Read the Bible

¹ The word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought.² Judah mourns, and the gates thereof languish, they sit in black on the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem has gone up.³ And their nobles send their little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are put to shame and confounded, and cover their head.⁴ Because of the ground which is cracked, for no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are put to shame, they cover their heads.⁵ Yes, the hind also in the field calves, and forsakes [her young], because there is no grass.⁶ And the wild donkeys stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage.⁷ Though our iniquities testify against us, work for your name's sake, O Yahweh; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you.⁸ O you hope of Israel, the Savior thereof in the time of trouble, why should you be as a sojourner in the land, and as a wayfaring man that turns aside to tarry for a night?⁹ Why should you be as a man frightened, as a mighty man that can't save? yet you, O Yahweh, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; don't leave us.

¹⁰ Thus says Yahweh to this people, Even so they have loved to wander; they haven't refrained their feet: therefore Yahweh does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity, and visit their sins.¹¹ And Yahweh said to me, Don't pray for this people for [their] good.¹² When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt-offering and meal-offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.¹³ Then I said, Ah, Lord Yahweh! look, the prophets say to them, You shall not see the sword, neither shall you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place.¹⁴ Then Yahweh said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I did not send them, neither have I commanded them, neither did I speak to them: they prophesy to you a lying vision, and a psychic reading, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart.¹⁵ Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I did not send them, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed.¹⁶ And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them-them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness on them.

¹⁷ And you shall say this word to them, Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and don't let them cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.¹⁸ If I go forth into the field, then, look, the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then, look, those that are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.¹⁹ Have you completely rejected Judah? has your soul loathed Zion? why have you smitten us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and, look, dismay!²⁰ We acknowledge, O Yahweh, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you.²¹ Do not abhor [us], for your name's sake; do not shame the throne of your glory: remember, don't break your covenant with us.²² Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? are you not he, O Yahweh our God? therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things.