The Land Dries Up
1 When there had been no rain for a long time, the Lord told me to say to the people:
2 Judah and Jerusalem weep
as the land dries up.
3 Rulers send their servants
to the storage pits for water.
But there's none to be found;
they return in despair
with their jars still empty.
4 There has been no rain,
and farmers feel sick
as they watch cracks appear
in the dry ground.
5 A deer gives birth in a field,
then abandons her newborn fawn
and leaves in search of grass.
6 Wild donkeys go blind
from starvation.
So they stand on barren hilltops
and sniff the air,
hoping to smell green grass.
The Lord's People Pray
7 We rejected you and did evil,
so we deserve to be punished.
But if you rescue us, Lord,
everyone will see
how great you are.
8 You're our only hope;
you alone can save us now.
You help us one day,
but you're gone the next.
9 Did this disaster
take you by surprise?
Are you a warrior
with your hands tied?
You have chosen us,
and your temple is here.
Don't abandon us!
The Lord's Answer
10 My people,
you love to wander away;
you don't even try
to stay close to me.
So now I will reject you
and punish you for your sins.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
Lying Prophets
11 The Lord said, “Jeremiah, don't ask me to help these people. 12 They may even go without eating and offer sacrifices to please me and to give thanks. But when they cry out for my help, I won't listen, and I won't accept their sacrifices. Instead, I'll send war, starvation, and disease to wipe them out.”
13 I replied, “The other prophets keep telling everyone that you won't send starvation or war, and that you're going to give us peace.”
14 The Lord answered:
They claim to speak for me, but they're lying! I didn't even speak to them, much less choose them to be my prophets. Their messages come from worthless dreams, useless fortunetelling, and their own imaginations.
15 Those lying prophets say there will be peace and plenty of food. But I say that those same prophets will die from war and hunger. 16 And everyone who listens to them will be killed, just as they deserve. Their dead bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, because their families will also be dead, and no one will be left to bury them.
17 Jeremiah, go and tell the people how you feel about all this.
So I told them:
“Tears will flood my eyes
both day and night,
because my nation suffers
from a deadly wound.
18 In the fields I see the bodies
of those killed in battle.
And in the towns I see crowds
dying of hunger.
But the prophets and priests
go about their business,
without understanding
what has happened.”
Jeremiah Prays to the Lord
19 Have you rejected Judah, Lord?
Do you hate Jerusalem?
Why did you strike down Judah
with a fatal wound?
We had hoped for peace
and a time of healing,
but all we got was terror.
20 We and our ancestors are guilty
of rebelling against you.
21 If you save us, it will show
how great you are.
Don't let our enemies
disgrace your temple,
your beautiful throne.
Don't forget that you promised
to rescue us.
22 Idols can't send rain,
and showers don't fall
by themselves.
Only you control the rain,
so we put our trust in you,
the Lord our God.
Lielais sausums
1 Šie ir vārdi, ko Kungs Jeremijam teica par sausumu:
2 “Jūda sēro,
vārti izkaltuši melnē uz zemes,
un Jeruzālemē paceļas klaigas.
3 Tās dižciltīgie sūta kalpus,
tie iet pie akām,
tie ūdeni neatrod,
tie atgriežas tukšiem traukiem –
apkaunoti un apsmieti
tie apklāj sev galvas.
4 Sajukums pa visu zemi,
jo zemē nav lietus,
zemnieki apkaunoti
apklāj sev galvas.
5 Pat briežumāte
uz lauka dzemdē un pamet,
jo zāles nav.
6 Mežēzeļi stāv uz kailajiem pakalniem
un kā šakāļi ošņā gaisu –
acis tiem nīkst,
jo nav ne zaļuma.”
7 Kaut mūsu vainas mūs apsūdz,
Kungs, dari jel ko sava vārda dēļ,
jo liela ir mūsu atkrišana,
pret tevi mēs grēkojuši!
8 Israēla cerība un glābēj!
Kādēļ tev nelaimes brīdī būt
kā svešiniekam šajā zemē
un kā ceļiniekam, kas iegriežas pārnakšņot?
9 Kādēļ tev būt kā paklupušam vīram,
kā spēkavīram, kas palīdzēt nevar?
Kungs, tu esi pie mums,
mēs tavā vārdā saukti!
Nepamet mūs!
10 Tā saka Kungs par šo tautu: “Tie klaiņoja un nepratās pievaldīt savas kājas, un Kungs tos vairs negrib, tagad viņš atcerēsies to vainas un piemeklēs viņu grēkus!”
11 Un Kungs man teica: “Nelūdz šai tautai labumu! 12 Kaut tie gavētu, es viņu klaigas nedzirdēšu, kaut tie sadedzināmos upurus upurētu un labības dāvanas nestu, es tos negribu, un es tos iznīdēšu ar zobenu, badu un mēri!”
Viltus pravieši
13 Un es teicu: “Ak, Kungs Dievs! Redzi, pravieši tiem saka: zobenu jūs neredzēsiet, un bada jums nebūs, un patiesu mieru es jums došu šai vietā.”
14 Kungs man teica: “Pravieši manā vārdā pravieto melus, es tos nesūtīju, un es tiem runāt nepavēlēju. Tie pravieto jums viltus redzējumus, pareģojumus, niekus un savas sirds viltu!”
15 Tādēļ tā saka Kungs par praviešiem, kuri pravieto viņa vārdā: “Es tos nesūtīju, un pravieši, kuri saka: šajā zemē nebūs bada un zobena, – paši ņems galu no bada un no zobena! 16 Un tā tauta, kurai tie pravieto, tiks iztriekta Jeruzālemes ielās zobena priekšā, un nebūs, kas tos aprok – viņus, viņu sievas, viņu dēlus un meitas! Es izliešu pār tiem viņu ļaunumu!
17 Saki tiem šos vārdus:
manas acis asarām pierit
nakti un dienu un nerimst,
jo posts ir liels,
satriekta jaunava, mana tautmeita,
ar nedziedējamu brūci!
18 Kad es izgāju uz lauka,
redzi, zobena caururbtie,
kad es iegāju pilsētā,
redzi, badacietēji,
pravieši un priesteri
spiesti vilkties uz zemi,
ko nepazīst.”
Tautas lūgšana pēc žēlastības
19 Vai tu mestin pameti Jūdu,
vai Ciāna tavai dvēselei noriebusies?
Kādēļ tu satrieci mūs
un mums nav dziedēšanas?
Mēs ilgojāmies pēc miera,
bet laba nav,
un pēc dziedēšanas laika,
bet, redzi, šaušalas!
20 Mēs zinām, Kungs,
savu ļaunumu un mūsu tēvu vainas,
jo pret tevi mēs grēkojuši!
21 Neatmet mūs sava vārda dēļ,
neapzaimo savu goda krēslu,
atceries, nelauz ar mums derību!
22 Vai starp tautu elkiem
ir tādi, kas dod lietu,
un vai debesis dos lietavas?
Vai ne tu esi mūsu Kungs Dievs?
Mēs ceram uz tevi,
jo tu esi, kas visu to dod!
