| New King James Version | Christian Standard Bible |
| 1The word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the droughts. | 1This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought: |
| 2“Judah mourns, And her gates languish; They mourn for the land, And the cry of Jerusalem has gone up. | 2Judah mourns; her city gates languish. Her people are on the ground in mourning; Jerusalem's cry rises up. |
| 3Their nobles have sent their lads for water; They went to the cisterns 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 parched, For there was no rain in the land, 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. |
| 5Yes, the deer also gave birth in the field, But left 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 donkeys stood in the desolate heights; They sniffed at the wind like jackals; Their eyes failed 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 it for Your name’s sake; For our backslidings are many, We have sinned against You. | 7Though our iniquities testify against us, LORD, act for your name's sake. Indeed, our rebellions are many; we have sinned against you. |
| 8O the Hope of Israel, his Savior in time of trouble, Why should You be like a stranger in the land, And like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night? | 8Hope of Israel, its Savior in time of distress, why are you like a resident alien in the land, like a traveler stopping only for the night? |
| 9Why should You be like a man astonished, Like a mighty one who cannot save? Yet You, O LORD, are in our midst, And we are called by Your name; Do not leave us! | 9Why are you like a helpless man, like a warrior unable to save? Yet you are among us, LORD, and we bear your name. Don't leave us! |
| 10Thus says the LORD to this people: “Thus they have loved to wander; They have not restrained their feet. Therefore the LORD does not accept them; He will remember their iniquity now, And punish 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 iniquity and punish their sins. |
| 11Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray 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 grain offering, I will not accept them. But I will consume them by the sword, 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 I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you 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 lasting peace in this place.'" |
| 14And the LORD said to me, “The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, 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 says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—‘By sword and famine those prophets shall 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; they will have no one to bury them—them nor their wives, their sons nor their daughters—for I will pour their wickedness on 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." |
| 17“Therefore you shall say this word to them: ‘Let my eyes flow with tears night and day, And let them not cease; For the virgin daughter of my people Has been broken with a mighty stroke, with a very severe 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 crushing blow, an extremely severe wound. |
| 18If I go out to the field, Then behold, those slain with the sword! And if I enter the city, Then behold, those sick from famine! Yes, both prophet and priest go about in a land they do not know.’ ” | 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. |
| 19Have You utterly rejected Judah? Has Your soul loathed Zion? Why have You stricken us so that there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but there was no good; And for the time of healing, and there was 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 You. | 20We acknowledge our wickedness, LORD, the iniquity of our fathers; indeed, we have sinned against you. |
| 21Do not abhor us, for Your name’s sake; Do not disgrace the throne of Your glory. Remember, do not break Your covenant with us. | 21For your name's sake, don't despise us. Don't disdain your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us; do not break it. |
| 22Are there any among the idols of the nations that can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O LORD our God? Therefore we will wait for You, Since You have made all these. | 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. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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