Jeremia 4 | English Standard Version

1 “If you return, O Israel, declares the Lord, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver, 2 and if you swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.” 3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.”

Disaster from the North

5 Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say, “Blow the trumpet through the land; cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble, and let us go into the fortified cities!’ 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.”

Anguish over Judah’s Desolation

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. 26 I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger. 27 For 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.” 29 At 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. 30 And 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. 31 For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor, anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands, “Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.”

圣经当代译本修订版

1 耶和华说：“以色列啊，如果你回转归向我，回转归向我，从我眼前除掉可憎的神像，不再离开我； 2 如果你本着诚实、正直、公义，凭永活的耶和华起誓，你必成为万国的祝福，得到他们的尊敬*。” 3 耶和华对犹大人和耶路撒冷人说： “要开垦你们的荒地，不要在荆棘中撒种。 4 你们要自行割礼，除掉心中的污垢，归向耶和华。不然，我必因你们的恶行而发烈怒，如火燃烧，无人能够扑灭。 5 “你们要在犹大和耶路撒冷宣告， ‘要在全国吹起号角’，高声呼喊， ‘要集合起来，我们要逃进坚城。’ 6 你们要向锡安举起旗帜，赶快逃亡，不要迟延，因为我要从北方降下灾祸，大肆毁灭。” 7 毁灭列国者已发起攻击，如狮子冲出巢穴，要使你们的土地荒凉，城邑沦为废墟，无人居住。 8 为此，你们要腰束麻布，嚎啕大哭，因为耶和华向我们发的烈怒还没有止息。 9 耶和华说：“到那天，君王和官长必丧胆，祭司和先知必惊骇。” 10 我说：“唉！主耶和华啊，你完全欺骗了这群百姓和耶路撒冷人，因为你说，‘你们会安享太平。’其实剑锋已指着他们的咽喉了。” 11 那时，耶和华必对这群百姓和耶路撒冷人说：“一阵热风从荒野光秃的山头吹向我的子民，不是为扬场、吹净糠秕。 12 那是我发出的一阵强风。现在我要宣告我对他们的审判。” 13 看啊，仇敌必如云涌来，他的战车快如旋风，他的战马比飞鹰还快。我们有祸了！我们灭亡了！ 14 耶路撒冷啊，要洗去你内心的邪恶，这样你才能得救。你心怀恶念要到何时呢？ 15 从但传来消息，从以法莲山区报出恶讯。 16 耶和华说：“你们去通知列国，向耶路撒冷宣告， ‘围攻的人从远方来，向犹大的城邑高声喊杀， 17 像看守田园一样包围耶路撒冷，因为耶路撒冷背叛了我。’ 这是耶和华说的。 18 你的所作所为给你招致这灾祸，是你自食恶果，你会痛彻心肺！” 19 我的心啊，我的心啊！我伤心欲绝，烦躁不安。我无法保持缄默，因为我听见了号角声和呐喊声。 20 恶讯频传，山河破碎，我的帐篷忽然倒塌，幔子顷刻破裂。 21 我还要看这旌旗、听这号声到何时呢？ 22 耶和华说：“我的子民愚顽，不认识我，是蒙昧无知的儿女，只知行恶，不知行善。” 23 我俯瞰大地，一片空虚混沌；我仰望天空，毫无亮光。 24 我眺望群山，大山在颤抖，小山在摇晃。 25 我四下观看，只见杳无人烟，飞鸟绝迹。 26 我四下观看，只见良田变荒野，城邑都在耶和华的烈怒下沦为废墟。 27 耶和华说：“遍地将要荒凉，然而不会被我彻底毁灭。 28 因此，地要悲哀，天要昏暗，因为我言出必行，决不反悔。” 29 各城的人听到骑兵和弓箭手的呐喊，都纷纷逃命。有的跑入丛林，有的爬进岩洞。各城荒弃，无人居住。 30 你这荒凉的城啊！你在做什么？纵然你穿上红袍，戴上金饰，描眉画眼，又有什么用呢？你的情人藐视你，要杀害你。 31 我听见好像妇人分娩时的喊叫声，好像妇人生头胎时的痛苦呻吟。那是锡安城*的喊叫声，她在喘息，伸出双手说： “噢！我有祸了，我要死在杀戮者手上了。”

Jeremia 4 | English Standard Version 圣经当代译本修订版

Disaster from the North

Anguish over Judah’s Desolation