Jeremiah 4 NIV HCSB Parallel

◄ Jeremiah 4 ►

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Holman Christian Standard Bible

1"If you, Israel, will return, then return to me," declares the LORD. "If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray,

1If you return, Israel-- this is the LORD's declaration-- you will return to Me, if you remove your detestable idols from My presence and do not waver,

2and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, 'As surely as the LORD lives,' then the nations will invoke blessings by him and in him they will boast."

2then you can swear, "As the LORD lives," in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him and will pride themselves in Him.

3This is what the LORD says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: "Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns.

3For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: Break up the unplowed ground; do not sow among the thorns.

4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done-- burn with no one to quench it.

4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it because of your evil deeds.

5"Announce in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say: 'Sound the trumpet throughout the land!' Cry aloud and say: 'Gather together! Let us flee to the fortified cities!'

5Declare in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: Blow the ram's horn throughout the land. Cry out loudly and say: Assemble yourselves, and let's flee to the fortified cities.

6Raise the signal to go to Zion! Flee for safety without delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, even terrible destruction."

6Lift up a signal flag toward Zion. Run for cover! Don't stand still! For I am bringing disaster from the north-- a great destruction.

7A lion has come out of his lair; a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to lay waste your land. Your towns will lie in ruins without inhabitant.

7A lion has gone up from his thicket; a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to make your land a waste. Your cities will be reduced to uninhabited ruins.

8So put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned away from us.

8Because of this, put on sackcloth; mourn and wail, for the LORD's burning anger has not turned away from us.

9"In that day," declares the LORD, "the king and the officials will lose heart, the priests will be horrified, and the prophets will be appalled."

9"On that day"--this is the LORD's declaration--"the king and the officials will lose their courage. The priests will tremble in fear, and the prophets will be scared speechless."

10Then I said, "Alas, Sovereign LORD! How completely you have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, 'You will have peace,' when the sword is at our throats!"

10I said, "Oh no, Lord GOD, You have certainly deceived this people and Jerusalem, by announcing, 'You will have peace,' while a sword is at our throats."

11At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, "A scorching wind from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse;

11"At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, 'A searing wind blows from the barren heights in the wilderness on the way to My dear people. It comes not to winnow or to sift;

12a wind too strong for that comes from me. Now I pronounce my judgments against them."

12a wind too strong for this comes at My call. Now I will also pronounce judgments against them.'"

13Look! He advances like the clouds, his chariots come like a whirlwind, his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! We are ruined!

13Look, he advances like clouds; his chariots are like a storm. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!

14Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?

14Wash the evil from your heart, Jerusalem, so that you will be delivered. How long will you harbor malicious thoughts within you?

15A voice is announcing from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.

15For a voice announces from Dan, proclaiming malice from Mount Ephraim.

16"Tell this to the nations, proclaim concerning Jerusalem: 'A besieging army is coming from a distant land, raising a war cry against the cities of Judah.

16Warn the nations: Look! Proclaim to Jerusalem: Those who besiege are coming from a distant land; they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.

17They surround her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against me,'" declares the LORD.

17They have her surrounded like those who guard a field, because she has rebelled against Me. This is the LORD's declaration.

18"Your own conduct and actions have brought this on you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!"

18Your way of life and your actions have brought this on you. This is your punishment. It is very bitter, because it has reached your heart!

19Oh, my anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain. Oh, the agony of my heart! My heart pounds within me, I cannot keep silent. For I have heard the sound of the trumpet; I have heard the battle cry.

19My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in agony! Oh, the pain in my heart! My heart pounds; I cannot be silent. For you, my soul, have heard the sound of the ram's horn-- the shout of battle.

20Disaster follows disaster; the whole land lies in ruins. In an instant my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment.

20Disaster after disaster is reported because the whole land is destroyed. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, my tent curtains, in a moment.

21How long must I see the battle standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?

21How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the ram's horn?

22"My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good."

22"For My people are fools; they do not know Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing what is evil, but they do not know how to do what is good."

23I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone.

23I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty. I looked to the heavens, and their light was gone.

24I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.

24I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills shook.

25I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away.

25I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the sky had fled.

26I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger.

26I looked, and the fertile field was a wilderness. All its cities were torn down because of the LORD and His burning anger.

27This is what the LORD says: "The whole land will be ruined, though I will not destroy it completely.

27For this is what the LORD says: The whole land will be a desolation, but I will not finish it off.

28Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark, because I have spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back."

28Because of this, the earth will mourn; the skies above will grow dark. I have spoken; I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back from it.

29At the sound of horsemen and archers every town takes to flight. Some go into the thickets; some climb up among the rocks. All the towns are deserted; no one lives in them.

29Every city flees at the sound of the horseman and the archer. They enter the thickets and climb among the rocks. Every city is abandoned; no inhabitant is left.

30What are you doing, you devastated one? Why dress yourself in scarlet and put on jewels of gold? Why highlight your eyes with makeup? You adorn yourself in vain. Your lovers despise you; they want to kill you.

30And you, devastated one, what are you doing that you dress yourself in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? You beautify yourself for nothing. Your lovers reject you; they want to take your life.

31I hear a cry as of a woman in labor, a groan as of one bearing her first child-- the cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands and saying, "Alas! I am fainting; my life is given over to murderers."

31I hear a cry like a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child. The cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands: Woe is me, for my life is weary because of the murderers!

New International Version (NIV)

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