Jeremiah 4:1-2

כִּי־כֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה לְאִ֤ישׁ יְהוּדָה֙ וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם נִ֥ירוּ לָכֶ֖ם נִ֑יר וְאַֽל־תִּזְרְע֖וּ אֶל־קֹצִֽים׃ For thus said GOD to the citizenry of Judah and to Jerusalem:
Break up the untilled ground,
And do not sow among thorns.

הִמֹּ֣לוּ לַיהֹוָ֗ה וְהָסִ֙רוּ֙ עׇרְל֣וֹת לְבַבְכֶ֔ם אִ֥ישׁ יְהוּדָ֖ה וְיֹשְׁבֵ֣י יְרוּשָׁלָ֑͏ִם פֶּן־תֵּצֵ֨א כָאֵ֜שׁ חֲמָתִ֗י וּבָֽעֲרָה֙ וְאֵ֣ין מְכַבֶּ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י רֹ֥עַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶֽם׃ Open^dOpen Lit. “circumcise”; cf. Deut. 10.16; 30.6. your hearts to GOD,
Remove the thickening about your hearts—
O citizenry of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem—
Lest My wrath break forth like fire,
And burn, with none to quench it,
Because of your wicked acts.

הַגִּ֣ידוּ בִֽיהוּדָ֗ה וּבִירוּשָׁלַ֙͏ִם֙ הַשְׁמִ֔יעוּ וְאִמְר֕וּ (ותקעו) [תִּקְע֥וּ] שׁוֹפָ֖ר בָּאָ֑רֶץ קִרְא֤וּ מַלְאוּ֙ וְאִמְר֔וּ הֵאָסְפ֥וּ וְנָב֖וֹאָה אֶל־עָרֵ֥י הַמִּבְצָֽר׃ Proclaim in Judah,
Announce in Jerusalem,
And say:
“Blow the horn in the land!”
Shout aloud and say:
“Assemble, and let us go
Into the fortified cities!”

שְׂאוּ־נֵ֣ס צִיּ֔וֹנָה הָעִ֖יזוּ אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹ֑דוּ כִּ֣י רָעָ֗ה אָנֹכִ֛י מֵבִ֥יא מִצָּפ֖וֹן וְשֶׁ֥בֶר גָּדֽוֹל׃ Set up a signpost: To Zion.
Take refuge, do not delay!
For I bring evil from the north,
And great disaster.

עָלָ֤ה אַרְיֵה֙ מִֽסֻּבְּכ֔וֹ וּמַשְׁחִ֣ית גּוֹיִ֔ם נָסַ֖ע יָצָ֣א מִמְּקֹמ֑וֹ לָשׂ֤וּם אַרְצֵךְ֙ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה עָרַ֥יִךְ תִּצֶּ֖ינָה מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃ The lion^eThe lion I.e., the invader from the north, as GOD’s agent of destruction. has come up from its thicket:
The destroyer of nations has set out,
Has departed from its place,
To make your land a desolation;
Your cities shall be ruined,
Without inhabitants.

עַל־זֹ֛את חִגְר֥וּ שַׂקִּ֖ים סִפְד֣וּ וְהֵילִ֑ילוּ כִּ֥י לֹֽא־שָׁ֛ב חֲר֥וֹן אַף־יְהֹוָ֖ה מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ {פ}
For this, put on sackcloth,
Mourn and wail;
For GOD’s blazing anger
Has not turned away from us.

וְהָיָ֤ה בַיּוֹם־הַהוּא֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה יֹאבַ֥ד לֵב־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ וְלֵ֣ב הַשָּׂרִ֑ים וְנָשַׁ֙מּוּ֙ הַכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וְהַנְּבִאִ֖ים יִתְמָֽהוּ׃ {ס}         And in that day
—declares GOD—
The mind of the king
And the mind of the nobles shall fail,
The priests shall be appalled,
And the prophets shall stand aghast.

וָֽאֹמַ֞ר אֲהָ֣הּ ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י יֱהֹוִ֗ה אָכֵן֩ הַשֵּׁ֨א הִשֵּׁ֜אתָ לָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ וְלִירוּשָׁלַ֣͏ִם לֵאמֹ֔ר שָׁל֖וֹם יִהְיֶ֣ה לָכֶ֑ם וְנָגְעָ֥ה חֶ֖רֶב עַד־הַנָּֽפֶשׁ׃ And I said:^fAnd I said Septuagint reads “And they shall say.” Ah, my Sovereign GOD! Surely You have deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying:
It shall be well with you—
Yet the sword threatens the very life!

