“ I called out to those who were going to help me. But they turned against me. My priests and elders died in the city. They were searching for food just to stay alive.

我招呼我所亲爱的，他们却愚弄我。我的祭司和长老正寻求食物、救性命的时候，就在城中绝气。

我招呼我所亲爱的，他们却欺骗了我。我的祭司和长老寻找食物，要救性命的时候，就在城中断了气。

我招呼我所亲爱的，他们却欺骗了我。我的祭司和长老寻找食物，要救性命的时候，就在城中断了气。

“我向情人们求助，他们却欺骗我。我的祭司和长老在觅食求生时，倒毙在城中。

我向我所爱的人呼求，他们却欺骗我。我的祭司和长老为了延续生命，寻找粮食的时候，就在城中气绝身亡了。

我招呼我所親愛的，他們卻愚弄我。我的祭司和長老正尋求食物、救性命的時候，就在城中絕氣。

我招呼我所親愛的，他們卻欺騙了我。我的祭司和長老尋找食物，要救性命的時候，就在城中斷了氣。

我招呼我所親愛的，他們卻欺騙了我。我的祭司和長老尋找食物，要救性命的時候，就在城中斷了氣。

「我向情人們求助，他們卻欺騙我。我的祭司和長老在覓食求生時，倒斃在城中。

我向我所愛的人呼求，他們卻欺騙我。我的祭司和長老為了延續生命，尋找糧食的時候，就在城中氣絕身亡了。

『我招呼了我的親愛者，他們卻哄騙我；我的祭司和長老正為自己尋求着糧食，以救回性命，就在城中氣絕了。

招愛我者、彼則欺我兮、我之祭司長老求糧、以蘇厥靈兮、乃於邑中絕氣兮、

我招良朋、不副予望、祭司長老、惟求糈糧、以果其腹兮、求而不得、亡於邑中兮。

我招良友、彼竟欺我、我之祭司與長老、惟求食物以充饑蘇醒、求而不得、盡亡於邑中、

“ I called to my allies but they betrayed me. My priests and my elders perished in the city while they searched for food to keep themselves alive.

“ I called to my lovers, but they deceived me; my priests and elders perished in the city, while they sought food to revive their strength.

“ I begged my allies for help, but they betrayed me. My priests and leaders starved to death in the city, even as they searched for food to save their lives.

I called to my lovers, but they betrayed me. My priests and elders perished in the city while searching for food to keep themselves alive.

I called to my lovers, but they deserted me; My priests and my elders perished in the city While they sought food to restore their strength themselves.

“ I called for my lovers, But they deceived me; My priests and my elders Breathed their last in the city, While they sought food To restore their life.

I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: My priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, While they sought them food to refresh their souls.

I called to my lovers, but they betrayed me. My priests and elders perished in the city while searching for food to keep themselves alive.

I called for my lovers,[ but] they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.

I called for my lovers, but they had deceived me. My priests and my elders perished in the city. Truly they had searched for food to keep themselves alive.ר( Resh)

“ I called for my lovers, but they deceived me. My priests and my elders gave up the spirit in the city, while they sought food for themselves to refresh their souls.

Jerusalem weeps bitterly at night. Tears run down her cheeks. None of her friends comforts her. All those who were going to help her have turned against her. They have become her enemies.

Jerusalem says,“ Lord, look at me. Think about my condition. Have you ever treated anyone else like this? Should women have to eat their babies? Should they eat the children they’ve taken care of? Should priests and prophets be killed in your own temple?

All Jerusalem’s people groan as they search for bread. They trade their treasures for food just to stay alive. Jerusalem says,“ Lord, look at me. Think about my condition. Everyone looks down on me.”

“ God has caused my family to desert me. The people I used to know are now strangers to me.My relatives have gone away. My closest friends have forgotten me.My guests and my female servants think of me as a stranger. They look at me as if I were an outsider.I send for my servant, but he doesn’t answer. He doesn’t come, even though I beg him to.My wife can’t stand the way my breath smells. My own family won’t have anything to do with me.Even little children mock me. When I appear, they make fun of me.All my close friends hate me. Those I love have turned against me.

And that’s not all. Our eyes grew tired. We looked for help that never came. We watched from our towers. We kept looking for a nation that couldn’t save us.

“ Prophets and priests alike are ungodly,” announces the Lord.“ Even in my temple I find them sinning.So their path will become slippery. They will be thrown out into darkness. There they will fall. I will bring trouble on them when the time to punish them comes,” announces the Lord.“ Among the prophets of Samaria I saw something I can’t stand. They were prophesying in the name of Baal. They were leading my people Israel astray.I have also seen something horrible among Jerusalem’s prophets. They are not faithful to me. They are not living by the truth. They strengthen the hands of those who do evil. So not one of them turns from their sinful ways. All of them are like the people of Sodom to me. They are just like the people of Gomorrah.”So the Lord who rules over all speaks about the prophets. He says,“ I will make them eat bitter food. I will make them drink poisoned water. The prophets of Jerusalem have spread their ungodly ways all through the land.”

Then where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come when you are in trouble! Let them save you if they can! Judah, you have as many gods as you have towns.

All those who were going to help you have forgotten you. They do not care about you. I have struck you as if I were your enemy. I have punished you as if I were very mean. That is because your guilt is so great. You have sinned so much.

The Lord is the God of Israel. He says,“ The king of Judah has sent you to ask me for advice. Tell him,‘ Pharaoh’s army has marched out to help you. But it will go back to its own land. It will return to Egypt.Then the armies of Babylon will come back here. They will attack this city. They will capture it. Then they will burn it down.’“ The Lord says,‘ Do not fool yourselves. You think,“ The Babylonians will leave us alone.” But they will not!

Our princes have been hung up by their hands. No one shows our elders any respect.

So here is what I am saying about the prophets who are prophesying in my name. I did not send them. But they are saying,‘ No war or hunger will come to this land.’ Those same prophets will die because of war and hunger.And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem. They will die because of hunger and war. No one will bury them. No one will bury their wives and children. I will pour out trouble on them. That is exactly what they should get.“ Jeremiah, give them this message. Tell them,“‘ Let tears flow from my eyes. Let them pour out night and day. Never let them stop. The people of my own nation have suffered a terrible wound. They have been crushed.Suppose I go into the country. Then I see people who have been killed by swords. Or suppose I go into the city. Then I see people who have died of hunger. Prophet and priest alike have gone to a land they hadn’t known about before.’ ”

Jerusalem’s princes were brighter than snow. They were whiter than milk. Their bodies were redder than rubies. They looked like lapis lazuli.But now they are blacker than coal. No one even recognizes them in the streets. Their skin is wrinkled on their bones. It has become as dry as a stick.Those killed by swords are better off than those who die of hunger. Those who are hungry waste away to nothing. They don’t have any food from the fields.

Why should you and your people die? Why should you die of war, hunger and plague? That’s what the Lord said would happen to any nation that won’t serve the king of Babylon.Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who say to you,‘ You won’t serve the king of Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you.‘ I have not sent them,’ announces the Lord.‘ They are prophesying lies in my name. So I will drive you away from your land. And you will die. So will the prophets who prophesy to you.’ ”