Jeremiah 4:12-30
New American Standard Bible
13'Behold, he goes up like clouds, And his chariots like the whirlwind; His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!'
14Wash your heart from evil, Jerusalem, So that you may be saved. How long will your wicked thoughts Lodge within you?
15For a voice declares from Dan, And proclaims wickedness from Mount Ephraim.
16'Report it to the nations, now! Proclaim to Jerusalem, ‘ Enemies are coming from a remote country, And they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.
17Like watchmen of a field they are against her all around, Because she has rebelled against Me,’ declares the Lord.
18Your ways and your deeds Have brought these things upon you. This is your evil. How bitter! How it has touched your heart!'
19My soul, my soul! I am in anguish! Oh, my heart! My heart is pounding in me; I cannot keep silent, Because, my soul, you have heard The sound of the trumpet, The alarm of war.
20Disaster upon disaster is proclaimed, For the whole land is devastated; Suddenly my tents are devastated, And my curtains in an instant.
21How long must I see the flag And hear the sound of the trumpet?
22'For My people are foolish, They do not know Me; They are foolish children And have no understanding. They are skillful at doing evil, But they do not know how to do good.'
23I looked at the earth, and behold, it was a formless and desolate emptiness; And to the heavens, and they had no light.
24I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, And all the hills jolted back and forth.
25I looked, and behold, there was no human, And all the birds of the sky had fled.
26I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a wilderness, And all its cities were pulled down Before the Lord, before His fierce anger.
27For this is what the Lord says: 'The whole land shall be a desolation, Yet I will not execute a complete destruction.
28For this the earth will mourn, And the heavens above will become dark, Because I have spoken, I have purposed, And I have not changed My mind, nor will I turn from it.'
29At the sound of the horseman and archer every city flees; They go into the thickets and climb among the rocks; Every city is abandoned, And no one lives in them.
30And you, desolate one, what will you do? Although you dress in scarlet, Although you adorn yourself with jewelry of gold, Although you enlarge your eyes with makeup, In vain you make yourself beautiful. Your lovers despise you; They seek your life.
King James Version
Chapter 4
12Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them.Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 4
12a wind too strong for this comes at my call. Now I will also pronounce judgments against them.’"
13Look, he advances like clouds; his chariots are like a storm. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!
14Wash the evil from your heart, Jerusalem, so that you will be delivered. How long will you harbor malicious thoughts?
15For a voice announces from Dan, proclaiming malice from Mount Ephraim.
16Warn the nations: Look! Proclaim to Jerusalem: Those who besiege are coming from a distant land; they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.
17They have her surrounded like those who guard a field, because she has rebelled against me. This is the Lord’s declaration.
18Your way and your actions have brought this on you. This is your punishment. It is very bitter, because it has reached your heart!
19My 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.
20Disaster after disaster is reported because the whole land is destroyed. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, my tent curtains, in a moment.
21How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the ram’s horn?
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."
23I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty. I looked to the heavens, and their light was gone.
24I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills shook.
25I looked, and there was no human being, and all the birds of the sky had fled.
26I looked, and the fertile field was a wilderness. All its cities were torn down because of the Lord and his burning anger.
27For this is what the Lord says: The whole land will be a desolation, but I will not finish it off.
28Because 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.
29Every 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.
30And 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.
New Living Translation
13Our enemy rushes down on us like storm clouds! His chariots are like whirlwinds. His horses are swifter than eagles. How terrible it will be, for we are doomed!
14O Jerusalem, cleanse your heart that you may be saved. How long will you harbor your evil thoughts?
15Your destruction has been announced from Dan and the hill country of Ephraim.
16'Warn the surrounding nations and announce this to Jerusalem: The enemy is coming from a distant land, raising a battle cry against the towns of Judah.
17They surround Jerusalem like watchmen around a field, for my people have rebelled against me,' says the Lord.
18'Your own actions have brought this upon you. This punishment is bitter, piercing you to the heart!'
19My heart, my heart — I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their battle cries.