בָּעֵ֣ת הַהִ֗יא יֵאָמֵ֤ר לָעָם־הַזֶּה֙ וְלִיר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם ר֣וּחַ צַ֤ח שְׁפָיִם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר דֶּ֖רֶךְ בַּת־עַמִּ֑י ל֥וֹא לִזְר֖וֹת וְל֥וֹא לְהָבַֽר׃ At that time, it shall be said concerning this people and Jerusalem:
The conduct of My poor people^gMy poor people Lit. “the daughter that is My people”; so, frequently, in poetry. is like searing wind
From the bare heights of the desert—
It will not serve to winnow or to fan.

ר֧וּחַ מָלֵ֛א מֵאֵ֖לֶּה יָ֣בוֹא לִ֑י עַתָּ֕ה גַּם־אֲנִ֛י אֲדַבֵּ֥ר מִשְׁפָּטִ֖ים אוֹתָֽם׃ A full blast from them comes against Me:
Now I in turn will bring charges against them.

הִנֵּ֣ה ׀ כַּעֲנָנִ֣ים יַעֲלֶ֗ה וְכַסּוּפָה֙ מַרְכְּבוֹתָ֔יו קַלּ֥וּ מִנְּשָׁרִ֖ים סוּסָ֑יו א֥וֹי לָ֖נוּ כִּ֥י שֻׁדָּֽדְנוּ׃ Lo, the destroyer^hdestroyer Heb. “it,” i.e., the invader of v. 7. ascends like clouds,
Its chariots are like a whirlwind,
Its horses are swifter than eagles.
Woe to us, we are ruined!

כַּבְּסִ֨י מֵרָעָ֤ה לִבֵּךְ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם לְמַ֖עַן תִּוָּשֵׁ֑עִי עַד־מָתַ֛י תָּלִ֥ין בְּקִרְבֵּ֖ךְ מַחְשְׁב֥וֹת אוֹנֵֽךְ׃ Wash your heart clean of wickedness,
O Jerusalem, that you may be rescued.
How long will you harbor within you
Your evil designs?

כִּ֛י ק֥וֹל מַגִּ֖יד מִדָּ֑ן וּמַשְׁמִ֥יעַ אָ֖וֶן מֵהַ֥ר אֶפְרָֽיִם׃ Hark, one proclaims from Dan
And announces calamity from Mount Ephraim!

הַזְכִּ֣ירוּ לַגּוֹיִ֗ם הִנֵּה֙ הַשְׁמִ֣יעוּ עַל־יְרוּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם נֹצְרִ֥ים בָּאִ֖ים מֵאֶ֣רֶץ הַמֶּרְחָ֑ק וַֽיִּתְּנ֛וּ עַל־עָרֵ֥י יְהוּדָ֖ה קוֹלָֽם׃ Tell the nations: Here theyⁱthey I.e., the invading forces of v. 7. are!
Announce concerning Jerusalem:
Watchers^jWatchers See preceding note. are coming from a distant land,
They raise their voices against the towns of Judah.

כְּשֹׁמְרֵ֣י שָׂדַ֔י הָי֥וּ עָלֶ֖יהָ מִסָּבִ֑יב כִּי־אֹתִ֥י מָרָ֖תָה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ Like guards of fields, they surround her on every side.
For she has rebelled against Me
—declares GOD.

דַּרְכֵּךְ֙ וּמַ֣עֲלָלַ֔יִךְ עָשׂ֥וֹ אֵ֖לֶּה לָ֑ךְ זֹ֤את רָעָתֵךְ֙ כִּ֣י מָ֔ר כִּ֥י נָגַ֖ע עַד־לִבֵּֽךְ׃ {פ}
Your conduct and your acts
Have brought this upon you;
This is your bitter punishment;
It pierces your very heart.

מֵעַ֣י ׀ מֵעַ֨י ׀ [אוֹחִ֜ילָה] (אחולה) קִיר֥וֹת לִבִּ֛י הֹמֶה־לִּ֥י לִבִּ֖י לֹ֣א אַחֲרִ֑שׁ כִּ֣י ק֤וֹל שׁוֹפָר֙ (שמעתי) [שָׁמַ֣עַתְּ] נַפְשִׁ֔י תְּרוּעַ֖ת מִלְחָמָֽה׃ Oh, my suffering,^ksuffering Lit. “entrails.” my suffering!
How I writhe!
Oh, the walls of my heart!
My heart moans within me,
I cannot be silent;
For I hear^lI hear Lit. “you, O my being, hear.” Change of vocalization yields “I hear the blare of horns, / My inner being, alarms of war.” the blare of horns,
Alarms of war.

שֶׁ֤בֶר עַל־שֶׁ֙בֶר֙ נִקְרָ֔א כִּ֥י שֻׁדְּדָ֖ה כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ פִּתְאֹם֙ שֻׁדְּד֣וּ אֹֽהָלַ֔י רֶ֖גַע יְרִיעֹתָֽי׃ Disaster overtakes disaster,
For all the land has been ravaged.
Suddenly my tents have been ravaged,
In a moment, my tent cloths.

