Jeremiah 6

1 O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.

“Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the middle of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem, for evil looks out from the north with a great destruction.

2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate [woman].

I will cut off the beautiful and delicate one, the daughter of Zion.

3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come to her; they shall pitch [their] tents against her on every side; they shall feed every one in his place.

Shepherds with their flocks will come to her. They will pitch their tents against her all around. They will feed everyone in his place.”

4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! for the day departeth, for the shadows of the evening are lengthened.

“Prepare war against her! Arise! Let’s go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

Arise! Let’s go up by night, and let’s destroy her palaces.”

6 For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this [is] the city to be visited; she [is] wholly oppression in the midst of her.

For Yahweh of Armies said, “Cut down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem. This is the city to be visited. She is filled with oppression within herself.

7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and devastation is heard in her; before me continually [are] grief and wounds.

As a well produces its waters, so she produces her wickedness. Violence and destruction is heard in her. Sickness and wounds are continually before me.

8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.

Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.”

9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thy hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets.

Yahweh of Armies says, “They will thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Turn again your hand as a grape gatherer into the baskets.”

10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ear [is] uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is to them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

To whom should I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can’t listen. Behold, Yahweh’s word has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it.

11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with [him that is] full of days.

Therefore I am full of Yahweh’s wrath. I am weary with holding it in. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife will be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.

12 And their houses shall be turned to others, [with their] fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD.

Their houses will be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says Yahweh.”

13 For from the least of them even to the greatest of them every one [is] given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest every one dealeth falsely.

“For from their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.

14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when [there is] no peace.

They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.

15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? no, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time [that] I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they will fall among those who fall. When I visit them, they will be cast down,” says Yahweh.

16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where [is] the good way, and walk in it, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk [in it].

Yahweh says, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

17 Also I set watchmen over you, [saying], Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.

I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen!’

18 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what [is] among them.

Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them.

19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, [even] the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened to my words, nor to my law, but have rejected it.

Hear, earth! Behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.

20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a distant country? your burnt-offerings [are] not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet to me.

To what purpose does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”

21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbor and his friend shall perish.

Therefore Yahweh says, “Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together will stumble against them. The neighbor and his friend will perish.”

22 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth.

Yahweh says, “Behold, a people comes from the north country. A great nation will be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they [are] cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion.

They take hold of bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Zion.”

24 We have heard the fame of it: our hands become feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, [and] pain, as of a woman in travail.

We have heard its report. Our hands become feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, and pains as of a woman in labor.

25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy [and] fear [is] on every side.

Don’t go out into the field or walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and terror are on every side.

26 O daughter of my people, gird [thee] with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, [as for] an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us.

Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes! Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for the destroyer will suddenly come on us.

27 I have set thee [for] a tower [and] a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way.

“I have made you a tester of metals and a fortress among my people, that you may know and try their way.

28 They [are] all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: [they are] brass and iron; they [are] all corrupters.

They are all grievous rebels, going around to slander. They are bronze and iron. All of them deal corruptly.

29 The bellows is burned, the lead is consumed by the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.

The bellows blow fiercely. The lead is consumed in the fire. In vain they go on refining, for the wicked are not plucked away.

30 Reprobate silver shall [men] call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.

Men will call them rejected silver, because Yahweh has rejected them.”