| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the dearth. | 1The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: |
| 2Judah mourneth, and the gates thereof languish; they are black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. | 2Judah mourns; her gates languish. Her people are on the ground in mourning; Jerusalem's cry rises up. |
| 3And 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. | 3Their nobles send their servants for water. They go to the cisterns; they find no water; their containers return empty. They are ashamed and humiliated; they cover their heads. |
| 4Because the ground is chapt, for there was no rain in the earth, the plowmen were ashamed, they covered their heads. | 4The ground is cracked since no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads. |
| 5Yea, the hind also calved in the field, and forsook it, because there was no grass. | 5Even the doe in the field gives birth and abandons her fawn since there is no grass. |
| 6And 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. | 6Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights panting for air like jackals. Their eyes fail because there are no green plants. |
| 7O 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. | 7Though our guilt testifies against us, Yahweh, act for Your name's sake. Indeed, our rebellions are many; we have sinned against You. |
| 8O 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? | 8Hope of Israel, its Savior in time of distress, why are You like a foreigner in the land, like a traveler stopping only for the night? |
| 9Why 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. | 9Why are You like a helpless man, like a warrior unable to save? Yet You are among us, Yahweh, and we are called by Your name. Don't leave us! |
| 10Thus 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. | 10This is what the LORD says concerning these people: Truly they love to wander; they never rest their feet. So the LORD does not accept them. Now He will remember their guilt and punish their sins. |
| 11Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. | 11Then the LORD said to me, "Do not pray for the well-being of these people. |
| 12When 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. | 12If they fast, I will not hear their cry of despair. If they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I will not accept them. Rather, I will finish them off by sword, famine, and plague." |
| 13Then 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. | 13And I replied, "Oh no, Lord GOD! The prophets are telling them, 'You won't see sword or suffer famine. I will certainly give you true peace in this place.'" |
| 14Then 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. | 14But the LORD said to me, "These prophets are prophesying a lie in My name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, the deceit of their own minds. |
| 15Therefore 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"Therefore, this is what the LORD says concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, though I did not send them, and who say, 'There will never be sword or famine in this land.' By sword and famine these prophets will meet their end. |
| 16And 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. | 16The people they are prophesying to will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. There will be no one to bury them--they, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. I will pour out their own evil on them." |
| 17Therefore 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. | 17You are to speak this word to them: Let my eyes overflow with tears; day and night may they not stop, for the virgin daughter of my people has been destroyed by a great disaster, an extremely severe wound. |
| 18If 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. | 18If I go out to the field, look--those slain by the sword! If I enter the city, look--those ill from famine! For both prophet and priest travel to a land they do not know. |
| 19Hast 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! | 19Have You completely rejected Judah? Do You detest Zion? Why do You strike us with no hope of healing for us? We hoped for peace, but there was nothing good; for a time of healing, but there was only terror. |
| 20We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee. | 20We acknowledge our wickedness, LORD, the guilt of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against You. |
| 21Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us. | 21Because of Your name, don't despise us. Don't disdain Your glorious throne. Remember Your covenant with us; do not break it. |
| 22Are 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. | 22Can any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Or can the skies alone give showers? Are You not the LORD our God? We therefore put our hope in You, for You have done all these things. |
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