Whatאֲשֶׁרcameהָיָהas the wordדְבַרof YHWHיְהוָהto Jeremiahאֶל יִרְמְיָהוּconcerningעַלthe mattersדִּבְרֵיof the droughts.הַבַּצָּרוֹת
Judahיְהוּדָהmourns,אָבְלָהand her gatesוּשְׁעָרֶיהָlanguish;אֻמְלְלוּthey mourn darklyקָדְרוּto the ground,לָאָרֶץand the cryוְצִוְחַתof Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַםgoes up.עָלָתָה
And their noblesוְאַדִּרֵיהֶםsendשָׁלְחוּtheir little onesצְעִירֵיהֶםfor water;לַמָּיִםthey comeבָּאוּto the pools,עַל גֵּבִיםthey do notלֹאfindמָצְאוּwater;מַיִםthey return,שָׁבוּtheir vesselsכְלֵיהֶםempty;רֵיקָםthey are ashamedבֹּשׁוּand humiliated,וְהָכְלְמוּand they coverוְחָפוּtheir heads.רֹאשָׁם
Becauseבַּעֲבוּרthe groundהָאֲדָמָהis cracked,חַתָּהforכִּיthere has been noלֹא הָיָהrainגֶשֶׁםin the land,בָּאָרֶץthe farmersאִכָּרִיםare ashamed;בֹּשׁוּthey coverחָפוּtheir heads.רֹאשָׁם
Forכִּיevenגַםthe doeאַיֶּלֶתin the fieldבַּשָּׂדֶהgives birthיָלְדָהand abandons it,וְעָזוֹבforכִּיthere is noלֹא הָיָהfresh grass.דֶּשֶׁא
And the wild donkeysוּפְרָאִיםstandעָמְדוּon the bare heights;עַל שְׁפָיִםthey pant forשָׁאֲפוּthe windרוּחַlike jackals;כַּתַּנִּיםtheir eyesעֵינֵיהֶםfail,כָּלוּforכִּיthere is noאֵיןgrass.עֵשֶׂב
Thoughאִםour iniquitiesעֲוֺנֵינוּtestifyעָנוּagainst us,בָנוּYHWH,יְהוָהactעֲשֵׂהfor the sake ofלְמַעַןyour name;שְׁמֶךָforכִּיour apostasiesמְשׁוּבֹתֵינוּare many;רַבּוּagainst youלְךָwe have sinned.חָטָאנוּ
Hopeמִקְוֵהof Israel,יִשְׂרָאֵלits Saviorמוֹשִׁיעוֹin the timeבְּעֵתof distress,צָרָהwhyלָמָּהshould you beתִהְיֶהlike a resident alienכְּגֵרin the land,בָּאָרֶץand like a travelerוּכְאֹרֵחַwho turns asideנָטָהto spend the night?לָלוּן
Whyלָמָּהshould you beתִהְיֶהlike a manכְּאִישׁstunned,נִדְהָםlike a mighty manכְּגִבּוֹרwho cannotלֹא יוּכַלsave?לְהוֹשִׁיעַBut youוְאַתָּהare in our midst,בְקִרְבֵּנוּYHWH,יְהוָהand your nameוְשִׁמְךָis calledנִקְרָאover us;עָלֵינוּdo notאַלleave us.תַּנִּחֵנוּ
ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWHיְהוָהto this people:לָעָם הַזֶּה“Soכֵּןthey have lovedאָהֲבוּto wander;לָנוּעַtheir feetרַגְלֵיהֶםthey have notלֹאrestrained;חָשָׂכוּand YHWHוַיהוָהdoes notלֹאaccept them;רָצָםnowעַתָּהhe will rememberיִזְכֹּרtheir iniquityעֲוֺנָםand punishוְיִפְקֹדtheir sins.”חַטֹּאתָם
And YHWHוַ יְהוָהsaid to me:יֹּאמֶר אֵלָי“Do notאַלprayתִּתְפַּלֵּלfor this peopleבְּעַד הָעָם הַזֶּהfor their good.לְטוֹבָה
Whenכִּיthey fast,יָצֻמוּI am notאֵינֶנִּיlisteningשֹׁמֵעַto their cry;אֶל רִנָּתָםand whenוְכִיthey offer upיַעֲלוּburnt offeringעֹלָהand grain offering,וּמִנְחָהI do notאֵינֶנִּיaccept them;רֹצָםbutכִּיby the swordבַּחֶרֶבand by famineוּבָרָעָבand by pestilenceוּבַדֶּבֶרIאָנֹכִיam consuming them.”מְכַלֶּה אוֹתָם
And I said:וָאֹמַר“Ah,אֲהָהּAdonaiאֲדֹנָיYHWH!יְהוִהLook,הִנֵּהthe prophetsהַנְּבִאִיםare sayingאֹמְרִיםto them:לָהֶם‘You will notלֹאseeתִרְאוּsword,חֶרֶבand famineוְרָעָבthere will notלֹאbeיִהְיֶהfor you,לָכֶםbutכִּיtrueאֱמֶתpeaceשְׁלוֹםI will giveאֶתֵּןyouלָכֶםin this place.’”בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה
