Yirmeyahu 14 ירמיהו י״ד

The word of the Lord that came to Yirmeyahu concerning the droughts.

Yehuda mourns, and its gates languish in gloom to the ground; and the cry of Yerushalayim is gone up.

And their nobles have sent their little ones for water: they come to the pits, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are ashamed and confounded, and cover their heads.

Because of the ground which is cracked, for there has been no rain on the earth, the ploughmen are ashamed, they cover their heads.

For the hind also calves in the field, and forsakes its young, because there is no grass.

And the wild asses stand in the high places, they snuff up the wind like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage.

O Lord, though our iniquities testify against us, do Thou it for Thy name’s sake: for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against Thee.

O the hope of Yisra᾽el, its saviour in time of trouble, why shouldst Thou be as a stranger in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turns aside to tarry for a night?

Why shouldst Thou be as a man surprised, as a mighty man that cannot save? yet Thou, O Lord, art in the midst of us, and we are called by Thy name; leave us not.

Thus says the Lord to this people, Thus have they loved to wander, they have not restrained their feet, therefore the Lord does not accept them; he will now remember their iniquity, and punish their sins.

Then said the Lord to me, Pray not for this people for their good.

When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and a meal offering, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, the prophets say to them, You shall not see the sword, neither shall you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.

Then the Lord said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spoke I to them: they prophesy to you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their own heart.

Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.

And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Yerushalayim because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, neither them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.

Therefore thou shalt say this word to them; Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great wound, with a very grievous blow.

If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold those that are sick with famine! for both prophet and priest go about into a land that they know not.

Hast Thou utterly rejected Yehuda? has Thy soul despised Żiyyon? why hast Thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? we looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold terror!

We acknowledge, O Lord, our wickedness, the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against Thee.

Do not abhor us, for Thy name’s sake, do not dishonour the throne of Thy glory: remember, break not Thy covenant with us.

Are there any among the worthless gods of the nations that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not Thou he, O Lord our God? therefore we set our hope on Thee: for Thou hast made all these things.