1That which has been the word of YHWH to Jeremiah concerning the matters of the scarcities:

2“Judah has mourned, and her gates have languished, || They have mourned to the earth, || And the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.

3And their majestic ones have sent their little ones to the water, || They have come to ditches, || They have not found water, || They have turned back—their vessels empty! They have been ashamed, || And have blushed and covered their head.

4Because the ground has been broken, || For there has been no rain in the land, || Farmers have been ashamed, || They have covered their head.

5For even the doe in the field has brought forth—to forsake [it!] || For there has been no grass.

6And wild donkeys have stood on high places, || They have swallowed up wind like dragons, || Their eyes have been consumed, for there is no herb.”

7Surely our iniquities have testified against us, || O YHWH, work for Your Name’s sake, || For our backslidings have been many, || We have sinned against You.

8O Hope of Israel—its Savior in time of trouble, || Why are You as a sojourner in the land? And as a traveler turned aside to lodge?

9Why are You as one mute? As a mighty one not able to save? And You [are] in our midst, O YHWH, || And Your Name is called over us, || Do not leave us.

10Thus said YHWH concerning this people: “They have loved to wander well, || They have not restrained their feet, || And YHWH has not accepted them, || Now He remembers their iniquity, || And inspects their sin.”

11And YHWH says to me: “You do not pray for this people for good.

12When they fast, I do not listen to their cry, and when they cause burnt-offering and present to ascend, I do not accept them; for I am consuming them by sword, and by famine, and by pestilence.”

13And I say, “Aah! Lord YHWH, behold, the prophets are saying to them: You do not see a sword, indeed, famine is not [on] you, for I give true peace to you in this place.”

14And YHWH says to me: “The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My Name. I did not send them, nor command them, nor have I spoken to them. A false vision, and divination, and vanity—indeed, they are prophesying the deceit of their own heart to you.

15Therefore, thus said YHWH concerning the prophets who are prophesying in My Name and I have not sent them, and they are saying, Sword and famine is not in this land: By sword and by famine are these prophets consumed.

16And the people to whom they are prophesying are cast into out-places of Jerusalem, because of the famine and the sword, and they have none burying them—them, their wives, and their sons, and their daughters—and I have poured out their evil on them.

17And you have said this word to them: Tears come down my eyes night and day, || And they do not cease, || For [with] a great breach, || The virgin daughter of my people has been broken, || A very grievous stroke.

18If I have gone forth to the field, || Then, behold, the pierced of the sword! And if I have entered the city, || Then, behold, the diseased of famine! For both prophet and priest have gone up and down || To a land that they did not know.”

19Have You utterly rejected Judah? Has Your soul loathed Zion? Why have You struck us, || And there is no healing to us? Looking for peace, and there is no good, || And for a time of healing, and behold, terror.

20We have known, O YHWH, our wickedness, || The iniquity of our fathers, || For we have sinned against You.

21Do not despise, for Your Name’s sake, || Do not dishonor the throne of Your glory, || Remember, do not break Your covenant with us.

22Are there any among the vanities of the nations causing rain? And do the heavens give showers? Are You not He, O our God YHWH? And we wait for you, for You have done all these!