Jeremiah 8

1 “At that time,” says Yahweh, “they will bring the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of his princes, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves.

At that time, saith Yhwh, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:

2 They will spread them before the sun, the moon, and all the army of the sky, which they have loved, which they have served, after which they have walked, which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered or be buried. They will be like dung on the surface of the earth.

And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.

3 Death will be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places where I have driven them,” says Yahweh of Armies.

And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith Yhwh of Armies.

4 “Moreover you shall tell them, ‘Yahweh says: “‘Do men fall, and not rise up again? Does one turn away, and not return?

Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Yhwh; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?

5 Why then have the people of Jerusalem fallen back by a perpetual backsliding? They cling to deceit. They refuse to return.

Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

6 I listened and heard, but they didn’t say what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Everyone turns to his course, as a horse that rushes headlong in the battle.

I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

7 Yes, the stork in the sky knows her appointed times. The turtledove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people don’t know Yahweh’s law.

Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtledove and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of Yhwh.

8 “‘How do you say, “We are wise, and Yahweh’s law is with us”? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has made that a lie.

How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of Yhwh is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.

9 The wise men are disappointed. They are dismayed and trapped. Behold, they have rejected Yahweh’s word. What kind of wisdom is in them?

The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of Yhwh; and what wisdom is in them?

10 Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to those who will possess them. For everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.

Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

11 They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace.

For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed. They couldn’t blush. Therefore they will fall among those who fall. In the time of their visitation they will be cast down, says Yahweh.

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith Yhwh.

13 “‘I will utterly consume them, says Yahweh. No grapes will be on the vine, no figs on the fig tree, and the leaf will fade. The things that I have given them will pass away from them.’”

I will surely consume them, saith Yhwh: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

14 “Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves! Let’s enter into the fortified cities, and let’s be silent there; for Yahweh our God has put us to silence, and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against Yahweh.

Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for Yhwh our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against Yhwh.

15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay!

We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!

16 The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan. The whole land trembles at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they have come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it, the city and those who dwell therein.”

The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.

17 “For, behold, I will send serpents, adders among you, which will not be charmed; and they will bite you,” says Yahweh.

For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith Yhwh.

18 Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! My heart is faint within me.

When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.

19 Behold, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land that is very far off: “Isn’t Yahweh in Zion? Isn’t her King in her?” “Why have they provoked me to anger with their engraved images, and with foreign idols?”

Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not Yhwh in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?

20 “The harvest is past. The summer has ended, and we are not saved.”

The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people, I am hurt. I mourn. Dismay has taken hold of me.

For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.

22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then isn’t the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?