Revised Literal Translation

Jeremiah 9

1Oh thatH5414my headרֹאשִׁי֙ro.ShiH7218were watersמַ֔יִםMa.yimH4325,and mine eyesוְעֵינִ֖יve.'ei.NiH5869a fountainמְק֣וֹרme.KorH4726of tearsדִּמְעָ֑הdim.'AhH1832,that I might weepוְאֶבְכֶּה֙ve.'ev.KehH1058dayיוֹמָ֣םyo.MamH3119and nightוָלַ֔יְלָהva.Lay.lahH3915for the slainחַֽלְלֵ֥יcha.LeiH2491of the daughterבַת־vat-H1323of my peopleH5971!

2Oh thatיִתְּנֵ֣נִיyi.te.Ne.niH5414I had in the wildernessבַמִּדְבָּ֗רva.mid.BarH4057a lodging placeמְלוֹן֙me.lOnH4411of wayfaring menאֹֽרְחִ֔ים'o.re.ChimH732;that I might leaveוְאֶֽעֶזְבָה֙ve.'e.'ez.VahH5800my peopleעַמִּ֔י'a.MiH5971,and goH3212from them! for they beall adulterersמְנָ֣אֲפִ֔יםme.Na.'a.FimH5003,an assemblyעֲצֶ֖רֶת'a.Tze.retH6116of treacherous menבֹּגְדִֽים׃bo.ge.DimH898.

3And they bendוַֽיַּדְרְכ֤וּvai.yad.re.KhuH1869their tonguesלְשׁוֹנָם֙le.sho.NamH3956liketheir bowקַשְׁתָּ֣םkash.TamH7198forliesשֶׁ֔קֶרShe.kerH8267:but they are not valiantגָּבְר֣וּga.ve.RuH1396for the truthלֶאֱמוּנָ֖הle.'e.mu.NahH530upon the earthבָאָ֑רֶץva.'A.retzH776;for they proceedיָצָ֛אוּya.Tza.'uH3318from evilמֵרָעָ֨הme.ra.'AhH7451to evilרָעָ֧ה׀ra.'AhH7451,and they knowיָדָ֖עוּya.Da.'uH3045not me, saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהוָֽה׃ סYah.wehH3068.

4Take ye heedהִשָּׁמֵ֔רוּhi.sha.Me.ruH8104every oneH376of his neighbourH7453,and trustתִּבְטָ֑חוּtiv.Ta.chuH982ye not in any brotherאָ֖ח'achH251:for every brotherאָח֙'achH251will utterlyעָק֣וֹבa.KovH6117supplantיַעְקֹ֔בya'.KoH6117,and every neighbourH7453will walkיַהֲלֹֽךְ׃ya.ha.LokhH1980with slandersרָכִ֥ילra.KhilH7400.

5And they will deceiveיְהָתֵ֔לּוּye.ha.Te.luH2048every oneוְאִ֤ישׁve.'IshH376his neighbourבְּרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙be.re.'E.huH7453,and will not speakיְדַבֵּ֑רוּye.da.Be.ruH1696the truthוֶאֱמֶ֖תve.'e.MetH571:they have taughtלִמְּד֧וּli.me.DuH3925their tongueלְשׁוֹנָ֛םle.sho.NamH3956to speakדַּבֶּר־da.ber-H1696liesשֶׁ֖קֶרShe.kerH8267, andwearyנִלְאֽוּ׃nil.'UH3811themselves to commit iniquityהַעֲוֵ֥הha.'a.VehH5753.

6Thine habitationשִׁבְתְּךָ֖shiv.te.KhaH3427isin the midstבְּת֣וֹךְbe.TokhH8432of deceitמִרְמָ֑הmir.MahH4820;through deceitבְּמִרְמָ֛הbe.mir.MahH4820they refuseמֵאֲנ֥וּme.'a.NuH3985to knowדַֽעַת־da.'at-H3045me, saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002YhwhH3068.

7Therefore thus saithאָמַר֙'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otH6635,Behold, I will meltצוֹרְפָ֖םtzor.FamH6884them, and tryוּבְחַנְתִּ֑יםu.ve.chan.TimH974them; for how shall I doאֶעֱשֶׂ֔ה'e.'e.SehH6213forמִפְּנֵ֖יmi.pe.NeiH6440the daughterבַּת־bat-H1323of my peopleעַמִּֽי׃'a.MiH5971?

