1The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying:—

2Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Write thee all the words which I have spoken to thee in a book.

3For behold the days come, saith Jehovah, when I will bring back the captives of my people Israel and Judah, saith Jehovah, and cause them to return to the land which I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.

4And these are the words which Jehovah spake concerning Israel and concerning Judah.

5Behold, thus saith Jehovah: The voice of trembling do we hear; There is alarm, and no peace.

6Ask ye now and see, Whether a male doth bring forth? Why then do I see every man's hands upon his loins, like a woman in travail? And why are all faces turned into paleness?

7Alas! that day is great, So that there is none like it; It is a time of trouble for Jacob, Yet shall he be saved from it.

8For in that day, saith Jehovah of hosts, I will break his yoke from his neck, And his bands will I burst asunder, And he shall be subject to strangers no more.

9But they shall serve Jehovah, their God, And David, their king, whom I will raise up for them.

10Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob, saith Jehovah, And be not thou dismayed, O Israel! For, behold, I will bring thee safe from afar, And thy posterity from the land of their captivity; And Jacob shall return, and be at rest; Yea, he shall be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.

11For I will be with thee, saith Jehovah, to save thee; When I shall make a full end of all the nations Whither I have dispersed thee, Yet will I not make a full end of thee; I will correct thee in measure, Yet must I not leave thee wholly unpunished.

12For thus saith Jehovah: Thy bruise is incurable; Thy wound is mortal.

13No one offereth his help for thy cure; No healing medicines are applied to thee.

14All thy lovers have forgotten thee; They inquire not after thee. For with the wound of an enemy have I smitten thee, With the chastisement of a cruel one, For the multitude of thine iniquities, Because thy sins were increased.

15Why criest thou because of thy bruise? Thy pain is without remedy. For the multitude of thine iniquities, Because thy sins were increased, Have I done these things to thee.

16Yet all they that devour thee shall be devoured, And all thine enemies, yea, all of them, shall go into captivity, And they that spoil thee shall become a spoil, And all that plunder thee will I give up to plunder.

17For I will restore soundness to thee, And I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith Jehovah; For they have called thee the outcast, Zion, whom no man careth for.

18Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will bring back the captives of the tents of Jacob, And I will have pity upon his dwelling-places, And the city shall be builded upon her heap, And the palace shall be inhabited as of old.

19And out of them shall go forth thanksgiving, And the voice of them that make merry. And I will multiply them, and they shall not be few, And I will exalt them, and they shall not be low.

20And their children shall be as aforetime, And their congregation shall be established before me, And I will punish all that oppress them.

21And their princes shall be of themselves, And their governor shall proceed from the midst of them. And I will cause them to approach, and they shall come near to me; For who is he that would dare to come near to me? saith Jehovah.

22And ye shall be my people, And I will be your God.

23Behold, a whirlwind from Jehovah, Furious doth it go forth, Even a sweeping whirlwind; Upon the head of the wicked shall it rush.

24The fierce anger of Jehovah shall not turn back Until he shall have executed, until he shall have accomplished, the purpose of his heart; In a future day ye shall understand it fully.