עַד־מָתַ֖י אֶרְאֶה־נֵּ֑ס אֶשְׁמְעָ֖ה ק֥וֹל שׁוֹפָֽר׃ {פ}
How long must I see standards
And hear the blare of horns?

כִּ֣י ׀ אֱוִ֣יל עַמִּ֗י אוֹתִי֙ לֹ֣א יָדָ֔עוּ בָּנִ֤ים סְכָלִים֙ הֵ֔מָּה וְלֹ֥א נְבוֹנִ֖ים הֵ֑מָּה חֲכָמִ֥ים הֵ֙מָּה֙ לְהָרַ֔ע וּלְהֵיטִ֖יב לֹ֥א יָדָֽעוּ׃ For My people are stupid,
They give Me no heed;
They are foolish children,
They are not intelligent.
They are clever at doing wrong,
But unable to do right.

רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־הָאָ֔רֶץ וְהִנֵּה־תֹ֖הוּ וָבֹ֑הוּ וְאֶל־הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ין אוֹרָֽם׃ I look at the earth,
It is unformed and void;
At the skies,
And their light is gone.

רָאִ֙יתִי֙ הֶהָרִ֔ים וְהִנֵּ֖ה רֹעֲשִׁ֑ים וְכׇל־הַגְּבָע֖וֹת הִתְקַלְקָֽלוּ׃ I look at the mountains,
They are quaking;
And all the hills are rocking.

רָאִ֕יתִי וְהִנֵּ֖ה אֵ֣ין הָאָדָ֑ם וְכׇל־ע֥וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם נָדָֽדוּ׃ I look: no human is left,
And all the birds of the sky have fled.

רָאִ֕יתִי וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַכַּרְמֶ֖ל הַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְכׇל־עָרָ֗יו נִתְּצוּ֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֔ה מִפְּנֵ֖י חֲר֥וֹן אַפּֽוֹ׃ {ס}         I look: the farmland is desert,
And all its towns are in ruin—
Because of GOD,
Because of God’s blazing anger.

כִּי־כֹה֙ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שְׁמָמָ֥ה תִֽהְיֶ֖ה כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְכָלָ֖ה לֹ֥א אֶעֱשֶֽׂה׃ (For thus said GOD:
The whole land shall be desolate,
But I will not make an end of it.)

עַל־זֹאת֙ תֶּאֱבַ֣ל הָאָ֔רֶץ וְקָדְר֥וּ הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם מִמָּ֑עַל עַ֤ל כִּֽי־דִבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ זַמֹּ֔תִי וְלֹ֥א נִחַ֖מְתִּי וְלֹא־אָשׁ֥וּב מִמֶּֽנָּה׃ For this the earth mourns,
And skies are dark above—
Because I have spoken, I have planned,
And I will not relent or turn back from it.

מִקּ֨וֹל פָּרָ֜שׁ וְרֹ֣מֵה קֶ֗שֶׁת בֹּרַ֙חַת֙ כׇּל־הָעִ֔יר בָּ֚אוּ בֶּעָבִ֔ים וּבַכֵּפִ֖ים עָל֑וּ כׇּל־הָעִ֣יר עֲזוּבָ֔ה וְאֵין־יוֹשֵׁ֥ב בָּהֵ֖ן אִֽישׁ׃ At the shout of horseman and bowman
The whole city flees.
They enter the thickets,
They clamber up the rocks.
The whole city is deserted,
Nobody remains there.

(ואתי) [וְאַ֨תְּ] שָׁד֜וּד מַֽה־תַּעֲשִׂ֗י כִּֽי־תִלְבְּשִׁ֨י שָׁנִ֜י כִּֽי־תַעְדִּ֣י עֲדִֽי־זָהָ֗ב כִּֽי־תִקְרְעִ֤י בַפּוּךְ֙ עֵינַ֔יִךְ לַשָּׁ֖וְא תִּתְיַפִּ֑י מָאֲסוּ־בָ֥ךְ עֹגְבִ֖ים נַפְשֵׁ֥ךְ יְבַקֵּֽשׁוּ׃ And you, who are doomed to ruin,
What do you accomplish by wearing crimson,
By decking yourself in jewels of gold,
By enlarging your eyes with kohl?
You beautify yourself in vain:
Lovers despise you,
They seek your life!

כִּי֩ ק֨וֹל כְּחוֹלָ֜ה שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי צָרָה֙ כְּמַבְכִּירָ֔ה ק֧וֹל בַּת־צִיּ֛וֹן תִּתְיַפֵּ֖חַ תְּפָרֵ֣שׂ כַּפֶּ֑יהָ אֽוֹי־נָ֣א לִ֔י כִּֽי־עָיְפָ֥ה נַפְשִׁ֖י לְהֹרְגִֽים׃ {פ}
I hear a voice as of one in travail,
Anguish as of a woman bearing her first child,
The voice of Fair Zion
Panting, stretching out her hands:
“Alas for me! I faint
Before the killers!”