Revised Literal Translation

Jeremiah 4:20-29

20Destructionשֶׁ֤בֶרShe.verH7667upon destructionשֶׁ֙בֶר֙she.verH7667is criedנִקְרָ֔אnik.Ra'H7121;for the whole landהָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzH776is spoiledשֻׁדְּדָ֖הshu.de.DahH7703:suddenlyפִּתְאֹם֙pit.'OmH6597are my tentsאֹהָלַ֔י'o.ha.LaiH168spoiledשֻׁדְּד֣וּshu.de.DuH7703, andmy curtainsיְרִיעֹתָֽי׃ye.ri.'o.TaiH3407in a momentרֶ֖גַעRe.ga'H7281.

21How long shall I seeאֶרְאֶה־'er.'eh-H7200the standardנֵּ֑סNesH5251, andhearאֶשְׁמְעָ֖ה'esh.me.'AhH8085the soundק֥וֹלKolH6963of the trumpetשׁוֹפָֽר׃ סsho.FarH7782?

22For my peopleעַמִּ֗י'a.MiH5971isfoolishאֱוִ֣יל'e.VilH191,they have not knownיָדָ֔עוּya.Da.'uH3045me; they aresottishסְכָלִים֙se.kha.LimH5530childrenבָּנִ֤יםba.NimH1121,and they have none understandingנְבוֹנִ֖יםne.vo.NimH995: they arewiseחֲכָמִ֥יםcha.kha.MimH2450to do evilלְהָרַ֔עle.ha.Ra'H7489,but to do goodוּלְהֵיטִ֖יבu.le.hei.TivH3190they have no knowledgeיָדָֽעוּ׃ya.Da.'uH3045.

23I beheldרָאִ֙יתִי֙ra.'I.tiH7200the earthהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776, and, lo, it waswithout formתֹ֖הוּTo.huH8414,and voidוָבֹ֑הוּva.Vo.huH922;and the heavensהַשָּׁמַ֖יִםha.sha.Ma.yimH8064, and they hadno lightאוֹרָֽם׃'o.RamH216.

24I beheldרָאִ֙יתִי֙ra.'I.tiH7200the mountainsהֶֽהָרִ֔יםhe.ha.RimH2022,and, lo, they trembledרֹעֲשִׁ֑יםro.'a.ShimH7493,and all the hillsהַגְּבָע֖וֹתha.ge.va.'otH1389moved lightlyהִתְקַלְקָֽלוּ׃hit.kal.Ka.luH7043.

25I beheldרָאִ֕יתִיra.'I.tiH7200, and, lo, there wasno manהָאָדָ֑םha.'a.DamH120,and all the birdsע֥וֹףofH5775of the heavensהַשָּׁמַ֖יִםha.sha.Ma.yimH8064were fledנָדָֽדוּ׃na.Da.duH5074.

26I beheldרָאִ֕יתִיra.'I.tiH7200,and, lo, the fruitful placeהַכַּרְמֶ֖לha.kar.MelH3759wasa wildernessהַמִּדְבָּ֑רha.mid.BarH4057,and all the citiesעָרָ֗יו'a.RavH5892thereof were broken downנִתְּצוּ֙ni.te.TzuH5422at the presenceH6440of Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068, andby his fierceחֲר֥וֹןcha.RonH2740angerאַפּֽוֹ׃ ס'a.PoH639.

27For thus hath Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068saidאָמַ֣ר'a.MarH559,The whole landהָאָ֑רֶץha.'A.retzH776shall be desolateשְׁמָמָ֥הshe.ma.MahH8077;yet will I not makeאֶעֱשֶֽׂה׃'e.'e.SehH6213a full endוְכָלָ֖הve.kha.LahH3617.

28For this shall the earthהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776mournתֶּאֱבַ֣לte.'e.ValH56,and the heavensהַשָּׁמַ֖יִםha.sha.Ma.yimH8064aboveמִמָּ֑עַלmi.Ma.'alH4605be blackוְקָדְר֥וּve.ka.de.RuH6937:because I have spokenדִבַּ֙רְתִּי֙di.Bar.tiH1696it,I have purposedזַמֹּ֔תִיza.Mo.tiH2161it,and will not repentנִחַ֖מְתִּיni.Cham.tiH5162,neither will I turn backאָשׁ֥וּב'a.ShuvH7725from it.

29The whole cityהָעִ֔ירha.'IrH5892shall fleeבֹּרַ֙חַת֙bo.Ra.chatH1272for the noiseמִקּ֨וֹלmi.KolH6963of the horsemenפָּרָ֜שׁpa.RashH6571and bowmenוְרֹ֣מֵה קֶ֗שֶׁתve.Ro.meh Ke.shetH7411 H7198;they shall goבָּ֚אוּBa.'uH935into thicketsבֶּעָבִ֔יםbe.'a.VimH5645,and climb upעָל֑וּ'a.LuH5927upon the rocksוּבַכֵּפִ֖יםu.va.ke.FimH3710:every cityהָעִ֣ירha.'IrH5892shall beforsakenעֲזוּבָ֔ה'a.zu.VahH5800,and not a manאִֽישׁ׃'IshH376dwellיוֹשֵׁ֥בyo.ShevH3427thereinH2004.

Read all of Jeremiah 4

Commentaries on Jeremiah 4