1The word of יהוה that came to Yirmeyahu concerning the matter of droughts.

2“Yehuḏah has mourned, and her gates have languished. They have mourned on the ground, and the cry of Yerushalayim has gone up.

3“And their nobles have sent their little ones for water, they went to the cisterns and found no water, they returned with their vessels empty. They were put to shame, and blushed and covered their heads.

4“Because the ground became cracked, for there has been no rain in the land. The ploughmen were put to shame, they covered their heads.

5“Even the deer gave birth in the field, but left because there was no grass.

6“And wild donkeys stood in the bare heights, they sniffed at the wind like jackals. Their eyes have failed because there was no grass.”

7O יהוה, though our crookednesses witness against us, act, for Your Name’s sake. For our backslidings have been many, we have sinned against You.

8O Expectation of Yisra’ĕl, its Saviour in time of distress, why should You be like a stranger in the land, or like a traveller who turns aside to lodge?

9Why should You be as one who is stunned, as a mighty man that is unable to save? Yet You, O יהוה, are in our midst, and Your Name has been called on us. Do not leave us!

10Thus said יהוה to this people, “So they have loved to wander, they have not restrained their feet. Therefore יהוה has not accepted them. Now He does remember their crookedness and punish their sins.”

11And יהוה said to me, “Do not pray for this people for their good.

12“When they fast, I do not hear their cry. And when they offer burnt offering and grain offering, I do not accept them. Instead, I am consuming them by sword, and by scarcity of food, and by pestilence.”

13But I said, “Ah, Master יהוה! See, the prophets say to them, ‘You are not to see a sword, nor have scarcity of food, for I give you true peace in this place.’ ”

14Then יהוה said to me, “The prophets prophesy falsehooda in My Name. I have not sent them, nor commanded them, nor spoken to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own heart.

15“Therefore thus said יהוה concerning the prophets who prophesy in My Name, whom I did not send, and who say, ‘Sword and scarcity of food shall not be in this land.’ ‘By sword and scarcity of food those prophets shall be consumed!

16‘And the people to whom they are prophesying shall be thrown out in the streets of Yerushalayim because of the scarcity of food and the sword, with no one to bury them – them nor their wives, their sons nor their daughters. For I shall pour their evil on them.’

17“And you shall say this word to them, ‘Let my eyes flow with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the maiden daughter of my people has been crushed with a mighty blow, with a very severe wound.

18‘If I go out to the field, then see those slain with the sword! And if I enter the city, then see those sick from scarcity of food! For both prophet and priest go about in a land they do not know.’ ”

19Have You completely rejected Yehuḏah? Has Your being loathed Tsiyon? Why have You smitten us so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but there was no good; and for the time of healing, but see – fear!

20O יהוה, we know our wrong and the crookedness of our fathers, for we have sinned against You.

21Do not scorn us, for Your Name’s sake. Do not despise the throne of Your esteem. Remember, do not break Your covenant with us.

22Are there among the worthless idols of the nations any causing rain? And do the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O יהוה our Elohim? And we wait for You, for You are the One who does all this.