8Their tongueלְשׁוֹנָ֖םle.sho.NamH3956is asan arrowחֵ֥ץchetzH2671shot outשָׁח֛וּטsho.chetH7819;it speakethדִבֵּ֑רdi.BerH1696deceitמִרְמָ֣הmir.MahH4820: onespeakethיְדַבֵּ֔רye.da.BerH1696peaceablyשָׁל֤וֹםsha.LomH7965to his neighbourרֵעֵ֙הוּ֙re.'E.huH7453with his mouthבְּפִ֗יוbe.FivH6310,but in heartוּבְקִרְבּ֖וֹu.ve.kir.BoH7130he layethיָשִׂ֥יםya.SimH7760his waitאָרְבּֽוֹ׃'a.re.BoH696.

9Shall I not visitאֶפְקָד־'ef.kod-H6485them for these things?saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהוָ֑הYah.wehH3068:shall not my soulנַפְשִֽׁי׃ סnaf.ShiH5315be avengedתִתְנַקֵּ֖םtit.na.KemH5358on such a nationבְּג֣וֹיbe.GoyH1471as this?

10For the mountainsהֶ֨הָרִ֜יםhe.ha.RimH2022will I take upאֶשָּׂ֧א'e.Sa'H5375a weepingבְכִ֣יve.KhiH1065and wailingוָנֶ֗הִיva.Ne.hiH5092,and for the habitationsנְא֤וֹתne.'otH4999of the wildernessמִדְבָּר֙mid.BarH4057a lamentationקִינָ֔הki.NahH7015,because they are burned upנִצְּתוּ֙ni.tze.TuH3341,so that noneאִ֣ישׁ'ishH376can passעֹבֵ֔ר'o.VerH5674through them; neither can menhearשָׁמְע֖וּsha.me.'UH8085the voiceק֣וֹלKolH6963of the cattleמִקְנֶ֑הmik.NehH4735;both the fowlמֵע֤וֹףme.'ofH5775of the heavensהַשָּׁמַ֙יִם֙ha.sha.Ma.yimH8064and the beastבְּהֵמָ֔הbe.he.MahH929are fledנָדְד֖וּna.de.DuH5074;they are goneהָלָֽכוּ׃ha.La.khuH1980.

11And I will makeוְנָתַתִּ֧יve.na.ta.TiH5414Jerusalemיְרוּשָׁלִַ֛םye.ru.sha.LimH3389heapsלְגַלִּ֖יםle.ga.LimH1530, anda denמְע֣וֹןme.'onH4583of dragonsתַּנִּ֑יםta.NimH8577;and I will makeאֶתֵּ֥ן'e.TenH5414the citiesעָרֵ֧י'a.ReiH5892of Judahיְהוּדָ֛הye.hu.DahH3063desolateשְׁמָמָ֖הshe.ma.MahH8077,without an inhabitantיוֹשֵֽׁב׃ סyo.ShevH3427.

12Who isthe wiseהֶֽחָכָם֙he.cha.KhamH2450manהָאִ֤ישׁha.'IshH376,that may understandוְיָבֵ֣ןve.ya.VenH995this? and who is heto whom the mouthפִּֽי־pi-H6310of YhwhH3068hath spokenדִּבֶּ֧רdi.BerH1696,that he may declareוְיַגִּדָ֑הּve.ya.gi.DahH5046it, for what the landהָאָ֔רֶץha.'A.retzH776perishethאָבְדָ֣ה'a.ve.DahH6andis burned upנִצְּתָ֥הni.tze.TahH3341like a wildernessכַמִּדְבָּ֖רkha.mid.BarH4057,that none passeth throughעֹבֵֽר׃ ס'o.VerH5674?

13And Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068saithוַיֹּ֣אמֶרvai.Yo.merH559,Because they have forsakenעָזְבָם֙'a.ze.VamH5800my lawתּ֣וֹרָתִ֔יto.ra.TiH8451which I setנָתַ֖תִּיna.Ta.tiH5414beforeלִפְנֵיהֶ֑םlif.nei.HemH6440them, and have not obeyedשָׁמְע֥וּsha.me.'UH8085my voiceבְקוֹלִ֖יve.ko.LiH6963,neither walkedH1980therein;

14But have walkedH3212afterאַחֲרֵ֖י'a.cha.ReiH310the imaginationשְׁרִר֣וּתshe.ri.RutH8307of their own heartלִבָּ֑םli.BamH3820,and afterוְאַחֲרֵי֙ve.'a.cha.ReiH310Baalimהַבְּעָלִ֔יםha.be.'a.LimH1168,which their fathersאֲבוֹתָֽם׃ ס'a.vo.TamH1taughtלִמְּד֖וּםli.me.DumH3925them:

