Parallel Bible results for "jeremiah 4"

Jeremiah 4

Common English Bible CEB

1 If you return, Israel, return to me, declares the LORD. If you get rid of your disgusting idols from my presence and wander no more,

2 and if you swear by the living God in truth, justice, and righteousness, then the nations will enjoy God's blessings; they will boast about him.

3 This is what the LORD says to the people of Judah and to the residents of Jerusalem: Break up your hard rocky soil; don't plant among the thorns.

4 Dedicate yourselves to the LORD; don't be thick-skinned, people of Judah and residents of Jerusalem, or else my anger will spread like a wildfire. It will burn, with no one to put it out, because of your evil deeds.

5 Announce in Judah, in Jerusalem proclaim, sound the alarm throughout the land, cry out and say, "Gather together! Let's flee to the fortified towns!"

6 Set up a flag to Zion; take cover, don't just stand there! I'm bringing disaster from the north, massive devastation.

7 A lion bursts out of the thicket; a destroyer of nations advances. He's gone forth from his place to ravage your land, to wipe out your towns, until no one is left.

8 So put on funeral clothing. Weep and wail, for the LORD's fierce anger hasn't turned away from us.

9 On that day, declares the LORD, the courage of the king and his princes will fail, the priests will be stunned, and the prophets will be shocked.

10 Then I said, "LORD God, no! You have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem by promising them peace even though the sword is at their throats."

11 At that time, this people and Jerusalem will be told: A blistering wind from the bare heights; it rages in the desert toward my people, not merely to winnow or cleanse.

12 This wind is too devastating for that. Now I, even I, will pronounce my sentence against them.

13 Look! He approaches like the clouds; his chariots advance like a tempest, his horses swifter than eagles. How horrible! We're doomed!

14 Cleanse your heart of evil, Jerusalem, that you may be saved. How long will you entertain your destructive ideas?

15 A voice declares from Dan; someone proclaims disaster from the highlands of Ephraim.

16 Warn the nations, proclaim it to Jerusalem! Armies are approaching from a far-away country, raising their war cries against the towns of Judah.

17 They hem her in like those guarding a field, because she has rebelled against me, declares the LORD.

18 Your own conduct, your own deeds have done this to you. This is your payment and how bitter it is, piercing into the depths of your heart.

19 Oh, my suffering, my suffering! My pain is unbearable; my heart is in turmoil; it throbs nonstop. I can't be silent, because I hear the blast of the trumpet and the roar of the battle cry!

20 Disaster follows disaster; the whole land is ruined. Suddenly, my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment.

21 How long must I see the battle flags and hear the blast of the trumpet?

22 My people are foolish. They don't even know me! They are thoughtless children without understanding; they are skilled at doing wrong, inept at doing right.

23 I looked at the earth, and it was without shape or form; at the heavens and there was no light.

24 I looked at the mountains and they were quaking; all the hills were rocking back and forth.

25 I looked and there was no one left; every bird in the sky had taken flight.

26 I looked and the fertile land was a desert; all its towns were in ruins before the LORD, before his fury.

27 The LORD proclaims: The whole earth will become a desolation, but I will not destroy it completely.

28 Therefore, the earth will grieve and the heavens grow dark because I have declared my plan and will neither change my mind nor cancel the plan.

29 As the horsemen and archers approach, the people take flight. They hide in the bushes and escape to the cliffs. Every city is deserted; no one remains.

30 And you, devastated one, why dress up in scarlet, deck yourself in gold jewelry, and color your eyes with paint? In vain you get all decked out; your lovers have rejected you and now seek your life.

31 I hear the cry of a woman in labor, the distress of one delivering her first child. It is the cry of Daughter Zion, gasping for breath, her arms stretched out, and moaning, "I'm about to fall into the hands of murderers!"

New Revised Standard NRS

1 If you return, O Israel, says the Lord, if you return to me, if you remove your abominations from my presence, and do not waver,

2 and if you swear, "As the Lord lives!" in truth, in justice, and in uprightness, then nations shall be blessed by him, and by him they shall boast.

3 For thus says the Lord to the people of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns.

4 Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, remove the foreskin of your hearts, O people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or else my wrath will go forth like fire, and burn with no one to quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

5 Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: Blow the trumpet through the land; shout aloud and say, "Gather together, and let us go into the fortified cities!"

6 Raise a standard toward Zion, flee for safety, do not delay, for I am bringing evil from the north, and a great destruction.

7 A lion has gone up from its 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 Because of this put on sackcloth, lament and wail: "The fierce anger of the Lord has not turned away from us."

9 On that day, says the Lord, courage shall fail the king and the officials; the priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded.

10 Then I said, "Ah, Lord God, how utterly you have deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, "It shall be well with you,' even while the sword is at the throat!"

11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem: A hot wind comes from me out of the bare heights in the desert toward my poor people, not to winnow or cleanse—

12 a wind too strong for that. Now it is I who speak in judgment against them.

13 Look! 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 clean of wickedness so that you may be saved. How long shall your evil schemes lodge within you?

15 For a voice declares from Dan and proclaims disaster from Mount Ephraim.

16 Tell the nations, "Here they are!" Proclaim against Jerusalem, "Besiegers come from a distant land; they shout against the cities of Judah.

17 They have closed in around her like watchers of a field, because she has rebelled against me, says the Lord.

18 Your ways and your doings have brought this upon you. This is your doom; how bitter it is! It has reached your very heart."

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 Disaster overtakes disaster, the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, 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 do not know me; they are stupid children, they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but do not know how to do good."

23 I looked on the earth, and lo, it was waste and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light.

24 I looked on the mountains, and lo, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro.

25 I looked, and lo, there was no one at all, and all the birds of the air had fled.

26 I looked, and lo, 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 Because of this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above grow black; 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 town takes to flight; they enter thickets; they climb among rocks; all the towns are forsaken, and no one lives in them.

30 And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in crimson, that you deck 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 bringing forth her first child, the cry of daughter Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands, "Woe is me! I am fainting before killers!"