אֲשֶׁר הָיָה דְבַר־ה' אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ עַל־דִּבְרֵי הַבַּצָּרוֹת

The word of the Lord that was with Jeremiah on the matter of the droughts, which apparently lasted for an extended period of time:

אָבְלָה יְהוּדָה וּשְׁעָרֶיהָ אֻמְלְלוּ קָדְרוּ לָאָרֶץ וְצִוְחַת יְרוּשָׁלִַם עָלָתָה

This verse provides the background necessary for the prophecy: Judah mourns, and its gates are miserable due to the drought. They, the faces of the residents of Judah, are darkened from hunger, and they have fallen to the ground, and the cry of Jerusalem has risen.

וְאַדִּרֵיהֶם שָׁלְחוּ צְעִירֵיהֶם למָּיִם בָּאוּ עַל־גֵּבִים לֹא־מָצְאוּ מַיִם שָׁבוּ כְלֵיהֶם רֵיקָם בֹּשׁוּ וְהָכְלְמוּ וְחָפוּ רֹאשָׁם

Their powerful ones sent their young for water. They came to the cisterns, crevices and pits into which water collects, and they did not find water; their vessels returned empty. They are ashamed and humiliated, and in their disappointment, they cover their heads in the manner of mourners.

בַּעֲבוּר הָאֲדָמָה חַתָּה כִּי לֹא־הָיָה גֶשֶׁם בָּאָרֶץ – בֹּשׁוּ אִכָּרִים חָפוּ רֹאשָׁם

Because the ground is cracked, as there was no rain in the land, farmers are ashamed, and they cover their heads.

כִּי גַם־ אַיֶּלֶת בַּשָּׂדֶה יָלְדָה וְעָזוֹב כִּי לֹא־הָיָה דֶּשֶׁא

For also the doe, a gentle animal that is naturally dedicated to its offspring, in the field it gave birth and left its newborn fawn behind, as it went to search for food elsewhere, because there was no grass.

וּפְרָאִים עָמְדוּ עַל־שְׁפָיִם שָׁאֲפוּ רוּחַ כַּתַּנִּים כָּלוּ עֵינֵיהֶם כִּי־אֵין עֵשֶׂב

The wild asses that wander in the wilderness stood on the bare hills, and they gasped air like jackals. These creatures, which have large lungs, stand on heights and breathe in air in order to see and smell vegetation and any moisture. However, in this case their eyes longed, the asses peered without success, for there was no vegetation due to the terrible drought. There was no water for agriculture, and even the animals could not find foliage for sustenance.

אִם־עֲוֹנֵינוּ עָנוּ בָנוּ ה' עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ כִּי־רַבּוּ מְשׁוּבֹתֵינוּ לְךָ חָטָאנוּ

Due to the severe drought, the people turn to God in prayer: Even if our iniquities have testified against us and proclaimed our guilt, Lord, at least act for Your name’s sake, for our deviances are many; we sinned to You.

מִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹשִׁיעוֹ בְּעֵת צָרָה לָמָּה תִהְיֶה כְּגֵר בָּאָרֶץ וּכְאֹרֵחַ נָטָה לָלוּן!

Since You are the hope of Israel, its savior in time of trouble, why would You be like a stranger in the land and like a traveler who turns to stay the night? When our prayers go unanswered, we feel as though Your presence in the land and Your interest in our fate are transient.

לָמָּה תִהְיֶה כְּאִישׁ נִדְהָם כְּגִבּוֹר לֹא־יוּכַל לְהוֹשִׁיעַ! ואַתָּה בְקִרְבֵּנוּ ה' וְשִׁמְךָ עָלֵינוּ נִקְרָא אַל־תַּנִּחֵנוּ

Why would You be like an astonished man, or like a mighty man who is unable to save us? But You are in our midst, Lord, and Your name is called upon us; therefore, do not forsake us.

כֹּה־אָמַר ה' לָעָם הַזֶּה כֵּן אָהֲבוּ לָנוּעַ רַגְלֵיהֶם לֹא חָשָׂכוּ וַה' לֹא רָצָם עַתָּה יִזְכֹּר עֲוֹנָם וְיִפְקֹד חַטֹּאתָם

So said the Lord of this people: Indeed, they liked to wander; their legs they did not spare from running after every fashionable form of idolatry. And therefore, the Lord does not accept them, and now He remembers their iniquity and reckons their sins. This is the reason for the drought.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלָי אַל־תִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד־הָעָם הַזֶּה לְטוֹבָה

The Lord said to me: Do not pray on behalf of this people for good.

כִּי יָצֻמוּ – אֵינֶנִּי שֹׁמֵעַ אֶל־רִנָּתָם וְכִי יַעֲלוּ עֹלָה וּמִנְחָה – אֵינֶנִּי רֹצָם כִּי בַּחֶרֶב וּבָרָעָב וּבַדֶּבֶר אָנֹכִי מְכַלֶּה אוֹתָם

When they fast I do not hear their cry of prayer, and when they offer up a burnt offering or a meal offering I do not accept them, for by the sword, and by famine, and by pestilence I am annihilating them.

וָאֹמַר אֲהָהּ ה' אֱלוֹהִים! הִנֵּה הַנְּבִאִים אֹמְרִים לָהֶם לֹא־תִרְאוּ חֶרֶב וְרָעָב לֹא־יִהְיֶה לָכֶם כִּי־שְׁלוֹם אֱמֶת אֶתֵּן לָכֶם בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה

After receiving this message from God to deliver to the nation, the prophet, acting as the people’s representative, turns to address Him. I said: Alas, my Lord God, I reprove the people for their sins, and prophesy to them that if they do not return to You speedily they will not endure, neither as a state nor as a people. And yet behold, the popular prophets gather assemblies and say to them as though in Your name: You will not see the sword, and famine will not be for you, for I will provide you true peace in this place.

וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלַי שֶׁקֶר הַנְּבִאִים נִבְּאִים בִּשְׁמִי לֹא שְׁלַחְתִּים וְלֹא צִוִּיתִים וְלֹא דִבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵיהֶם חֲזוֹן שֶׁקֶר וְקֶסֶם וֶאֱלִיל וְתַרְמִית לִבָּם הֵמָּה מִתְנַבְּאִים לָכֶם

The Lord said to me: The prophets prophesy falsehoods in My name; I did not send them, nor did I command them, nor did I speak to them. It is a false vision, divination, nonsense, and the deceit of their heart, fabricated ideas, that they prophesy to you.

לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר ה' עַל־הַנְּבִאִים הַנִּבְּאִים בִּשְׁמִי וַאֲנִי לֹא־שְׁלַחְתִּים וְהֵמָּה אֹמְרִים חֶרֶב וְרָעָב לֹא יִהְיֶה בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת – בַּחֶרֶב וּבָרָעָב יִתַּמּוּ הַנְּבִאִים הָהֵמָּה

Therefore, so said the Lord: About the prophets who prophesy in My name, but whom I did not send, and who say that sword and famine will not be in this land – by the sword and by famine those prophets will perish.

וְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר־הֵמָּה נִבְּאִים לָהֶם יִהְיוּ מֻשְׁלָכִים בְּחֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַם מִפְּנֵי הָרָעָב וְהַחֶרֶב וְאֵין מְקַבֵּר לָהֵמָּה – הֵמָּה נְשֵׁיהֶם וּבְנֵיהֶם וּבְנֹתֵיהֶם וְשָׁפַכְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת־ רָעָתָם

The people to whom they are prophesying good tidings will be cast into the streets of Jerusalem due to famine and the sword, with no one to bury them; this will occur to them, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. There will be no one left to bury all the dead. And I will pour retribution for their evil upon them.

וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה תֵּרַדְנָה עֵינַי דִּמְעָה לַיְלָה וְיוֹמָם וְאַל־תִּדְמֶינָה כִּי שֶׁבֶר גָּדוֹל נִשְׁבְּרָה בְּתוּלַת בַּת־עַמִּי מַכָּה נַחְלָה מְאֹד

You shall say to them this matter: My eyes will shed tears night and day, and they will not cease to cry, as the maiden daughter of My people has been injured with a great injury, with a very grave blow.

אִם־יָצָאתִי הַשָּׂדֶה – וְהִנֵּה חַלְלֵי־חֶרֶב וְאִם בָּאתִי הָעִיר – וְהִנֵּה תַּחֲלוּאֵי רָעָב כִּי גַם־נָבִיא גַם־כֹּהֵן סָחֲרוּ אֶל־אֶרֶץ וְלֹא יָדָעוּ

See what is happening: If I go out to the field, behold, I find those slain with a sword, even before war has broken out. Since the people are starving, the neighboring nations and nomadic tribes have raided their territory and killed them. And if I come into the city, which is usually sustained from the produce of the field, behold, I find those ill from famine, for both prophet and priest have gone around, have had to turn to another land they did not know in search of sustenance.

הֲמָאֹס מָאַסְתָּ אֶת־יְהוּדָה אִם־בְּצִיּוֹן גָּעֲלָה נַפְשֶׁךָ! מַדּוּעַ הִכִּיתָנוּ וְאֵין לָנוּ מַרְפֵּא! קַוֵּה לְשָׁלוֹם – וְאֵין טוֹב וּלְעֵת מַרְפֵּא – וְהִנֵּה בְעָתָה

The following may be a prayer recited by the prophet: Did You utterly spurn Judah, and did Your soul reject Zion? Why did You smite us? There is no cure for us. We hope for peace, but there is no good, and we hoped for a time of healing, but behold, there is terror.

יָדַעְנוּ ה' רִשְׁעֵנוּ עֲוֹן אֲבוֹתֵינוּ כִּי חָטָאנוּ לָךְ

We know, Lord, our wickedness and the iniquity of our fathers, for we sinned against You.

אַל־תִּנְאַץ לְמַעַן שִׁמְךָ אַל־תְּנַבֵּל כִּסֵּא כְבוֹדֶךָ זְכֹר אַל־תָּפֵר בְּרִיתְךָ אִתָּנוּ

Nevertheless, do not scorn us, or, alternatively, do not be angry with us, for Your name’s sake, and do not revile the throne of Your glory, the Temple, where God sits, as it were. Alternatively, the entire nation of Israel is called God’s throne of glory. Please do not humiliate us; remember, and do not breach Your covenant with us. Although we have acted improperly, the covenant between us is still intact.

הֲיֵשׁ בְּהַבְלֵי הַגּוֹיִם מַגְשִׁמִים! וְאִם־הַשָּׁמַיִם יִתְּנוּ רְבִבִים ! הֲלֹא אַתָּה־הוּא ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ וּנְקַוֶּה־לָּךְ כִּי־אַתָּה עָשִׂיתָ אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה

Are there among the futilities, idols, of the nations one that causes rain? No idol can induce the rain to fall. Or do the heavens, to which the gentiles pray, generate raindrops? Are You not the Lord our God? We place our hope only in You, and to You alone we pray, as You performed all these. You created the heavens and control the rain.