15Therefore thus saithאָמַ֞ר'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֤הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָאוֹת֙tze.va.'OtH6635,the Godאֱלֹהֵ֣י'e.lo.HeiH430of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֔לYis.ra.'ElH3478;Behold, I will feedמַאֲכִילָ֛םma.'a.khi.LamH398them, eventhis peopleהָעָ֥םha.'AmH5971,with wormwoodלַֽעֲנָ֑הla.'a.NahH3939,and give them waterמֵי־mei-H4325of gallרֹֽאשׁ׃RoshH7219to drinkוְהִשְׁקִיתִ֖יםve.hish.ki.TimH8248.

16I will scatterוַהֲפִֽצוֹתִים֙va.ha.fi.tzo.TimH6327them also among the heathenבַּגּוֹיִ֔םba.go.YimH1471,whom neither they nor their fathersוַֽאֲבוֹתָ֑םva.'a.vo.TamH1have knownיָֽדְע֔וּya.de.'UH3045:and I will sendH7971a swordהַחֶ֔רֶבha.Che.revH2719afterאַֽחֲרֵיהֶם֙'a.cha.rei.HemH310them, till I have consumedכַּלּוֹתִ֖יka.lo.TiH3615them.

17Thus saithאָמַר֙'a.MarH559Yhwhיְהוָ֣הYah.wehH3068of Armiesצְבָא֔וֹתtze.va.'otH6635,Considerהִתְבּֽוֹנְנ֛וּhit.bo.NuH995ye, and callוְקִרְא֥וּve.kir.'UH7121for the mourning womenלַמְקוֹנְנ֖וֹתlam.ko.NotH6969,that they may comeוּתְבוֹאֶ֑ינָהu.te.vo.'Ei.nahH935;and sendשִׁלְח֖וּshil.ChuH7971for cunningהַחֲכָמ֥וֹתha.cha.kha.MotH2450women,that they may comeוְתָבֽוֹאנָה׃ve.ta.Vo.nahH935:

18And let them make hasteוּתְמַהֵ֕רְנָהu.te.ma.He.re.nahH4116,and take upוְתִשֶּׂ֥נָהve.ti.Se.nahH5375a wailingH5092for us, that our eyesעֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙'ei.Nei.nuH5869may run downוְתֵרַ֤דְנָהve.te.Rad.nahH3381with tearsדִּמְעָ֔הdim.'AhH1832,and our eyelidsוְעַפְעַפֵּ֖ינוּve.'af.'a.Pei.nuH6079gush outיִזְּלוּ־yi.ze.lu-H5140with watersמָֽיִם׃Ma.yimH4325.

19For a voiceק֥וֹלKolH6963of wailingH5092is heardH8085out of Zionמִצִּיּ֖וֹןmi.tzi.YonH6726,How are we spoiledשֻׁדָּ֑דְנוּshu.Da.de.nuH7703!we are greatlyמְאֹד֙me.'OdH3966confoundedבֹּ֤שְׁנֽוּBo.she.nuH954,because we have forsakenעָזַ֣בְנוּ'a.Zav.nuH5800the landאָ֔רֶץ'A.retzH776,because our dwellingsמִשְׁכְּנוֹתֵֽינוּ׃ סmish.ke.no.Tei.nuH4908have cast usoutהִשְׁלִ֖יכוּhish.Li.khuH7993.

20Yet hearשְׁמַ֤עְנָהshe.Ma'.nahH8085the wordדְּבַר־de.var-H1697of Yhwhיְהוָ֔הYah.wehH3068,O ye womenנָשִׁים֙na.ShimH802,and let your earאָזְנְכֶ֖ם'a.ze.ne.KhemH241receiveוְתִקַּ֥חve.ti.KachH3947the wordדְּבַר־de.var-H1697of his mouthפִּ֑יוPivH6310,and teachוְלַמֵּ֤דְנָהve.la.Me.de.nahH3925your daughtersבְנֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ve.no.tei.KhemH1323wailingנֶ֔הִיNe.hiH5092,and every oneוְאִשָּׁ֥הve.'i.ShahH802her neighbourרְעוּתָ֖הּre.'u.TahH7468lamentationקִינָֽה׃ki.NahH7015.

