Dual Panel1I wish that my head <07218> were a well full of water <04325> and my eyes <05869> were a fountain <04726> full of tears <01832>! If they were, I could cry <01058> day <03119> and night <03915> for those of my dear <01323> people <05971> who have been killed <02491>.
2I wish I had <05414> a lodging place <04411> in the desert <04057> where <04310> I could spend some time like a weary traveler <0732>. Then I would desert <05800> my people <05971> and walk away <01980> from them because <03588> they are all <03605> unfaithful <05003> to God, a congregation <06116> of people that has been disloyal <0898> to him.
3The Lord <03068> says <05002>, “These people are like soldiers who have readied their bows <07198>. Their tongues <03956> are always ready <01869> to shoot <01869> out lies <08267>. They have become powerful <01396> in the land <0776>, but they have not <03808> done so by honest <0530> means. Indeed <03588>, they do one evil <07451> thing after another and do not <03808> pay attention <03045> to me.
4Everyone <0376> must be on <05921> his guard <08104> around his friends <07453>. He must not <0408> even trust <0982> any of his relatives <0251>. For <03588> every one <03605> of them <0251> will find some way <06117> to cheat <06117> him. And all <03605> of his friends <07453> will tell lies <07400> about him.
5One friend <0376> deceives <02048> another <07453> and no one <03808> tells <01696> the truth <0571>. These people have trained <03925> themselves to tell <01696> lies <08267>. They do wrong <05753> and are unable to repent <03811>.
6They do one act of violence <04820> after another, and one deceitful <04820> thing after another. They refuse <03985> to pay attention <03045> to me,” says <05002> the Lord <03068>.
7Therefore <03651> the Lord <03068> who rules over all <06635> says <0559>, “I will now purify them in the fires of affliction <06884> and test <0974> them. The wickedness of my dear <01323> people <05971> has left me no choice <06440>. What <0349> else can I do <06213>?
8Their tongues <03956> are like deadly <07819> arrows <02671>. They are always telling <01696> lies <04820>. Friendly <07965> words <06310> for <0854> their neighbors <07453> come from <01696> their mouths <01696>. But their minds <07130> are thinking up <07760> ways to trap <0696> them.
9I will certainly punish <06485> them for <05921> doing such things <0428>!” says <05002> the Lord <03068>. “I will certainly <0518> bring retribution <05358> on such <0834> a nation <01471> as this <02088>!”
10I said, “I will weep <01065> and mourn <05092> for the grasslands on <05921> the mountains <02022>, I will sing <05375> a mournful song <07015> for the pastures <04999> in the wilderness <04057> because <03588> they are so scorched <03341> no <01097> one <0376> travels through <05674> them. The sound <06963> of livestock <04735> is no longer heard <08085> there. Even the birds <05775> in the sky <08064> and the wild animals <0929> in the fields have fled <05074> and are gone <01980>.”
11The Lord said, “I will make <05414> Jerusalem <03389> a heap <01530> of ruins. Jackals <08577> will make their home <04583> there. I will destroy <08077> <05414> the towns <05892> of Judah <03063> so that no one <01097> will be able to live <03427> in them.”
12I said, “Who <04310> is wise <02450> enough to understand <0995> why this <02063> has happened? Who <0834> has a word <06310> from the Lord <03068> that can explain <01696> it? Why <04100> does the land <0776> lie in ruins <06>? Why <04100> is it as scorched <03341> as a desert <04057> through which no <01097> one travels <05674>?”
13The Lord <03069> answered <0559>, “This has happened because these people have rejected <05800> my laws <08451> which <0834> I gave <05414> them. They have not <03808> obeyed <08085> me or <03808> followed <01980> those laws.
14Instead they have followed <0310> the stubborn inclinations <08307> of their own hearts <03820>. They have paid allegiance <0310> to the gods called Baal <01168>, as their fathers <01> taught <03925> them to do.
15So <03651> then, listen to what I, the Lord <03068> God <0430> of Israel <03478> who rules over all <06635>, say <0559>. ‘I will make these <02088> people <05971> eat <0398> the bitter food of suffering <03939> and drink <08248> the poison <07219> water <04325> of judgment.
16I will scatter <06327> them among nations <01471> that <0834> neither <03808> they <01992> nor their ancestors <01> have known <03045> anything about. I will send <07971> people chasing after <0310> them with swords <02719> until <05704> I have destroyed <03615> them.’”
17The Lord <03068> who rules over all <06635> told me to say <0559> to this people, “Take note <0995> of what I say. Call <07121> for the women who mourn <06969> for the dead! Summon those who are the most skilled <02450> at it!”
18I said, “Indeed, let them come quickly <04116> and sing <05375> a song of mourning <05092> for <05921> us. Let them wail loudly until tears <01832> stream <03381> from our own eyes <05869> and our eyelids <06079> overflow <05140> with water <04325>.
19For <03588> the sound <06963> of wailing <05092> is soon to be heard <08085> in Zion <06726>. They will wail, ‘We are utterly ruined <07703>! We are completely <03966> disgraced <0954>! For <03588> our houses <04908> have been torn down <07993> and we must leave <05800> our land <0776>.’”
20I said, “So now <03588>, you wailing women <0802>, hear <08085> what <01697> the Lord <03068> says <01697>. Open <03947> your ears <0241> to the words <01697> from his mouth <06310>. Teach <03925> your daughters <01323> this mournful song <05092>, and each <0802> of you teach your neighbor <07468> this lament <07015>.
21‘Death <04194> has climbed <05927> in through our windows <02474>. It has entered <0935> into our fortified houses <0759>. It has taken away <03772> our children <05768> who play in the streets <02351>. It has taken away our young men <0970> who gather in the city squares <07339>.’
22Tell <01696> your daughters and neighbors, ‘The Lord <03068> says <05002>, “The dead bodies <05038> of people <0120> will lie scattered <05307> everywhere like manure <01828> scattered on <05921> a field <07704>. They will lie scattered on the ground like grain <05995> that has been cut down <07114> but has not <0369> been gathered <0622>.”’”
23The Lord <03068> says <0559>, “Wise people <02450> should not <0408> boast <01984> that they are wise <02451>. Powerful people <01368> should not <0408> boast <01984> that they are powerful <01369>. Rich people <06223> should not <0408> boast <01984> that they are rich <06239>.
24If <0518> <03588> people want to boast <01984>, they should boast <01984> about this <02063>: They should boast that they understand <07919> and know <03045> me. They should boast that they know and understand that <03588> I <0589>, the Lord <03068>, act <06213> out of faithfulness <02617>, fairness <04941>, and justice <06666> in the earth <0776> and that <03588> I desire <02654> people to do these things <0428>,” says <05002> the Lord <03068>.
25The Lord <03068> says <05002>, “Watch out <02009>! The time <03117> is soon coming <0935> when I will punish <06485> all <03605> those who are circumcised <04135> only in the flesh <06190>.
26That is, I will punish the Egyptians <04714>, the Judeans <03063>, the Edomites <0123>, the Ammonites <05983> <01121>, the Moabites <04124>, and all <03605> the desert <04057> people <03427> who cut <07112> their hair short at the temples <06285>. I will do so because <03588> none <06189> of the people <03605> of those nations <01471> are really circumcised <06189> in the Lord’s sight. Moreover, none <06189> of the people <03605> of Israel <03478> <01004> are circumcised <06189> when it comes to their hearts <03820>.”