Jeremiah 4 Parallel Bible Translations

Jeremiah 4 ▼
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1 If you return, Israel — this is the LORD’s declaration — you will return to me, if you remove your abhorrent idols from my presence and do not waver, “If you return, O Israel, declares the LORD, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver, “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,
2 then you can swear, “As the LORD lives,” in truth, justice, and righteousness, and then the nations will be blessed by him and will boast in him. and if you swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.” and 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.”
3 For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: Break up the unplowed ground; do not sow among the thorns. For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. This is what the LORD says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns.
4 Circumcise 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. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.” Circumcise 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.
5 Declare 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.” Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say, “Blow the trumpet through the land; cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble, and let us go into the fortified cities!’ “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!’
6 Lift up a signal flag toward Zion. Run for cover! Don’t stand still! For I am bringing disaster from the north — a crushing blow. Raise a standard toward Zion, flee for safety, stay not, for I bring disaster from the north, and great destruction. Raise the signal to go to Zion! Flee for safety without delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, even terrible destruction.”
7 A 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. A lion has gone up from his thicket, a destroyer of nations has set out; he has gone out from his place to make your land a waste; your cities will be ruins without inhabitant. A 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.
8 Because of this, put on sackcloth; mourn and wail, for the LORD’s burning anger has not turned away from us. For this put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned back from us.” So put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned away from us.
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.” “In that day, declares the LORD, courage shall fail both king and officials. The priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded.” “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.”
10 I 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.” Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, surely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘It shall be well with you,’ whereas the sword has reached their very life.” Then 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!”
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; At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse, At 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;
12 a wind too strong for this comes at my call. Now I will also pronounce judgments against them.’ ” a wind too full for this comes for me. Now it is I who speak in judgment upon them.” a wind too strong for that comes from me. Now I pronounce my judgments against them.”
13 Look, he advances like clouds; his chariots are like a storm. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined! Behold, he comes up like clouds; his chariots like the whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles— woe to us, for we are ruined! Look! He advances like the clouds, his chariots come like a whirlwind, his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! We are ruined!
14 Wash the evil from your heart, Jerusalem, so that you will be delivered. How long will you harbor malicious thoughts? O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you? Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?
15 For a voice announces from Dan, proclaiming malice from Mount Ephraim. For a voice declares from Dan and proclaims trouble from Mount Ephraim. A voice is announcing from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.
16 Warn the nations: Look! Proclaim to Jerusalem: Those who besiege are coming from a distant land; they raise their voices against the cities of Judah. Warn the nations that he is coming; announce to Jerusalem, “Besiegers come from a distant land; they shout against the cities of Judah. “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.
17 They have her surrounded like those who guard a field, because she has rebelled against me. This is the LORD’s declaration. Like keepers of a field are they against her all around, because she has rebelled against me, declares the LORD. They surround her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against me,’” declares the LORD.
18 Your way and your actions have brought this on you. This is your punishment. It is very bitter, because it has reached your heart! Your ways and your deeds have brought this upon you. This is your doom, and it is bitter; it has reached your very heart.” “Your own conduct and actions have brought this on you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!”
19 My 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. My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh the walls of my heart! My heart is beating wildly; I cannot keep silent, for I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Oh, 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.
20 Disaster after disaster is reported because the whole land is destroyed. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, my tent curtains, in a moment. Crash follows hard on crash; the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are laid waste, my curtains in a moment. Disaster follows disaster; the whole land lies in ruins. In an instant my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment.
21 How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the ram’s horn? How long must I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet? How long must I see the battle standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?
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.” “For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.” “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.”
23 I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty. I looked to the heavens, and their light was gone. I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone.
24 I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills shook. I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro. I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.
25 I looked, and there was no human being, and all the birds of the sky had fled. I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled. I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away.
26 I looked, and the fertile field was a wilderness. All its cities were torn down because of the LORD and his burning anger. I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger. I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger.
27 For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be a desolation, but I will not finish it off. For thus says the LORD, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. This is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be ruined, though I will not destroy it completely.
28 Because 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.” “For this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above be dark; for I have spoken; I have purposed; I have not relented, nor will I turn back.” Therefore 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.”
29 Every 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. At the noise of horseman and archer every city takes to flight; they enter thickets; they climb among rocks; all the cities are forsaken, and no man dwells in them. At 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.
30 And you, devastated one, what are you doing that you dress yourself in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, that you enhance your eyes with makeup? You beautify yourself for nothing. Your lovers reject you; they intend to take your life. And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life. What 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.
31 I 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! ” For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor, anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands, “Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.” I 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.”
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