And YHWHוַ יְהוָהsaid to me:יֹּאמֶר אֵלַי“Falsehoodשֶׁקֶרthe prophetsהַנְּבִאִיםare prophesyingנִבְּאִיםin my name;בִּשְׁמִיI did notלֹאsend them,שְׁלַחְתִּיםnorוְלֹאcommand them,צִוִּיתִיםnorוְלֹאspeakדִבַּרְתִּיto them;אֲלֵיהֶםa visionחֲזוֹןof falsehood,שֶׁקֶרand divination,וְקֶסֶםand a worthless thing,וֶאֱלִילand the deceitוְתַרְמִיתof their heartלִבָּםtheyהֵמָּהare prophesyingמִתְנַבְּאִיםto you.לָכֶם
ThereforeלָכֵןthusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWHיְהוָהconcerning the prophetsעַל הַנְּבִאִיםwho prophesyהַנִּבְּאִיםin my name,בִּשְׁמִיalthough Iוַאֲנִיdid notלֹאsend them,שְׁלַחְתִּיםand theyוְהֵמָּהsay:אֹמְרִים‘Swordחֶרֶבand famineוְרָעָבthere will notלֹאbeיִהְיֶהin this land.’בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאתBy swordבַּחֶרֶבand by famineוּבָרָעָבthose prophetsהַנְּבִאִים הָהֵמָּהwill be finished off.יִתַּמּוּ
And the peopleוְהָעָםto whomאֲשֶׁר לָהֶםtheyהֵמָּהare prophesyingנִבְּאִיםwill beיִהְיוּthrown outמֻשְׁלָכִיםin the streetsבְּחֻצוֹתof Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַםbecauseמִפְּנֵיof the famineהָרָעָבand the sword,וְהַחֶרֶבwith no oneוְאֵיןto bury them,מְקַבֵּר לָהֵמָּהthem,הֵמָּהtheir wives,נְשֵׁיהֶםtheir sons,וּבְנֵיהֶםand their daughters;וּבְנֹתֵיהֶםand I will pour outוְשָׁפַכְתִּיon themעֲלֵיהֶםtheir evil.רָעָתָם
And you will sayוְאָמַרְתָּto themאֲלֵיהֶםthis word:אֶת הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה‘Let my eyesעֵינַיrun downתֵּרַדְנָהwith tearsדִּמְעָהnightלַיְלָהand day,וְיוֹמָםand let them notוְאַלcease,תִּדְמֶינָהforכִּיwith a greatגָּדוֹלbreakingשֶׁבֶרhas been brokenנִשְׁבְּרָהthe virginבְּתוּלַתdaughterבַּתof my people,עַמִּיa woundמַכָּהincurable,נַחְלָהvery grievous.מְאֹד
IfאִםI go outיָצָאתִיinto the field,הַשָּׂדֶהlook,וְהִנֵּהthose slainחַלְלֵיby the sword!חֶרֶבAnd ifוְאִםI enterבָּאתִיthe city,הָעִירlook,וְהִנֵּהthose sickתַּחֲלוּאֵיwith famine!רָעָבForכִּיbothגַםprophetנָבִיאandגַםpriestכֹּהֵןroam aboutסָחֲרוּthrough the land,אֶל אֶרֶץand they do notוְלֹאknow.’”יָדָעוּ
Have you utterlyמָאֹסrejectedהֲ מָאַסְתָּJudah?אֶת יְהוּדָהHas your soulנַפְשֶׁךָloathedאִם גָּעֲלָהZion?בְּצִיּוֹןWhyמַדּוּעַhave you struck usהִכִּיתָנוּso that there is noוְאֵיןhealingמַרְפֵּאfor us?לָנוּWe hopedקַוֵּהfor peace,לְשָׁלוֹםbut there is noוְאֵיןgood;טוֹבfor a timeוּלְעֵתof healing,מַרְפֵּאand look,וְהִנֵּהterror!בְעָתָה
We acknowledge,יָדַעְנוּYHWH,יְהוָהour wickedness,רִשְׁעֵנוּthe iniquityעֲוֺןof our fathers,אֲבוֹתֵינוּforכִּיwe have sinnedחָטָאנוּagainst you.לָךְ
Do notאַלspurn usתִּנְאַץfor the sake ofלְמַעַןyour name;שִׁמְךָdo notאַלdishonorתְּנַבֵּלthe throneכִּסֵּאof your glory;כְבוֹדֶךָremember,זְכֹרdo notאַלbreakתָּפֵרyour covenantבְּרִיתְךָwith us.אִתָּנוּ
Are thereהֲיֵשׁamong the vaporsבְּהַבְלֵיof the nationsהַגּוֹיִםany who bring rain?מַגְשִׁמִיםOrוְאִםdo the heavensהַשָּׁמַיִםgiveיִתְּנוּshowers?רְבִבִיםAre you notהֲלֹא אַתָּהhe,הוּאYHWHיְהוָהour Elohim?אֱלֹהֵינוּSo we hopeוּנְקַוֶּהin you,לָּךְforכִּיyouאַתָּהmadeעָשִׂיתָallכָּלthese things.אֵלֶּה