20Waves of destruction roll over the land, until it lies in complete desolation. Suddenly my tents are destroyed; in a moment my shelters are crushed.
21How long must I see the battle flags and hear the trumpets of war?
23I looked at the earth, and it was empty and formless. I looked at the heavens, and there was no light.
24I looked at the mountains and hills, and they trembled and shook.
25I looked, and all the people were gone. All the birds of the sky had flown away.
26I looked, and the fertile fields had become a wilderness. The towns lay in ruins, crushed by the Lord’s fierce anger.
27This is what the Lord says: 'The whole land will be ruined, but I will not destroy it completely.
28The earth will mourn and the heavens will be draped in black because of my decree against my people. I have made up my mind and will not change it.'
29At the noise of charioteers and archers, the people flee in terror. They hide in the bushes and run for the mountains. All the towns have been abandoned — not a person remains!
30What are you doing, you who have been plundered? Why do you dress up in beautiful clothing and put on gold jewelry? Why do you brighten your eyes with mascara? Your primping will do you no good! The allies who were your lovers despise you and seek to kill you.
English Standard Version
13Behold, he comes up like clouds; his chariots like the whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles — woe to us, for we are ruined!
14O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you?
15For a voice declares from Dan and proclaims trouble from Mount Ephraim.
16Warn the nations that he is coming; announce to Jerusalem, "Besiegers come from a distant land; they shout against the cities of Judah.
17Like keepers of a field are they against her all around, because she has rebelled against me, declares the Lord.
18Your ways and your deeds have brought this upon you. This is your doom, and it is bitter; it has reached your very heart."
19 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.
20 Crash follows hard on crash; the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are laid waste, my curtains in a moment.
21How long must I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22"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."
23I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light.
24I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro.
25 I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled.
26I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger.
27For thus says the Lord, "The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.
28 "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."
29At 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.
30And 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.
New International Version
13Look! He advances like the clouds, his chariots come like a whirlwind, his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! We are ruined!
14Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?
15A voice is announcing from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.
16"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.
17They surround her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against me,’ " declares the Lord.
18"Your own conduct and actions have brought this on you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!"
19Oh, 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.
20Disaster follows disaster; the whole land lies in ruins. In an instant my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment.
22"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."
23I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone.
24I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.
25I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away.
26I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger.
New King James Version
Chapter 4
12A wind too strong for these will come for Me; Now I will also speak judgment against them.” 13“Behold, he shall come up like clouds, And his chariots like a whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are plundered!” 14O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, That you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you? 15For a voice declares from Dan And proclaims affliction from Mount Ephraim: 16“Make mention to the nations, Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem, That watchers come from a far country And raise their voice against the cities of Judah. 17 Like keepers of a field they are against her all around, Because she has been rebellious against Me,” says the Lord. 18“Your ways and your doings Have procured these things for you. This is your wickedness, Because it is bitter, Because it reaches to your heart.” 19O my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart! My heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, Because you have heard, O my soul, The sound of the trumpet, The alarm of war. 20 Destruction upon destruction is cried, For the whole land is plundered. Suddenly my tents are plundered, And my curtains in a moment. 21How long will I see the standard, And hear the sound of the trumpet? 22“For My people are foolish, They have not known Me. They are silly children, And they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge.” 23 I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; And the heavens, they had no light. 24 I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled, And all the hills moved back and forth. 25I beheld, and indeed there was no man, And all the birds of the heavens had fled. 26I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness, And all its cities were broken down At the presence of the Lord, By His fierce anger.
27For thus says the Lord: “The whole land shall be desolate; Yet I will not make a full end.
28For this shall the earth mourn, And the heavens above be black, Because I have spoken. I have purposed and will not relent, Nor will I turn back from it.
29The whole city shall flee from the noise of the horsemen and bowmen. They shall go into thickets and climb up on the rocks. Every city shall be forsaken, And not a man shall dwell in it.
30“And when you are plundered, What will you do? Though you clothe yourself with crimson, Though you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, Though you enlarge your eyes with paint, In vain you will make yourself fair; Your lovers will despise you; They will seek your life.
