Jeremiah 14

1The word of Jehovah that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.

1The Lord gave this message to Jeremiah about the terrible drought.

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

2The land of Judah mourns, and its city gates are crumbling. The people sit on the ground in mourning clothes, and a cry of distress rises up from Jerusalem.

3And their nobles send their little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are put to shame and confounded, and cover their heads.

3The wealthy people send their servants for water. They go to the cisterns but find no water. They return with empty jars, feeling confused and ashamed, covering their heads in grief.

4Because of the ground which is cracked, for that no rain hath been in the land, the plowmen are put to shame, they cover their heads.

4The ground is cracked because no rain has fallen on the land. The farmers are discouraged and cover their heads in despair.

5Yea, the hind also in the field calveth, and forsaketh her young, because there is no grass.

5Even the deer in the field gives birth and then abandons her newborn fawn because there is no grass to eat.

6And the wild asses stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage.

6Wild donkeys stand on the bare hilltops, gasping for air like jackals. Their eyesight fails because there is no green grass to be found.

7Though our iniquities testify against us, work thou for thy name’s sake, O Jehovah; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against thee.

7Even though our sins testify against us, O Lord, help us for the sake of your own reputation. We have turned away from you many times and sinned against you.

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

8O Hope of Israel, our Savior in times of trouble, why are you like a stranger in this land? Why are you like a traveler who only stays for one night?

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

9Why do you seem like a man who is confused, or like a strong soldier who lacks the power to save? Yet you, Lord, are right here with us, and we are called by your name; please do not abandon us.

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

10This is what the Lord says about this people: They love to wander away from me and do not restrain themselves. Therefore, the Lord does not accept them. He will now remember their guilt and punish them for their sins.

11And Jehovah said 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 anymore.'

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

12'When they fast, I will not listen to their cry. When they bring burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with war, starvation, and disease.'

13Then said I, Ah, Lord Jehovah! 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.

13Then I said, 'Oh, Sovereign Lord! Look, the prophets are telling the people that they will not see war or starvation. They promise that you will give them lasting peace in this place.'

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

14The Lord said to me: 'The prophets are telling lies in my name. I did not send them, I did not command them, and I did not speak to them. They are prophesying false visions, worthless magic, and the delusions of their own minds.'

15Therefore thus saith Jehovah 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.

15Therefore, this is what the Lord says about the prophets who prophesy in my name—prophets I did not send: They say that war and famine will never come to this land, but those very prophets will die by war and famine.

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.

16And the people they prophesy to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, dead from starvation and war. There will be no one to bury them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters. I will pour out onto them the punishment their wickedness deserves.

17And 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 wound.

17Tell them this: 'Let my eyes overflow with tears night and day without stopping. For my people, my dear daughter, has been crushed and hit with a terrible, fatal wound.'

18If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then, behold, they that are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.

18If I go out into the fields, I see those killed in battle. If I go into the city, I see people starving to death. Even the priests and prophets travel around the land not knowing what they are doing.

19Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul loathed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and, behold, dismay!

19Have you completely rejected Judah? Do you hate Zion? Why have you wounded us so badly that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace, but nothing good happened. We hoped for healing, but we found only terror.

20We acknowledge, O Jehovah, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against thee.

20Lord, we admit our wickedness and the sins of our ancestors. We have certainly 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.

21For the sake of your own reputation, do not despise us. Do not let your glorious throne be disgraced. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it.

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

22Can any of the worthless idols of the nations make it rain? Can the sky give showers on its own? No, it is you, O Lord our God! So we will wait for you, because you are the one who does all these things.