Jeremiah 4:6-25

Other Translations of Jeremiah 4:6-25

New International Version

⁶ 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 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 So put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the Lordhas not turned away from us. ⁹ "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 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 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 that comes from me. Now I pronounce my judgments against them." ¹³ 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 Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts? ¹⁵ A 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. ¹⁷ They 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!"

¹⁹ 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 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 battle standard and hear the sound of the trumpet? 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." ²³ 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 were swaying. ²⁵ I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away.

English Standard Version

⁶ Raise a standard toward Zion, flee for safety, stay not, for I bring disaster from the north, and great destruction. ⁷ 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. ⁸ For this put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the Lord has not turned back from us." ⁹ "In that day, declares the Lord, courage shall fail both king and officials. The priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded." ¹⁰ 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." ¹¹ 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, ¹² a wind too full for this comes for me. Now it is I who speak in judgment upon them." ¹³ Behold, he comes up like clouds; his chariots like the whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles-- woe to us, for we are ruined! ¹⁴ O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you? ¹⁵ For a voice declares from Dan and proclaims trouble from Mount Ephraim. ¹⁶ Warn the nations that he is coming; announce to Jerusalem, "Besiegers come from a distant land; they shout against the cities of Judah. ¹⁷ Like keepers of a field are they against her all around, because she has rebelled against me, declares the Lord. ¹⁸ Your 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. ²¹ How 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." ²³ I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. ²⁴ I 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.

The Message

⁶ Send up a flare warning Zion: 'Not a minute to lose! Don't sit on your hands!' Disaster's descending from the north. I set it off! When it lands, it will shake the foundations. ⁷ Invaders have pounced like a lion from its cover, ready to rip nations to shreds, Leaving your land in wrack and ruin, your cities in rubble, abandoned. ⁸ Dress in funereal black. Weep and wail, For God's sledgehammer anger has slammed into us head-on. ⁹ "When this happens" - God's Decree - "King and princes will lose heart; priests will be baffled and prophets stand dumbfounded." ¹⁰ Then I said, "Alas, Master God! You've fed lies to this people, this Jerusalem. You assured them, 'All is well, don't worry,' at the very moment when the sword was at their throats." ¹¹ At that time, this people, yes, this very Jerusalem, will be told in plain words: "The northern hordes are sweeping in from the desert steppes - ¹² a gale-force wind. I ordered this wind. I'm pronouncing my hurricane judgment on my people." Your Evil Life Is Piercing Your Heart ¹³ Look at them! Like banks of storm clouds, racing, tumbling, their chariots a tornado, Their horses faster than eagles! Woe to us! We're done for! ¹⁴ Jerusalem! Scrub the evil from your lives so you'll be fit for salvation. How much longer will you harbor devious and malignant designs within you? ¹⁵ What's this? A messenger from Dan? Bad news from Ephraim's hills! ¹⁶ Make the report public. Broadcast the news to Jerusalem: "Invaders from far off are raising war cries against Judah's towns. ¹⁷ They're all over her, like a dog on a bone. And why? Because she rebelled against me." God's Decree. ¹⁸ "It's the way you've lived that's brought all this on you. The bitter taste is from your evil life. That's what's piercing your heart."

¹⁹ I'm doubled up with cramps in my belly - a poker burns in my gut. My insides are tearing me up, never a moment's peace. The ram's horn trumpet blast rings in my ears, the signal for all-out war. ²⁰ Disaster hard on the heels of disaster, the whole country in ruins! In one stroke my home is destroyed, the walls flattened in the blink of an eye. ²¹ How long do I have to look at the warning flares, listen to the siren of danger? Experts at Evil ²² "What fools my people are! They have no idea who I am. A company of half-wits, dopes and donkeys all! Experts at evil but klutzes at good." ²³ I looked at the earth - it was back to pre-Genesis chaos and emptiness. I looked at the skies, and not a star to be seen. ²⁴ I looked at the mountains - they were trembling like aspen leaves, And all the hills rocking back and forth in the wind. ²⁵ I looked - what's this! Not a man or woman in sight, and not a bird to be seen in the skies.

New King James Version

⁶ Set up the standard toward Zion. Take refuge! Do not delay! For I will bring disaster from the north, And great destruction." ⁷ The lion has come up from his thicket, And the destroyer of nations is on his way. He has gone forth from his place To make your land desolate. Your cities will be laid waste, Without inhabitant. ⁸ For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, Lament and wail. For the fierce anger of the Lord Has not turned back from us. ⁹ "And it shall come to pass in that day," says the Lord, "That the heart of the king shall perish, And the heart of the princes; The priests shall be astonished, And the prophets shall wonder." ¹⁰ Then I said, "Ah, Lord God! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, Saying, 'You shall have peace,' Whereas the sword reaches to the heart." ¹¹ At that time it will be said To this people and to Jerusalem, "A dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness Toward the daughter of My people-- Not to fan or to cleanse-- ¹² A 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!" ¹⁴ O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, That you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you? ¹⁵ For 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."

¹⁹ O 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. ²¹ How 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. ²⁵ I beheld, and indeed there was no man, And all the birds of the heavens had fled.

New Living Translation

⁶ Raise a signal flag as a warning for Jerusalem : 'Flee now! Do not delay!' For I am bringing terrible destruction upon you from the north." ⁷ A lion stalks from its den, a destroyer of nations. It has left its lair and is headed your way. It's going to devastate your land! Your towns will lie in ruins, with no one living in them anymore. ⁸ So put on clothes of mourning and weep with broken hearts, for the fierce anger of the Lord is still upon us. ⁹ "In that day," says the Lord, "the king and the officials will tremble in fear. The priests will be struck with horror, and the prophets will be appalled." ¹⁰ Then I said, "O Sovereign Lord, the people have been deceived by what you said, for you promised peace for Jerusalem. But the sword is held at their throats!" ¹¹ The time is coming when the Lord will say to the people of Jerusalem, "My dear people, a burning wind is blowing in from the desert, and it's not a gentle breeze useful for winnowing grain. ¹² It is a roaring blast sent by me! Now I will pronounce your destruction!" ¹³ Our 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! ¹⁴ O Jerusalem, cleanse your heart that you may be saved. How long will you harbor your evil thoughts? ¹⁵ Your 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. ¹⁷ They 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!"

¹⁹ My 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. ²⁰ Waves of destruction roll over the land, until it lies in complete desolation. Suddenly my tents are destroyed; in a moment my shelters are crushed. ²¹ How long must I see the battle flags and hear the trumpets of war? ²² "My people are foolish and do not know me," says the Lord . "They are stupid children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no idea how to do right!" ²³ I looked at the earth, and it was empty and formless. I looked at the heavens, and there was no light. ²⁴ I looked at the mountains and hills, and they trembled and shook. ²⁵ I looked, and all the people were gone. All the birds of the sky had flown away.