
their 1servants
for water
; They have come
to the bcisterns
and found
no
water
. They have returned
with their vessels
empty
; They have been
cput
to shame
and humiliated
, And they dcover
their heads
.
"Because the aground
is 1cracked
, For there has been
bno
rain
on the land
; The cfarmers
have been
put
to shame
, They have covered
their heads
.
"For even the doe
in the field
has given
birth
only to abandon
her young, Because
there is ano
grass
.
"The awild donkeys
stand
on the bare
heights
; They pant
for air
like jackals
, Their eyes
fail
For there
is bno
vegetation
.
"Although our ainiquities
testify
against us, O LORD
, act
bfor Your name's
sake
! Truly
our capostasies
have been
many
, We have dsinned
against You.
"O aHope of Israel
, Its bSavior
in ctime
of distress
, Why
are You like a stranger
in the land
Or like a traveler
who has pitched
his tent for the night
?
"Why are You like a man
dismayed
, Like a mighty
man
who acannot
save
? Yet bYou are in our midst
, O LORD
, And we are ccalled
by Your name
; Do not forsake
us!"
Thus says
the LORD
to this
people
, "Even so
they have aloved
to wander
; they have not bkept
their feet
in check
. Therefore the LORD
does cnot accept
them; now
He will dremember
their iniquity
and call
their sins
to account
."
So the LORD said
to me, " aDo not pray
for the welfare
of this
people
.
"When they fast
, I am anot going to listen
to their cry
; and when
they offer
bburnt
offering
and grain offering
, I am not going to accept
them. Rather
I am going to cmake
an end
of them by the dsword
, famine
and pestilence
."
But, "Ah, Lord
1GOD
!" I said
, "Look
, the prophets
are telling
them, `You awill not see
the sword
nor
will you have
famine
, but I will give
you 2lasting
bpeace
in this
place
.' "
Then the LORD said
to me, "The aprophets
are prophesying
falsehood
in My name
. bI have neither
sent
them nor
commanded
them nor
spoken
to them; they are prophesying
to you a cfalse
vision
, divination
, futility
and the deception
of their own 1minds
.
"Therefore thus
says
the LORD
concerning
the prophets
who are prophesying
in My name
, although it was not I who sent
them--yet they keep saying
, `There will be no
sword
or famine
in this
land
'-- aby sword
and famine
those
prophets
shall 1meet
their end
!
"The people also to whom
they are prophesying
will be athrown
out into the streets
of Jerusalem
because
of the famine
and the sword
; and there
will be no
one
to bbury
them--neither them, nor their wives
, nor
their sons
, nor
their daughters
--for I will cpour
out their own wickedness
on them.
"You will say this
word
to them, ` aLet my eyes
flow
down
with tears
night
and day
, And let them not cease
; For the virgin
bdaughter
of my people
has been crushed
with a mighty
blow
, With a sorely
cinfected
wound
.
`If I ago
out to the country
, Behold
, those 1slain
with the sword
! Or if
I enter
the city
, Behold
, diseases
of famine
! For bboth
prophet
and priest
Have 2gone roving
about
in the land
that they do not know
.' "
Have You completely arejected
Judah
? Or
have 1You loathed
Zion
? Why
have You stricken
us so that we bare beyond
healing
? We cwaited
for peace
, but nothing
good
came; And for a time
of healing
, but behold
, terror
!
We aknow our wickedness
, O LORD
, The iniquity
of our fathers
, for bwe have sinned
against You.
Do not despise us, afor Your own name's
sake
; Do not disgrace
the bthrone
of Your glory
; Remember
and do not annul
Your covenant
with us.
Are there any
among the 1 aidols
of the nations
who bgive
rain
? Or
can the heavens
grant
showers
? Is it not You, O LORD
our God
? Therefore we 2 chope
in You, For You are the one who has done
all
these
things
.