21For deathמָ֙וֶת֙ma.vetH4194is come upעָ֤לָה'A.lahH5927into our windowsבְּחַלּוֹנֵ֔ינוּbe.cha.lo.Nei.nuH2474, andis enteredבָּ֖אba'H935into our palacesבְּאַרְמְנוֹתֵ֑ינוּbe.'ar.me.no.Tei.nuH759,to cut offלְהַכְרִ֤יתle.hakh.RitH3772the childrenעוֹלָל֙o.LalH5768from withoutמִח֔וּץmi.ChutzH2351, andthe young menבַּחוּרִ֖יםba.chu.RimH970from the streetsמֵרְחֹבֽוֹת׃me.re.cho.VotH7339.

22Speakדַּבֵּ֗רda.BerH1696,Thus saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002YhwhH3068,Even the carcasesנִבְלַ֣תniv.LatH5038of menהָֽאָדָ֔םha.'a.DamH120shall fallוְנָֽפְלָה֙ve.na.fe.LahH5307as dungכְּדֹ֖מֶןke.Do.menH1828upon the openפְּנֵ֣יpe.NeiH6440fieldהַשָּׂדֶ֑הha.sa.DehH7704,and as the handfulוּכְעָמִ֛ירu.khe.'a.MirH5995afterמֵאַחֲרֵ֥יme.'a.cha.ReiH310the harvestmanהַקֹּצֵ֖רha.ko.TzerH7114,and none shall gatherמְאַסֵּֽף׃ סme.'a.SefH622them.

23Thus saithאָמַ֣ר'a.MarH559YhwhH3068,Let not the wiseחָכָם֙cha.KhamH2450mangloryH1984in his wisdomבְּחָכְמָת֔וֹbe.cha.khe.ma.ToH2451,neither let the mightyהַגִּבּ֖וֹרha.gi.BorH1368mangloryH1984in his mightבִּגְבֽוּרָת֑וֹbig.vu.ra.ToH1369,let not the richעָשִׁ֖יר'a.ShirH6223mangloryH1984in his richesבְּעָשְׁרֽוֹ׃be.'a.she.RoH6239:

24But let him that gloriethיִתְהַלֵּ֣לyit.ha.LelH1984gloryהַמִּתְהַלֵּ֗לha.mit.ha.LelH1984in this, that he understandethהַשְׂכֵּל֮has.KelH7919and knowethוְיָדֹ֣עַve.ya.Do.a'H3045me, that I amYhwhH3068which exerciseעֹ֥שֶׂה'O.sehH6213lovingkindnessחֶ֛סֶדChe.sedH2617,judgmentמִשְׁפָּ֥טmish.PatH4941,and righteousnessוּצְדָקָ֖הu.tze.da.KahH6666,in the earthבָּאָ֑רֶץba.'A.retzH776: for in these thingsI delightחָפַ֖צְתִּיcha.Fatz.tiH2654,saithH5002YhwhH3068.

25Behold, the daysיָמִ֥יםya.MimH3117comeבָּאִ֖יםba.'ImH935,saithנְאֻם־ne.'um-H5002Yhwhיְהוָ֑הYah.wehH3068,that I will punishוּפָ֣קַדְתִּ֔יu.Fa.kad.TiH6485all them which arecircumcisedמ֖וּלmulH4135with the uncircumcisedבְּעָרְלָֽה׃be.'a.re.LahH6190;

26Egyptמִצְרַ֣יִםmitz.Ra.yimH4714,and Judahיְהוּדָ֗הye.hu.DahH3063,and Edomאֱד֞וֹם'e.DomH123,and the childrenבְּנֵ֤יbe.NeiH1121of Ammonעַמּוֹן֙'a.mOnH5983,and Moabמוֹאָ֔בmo.'AvH4124, and all that arein the utmostקְצוּצֵ֣יke.tzu.TzeiH7112cornersפֵאָ֔הfe.'AhH6285,that dwellהַיֹּשְׁבִ֖יםhai.yo.she.VimH3427in the wildernessבַּמִּדְבָּ֑רba.mid.BarH4057: for all thesenationsהַגּוֹיִם֙ha.go.YimH1471areuncircumcisedעֲרֵלִ֔ים'a.re.LimH6189,and all the houseבֵּ֥יתbeitH1004of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵ֖לYis.ra.'ElH3478areuncircumcisedעַרְלֵי־'ar.lei-H6189in the heartלֵֽב׃ סLevH3820.

Commentaries on Jeremiah 9