1"If you return, O Israel,
says Yahweh,
to me you should return.
If you remove your abominations from my presence,
and do not waver,
2and if you swear, 'As Yahweh lives,'
in truth, in justice, and in uprightness,
then nations shall bless themselves in him,
and in him shall they glory."
3For thus says Yahweh to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem:
5Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say,
9"In that day, says Yahweh, courage shall fail both king and princes; the priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded." 10Then I said, "Ah, Yahweh GOD, surely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, 'It shall be well with you'; whereas the sword has reached their very life."
11At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, "A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse, 12a wind too full for this comes for me. Now it is I who speak in judgment upon them."
13Behold, he comes up like clouds,
his chariots like the whirlwind;
his horses are swifter than eagles -
woe to us, for we are ruined!
14O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness,
that you may be saved.
How long shall your evil thoughts
lodge within you?
15For a voice declares from Dan
and proclaims evil from Mount Ephraim.
16Warn the nations that he is coming;
announce to Jerusalem,
"Besiegers come from a distant land;
they shout against the cities of Judah.
17Like keepers of a field are they against her round about,
because she has rebelled against me,
says Yahweh.
18Your ways and your doings
have brought this upon you.
This is your doom, and it is bitter;
it has reached your very heart."
19My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!
Oh, the walls of my heart!
My heart is beating wildly;
I cannot keep silent;
for I hear the sound of the trumpet,
the alarm of war.
20Disaster follows hard on disaster,
the whole land is laid waste.
Suddenly my tents are destroyed,
my curtains in a moment.
21How long must I see the standard,
and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22"For my people are foolish,
they know me not;
they are stupid children,
they have no understanding.
They are skilled in doing evil,
but how to do good they know not."
23I looked on the earth, and lo, it was waste and void;
and to the heavens, and they had no light.
24I looked on the mountains, and lo, they were quaking,
and all the hills moved to and fro.
25I looked, and lo, there was no man,
and all the birds of the air had fled.
26I looked, and lo, the fruitful land was a desert,
and all its cities were laid in ruins
before Yahweh, before his fierce anger.
27For thus says Yahweh, "The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. 28For this the earth shall mourn,
and the heavens above be black;
for I have spoken, I have purposed;
I have not relented nor will I turn back."
29At the noise of horseman and archer
every city takes to flight;
they enter thickets; they climb among rocks;
all the cities are forsaken,
and no man dwells in them.
30And you, O desolate one,
what do you mean that you dress in scarlet,
that you deck yourself with ornaments of gold,
that you enlarge your eyes with paint?
In vain you beautify yourself.
Your lovers despise you;
they seek your life.
31For I heard a cry as of a woman in travail,
anguish as of one bringing forth her first child,
the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath,
stretching out her hands,
"Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers."
| << | Jer:4 | >> |
|---|