וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלַי אִם־יַעֲמֹד מֹשֶׁה וּשְׁמוּאֵל לְפָנַי – אֵין נַפְשִׁי אֶל־הָעָם הַזֶּה שַׁלַּח מֵעַל־פָּנַי וְיֵצֵאוּ

The Lord said to me: Even if Moses and Samuel, two of the greatest leaders of Israel who beseeched God on the people’s behalf and did everything possible to ensure their welfare, would stand before Me in prayer, their prayers would not be effective at this time, as My will would not be gracious toward this people; send them from My presence and let them go.

וְהָיָה כִּי־יֹאמְרוּ אֵלֶיךָ אָנָה נֵצֵא וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אֲשֶׁר לַמָּוֶת לַמָּוֶת וַאֲשֶׁר לַחֶרֶב – לַחֶרֶב וַאֲשֶׁר לָרָעָב – לָרָעָב וַאֲשֶׁר לַשְּׁבִי – לַשֶּׁבִי

It shall be when they, your listeners, say to you: Where shall we go? You shall say to them: So said the Lord: Each one of you is destined for a specific calamity. Those who are doomed to an unspecified death will go to that death, and those who are doomed to death by the sword will go to the sword, and those who are to famine, to famine, and those who are to captivity, to captivity.

וּפָקַדְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם אַרְבַּע מִשְׁפָּחוֹת נְאֻם־ה' אֶת־הַחֶרֶב לַהֲרֹג וְאֶת־הַכְּלָבִים לִסְחֹב וְאֶת־עוֹף הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־בֶּהֱמַת הָאָרֶץ לֶאֱכֹל וּלְהַשְׁחִית

I will appoint over them four kinds of destruction – the utterance of the Lord: the sword to kill them, and the dogs to drag away their bodies, and the birds of the heavens, and the animals of the earth to devour and to destroy.

וּנְתַתִּים לְזַעֲוָה לְכֹל מַמְלְכוֹת הָאָרֶץ בִּגְלַל מְנַשֶּׁה בֶן־יְחִזְקִיָּהוּ מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה עַל אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂה בִּירוּשָׁלִָם

I will render them an example of a horror among all the kingdoms of the earth, due to the sins of Menashe son of Hizkiyahu king of Judah, because of that which he did in Jerusalem. In retrospect, it is clear that the reign of Menashe was a turning point in the history of Judah, as the fate of the nation was sealed in this period. Jeremiah witnessed a temporary improvement in the people’s spiritual state, due to the reforms instituted by King Yoshiya, whose death he mourned bitterly. Nevertheless, the nation and the kingdom generally continued to deteriorate.

כִּי מִי־יַחְמֹל עָלַיִךְ יְרוּשָׁלִַם וּמִי יָנוּד לָךְ וּמִי יָסוּר לִשְׁאֹל לְשָׁלֹם לָךְ!

For who will have compassion on you, Jerusalem, or who will commiserate with you and share your pain, or who will turn aside to inquire about your well-being?

אַתְּ נָטַשְׁתְּ אֹתִי נְאֻם־ה' אָחוֹר תֵּלֵכִי וָאַט אֶת־יָדִי עָלַיִךְ וָאַשְׁחִיתֵךְ נִלְאֵיתִי הִנָּחֵם

Despite the numerous attempts of various prophets over the course of many years to establish a nation loyal to God in the Land of Israel, you repeatedly abandoned Me – the utterance of the Lord – and you went backward. And therefore I have now extended My hand against you and I have destroyed you. Although in the past I repeatedly canceled My decrees of retribution, I have by now wearied of relenting, and I shall no longer change My mind.

וָאֶזְרֵם בְּמִזְרֶה בְּשַׁעֲרֵי הָאָרֶץ שִׁכַּלְתִּי אִבַּדְתִּי אֶת־עַמִּי מִדַּרְכֵיהֶם לוֹא שָׁבוּ

I will winnow them, scatter them like one throwing grain to the wind, with a winnowing fork in the gates of the land, or, alternatively, in threshing floors. I bereaved and I caused My people to perish. However, despite all the misfortunes and troubles I brought upon them, nothing changed. They did not repent their ways.

עָצְמוּ־לִי אַלְמְנוֹתָו מֵחוֹל יַמִּים הֵבֵאתִי לָהֶם עַל־אֵם בָּחוּר שֹׁדֵד בַּצָּהֳרָיִם הִפַּלְתִּי עָלֶיהָ פִּתְאֹם עִיר וּבֶהָלוֹת

So many people died that their widows proliferated for Me beyond the sand of the seas. I brought upon them, upon mother and youth, a plunderer at noon, in broad daylight. I brought down upon them suddenly a collapsing city and unleashed widespread panic.

אֻמְלְלָה יֹלֶדֶת הַשִּׁבְעָה נָפְחָה נַפְשָׁהּ בָּא שִׁמְשָׁהּ בְּעֹד יוֹמָם בּוֹשָׁה וְחָפֵרָה וּשְׁאֵרִיתָם לַחֶרֶב אֶתֵּן לִפְנֵי אֹיְבֵיהֶם נְאֻם־ה'

The one who bore seven children is miserable, as all of her sons will die; her soul is anguished. Due to her great suffering, it is as though her sun set while still day; she is ashamed and disgraced. Their remnant, those who were not taken to exile and did not die of starvation, I will deliver to the sword before their enemies – the utterance of the Lord.

אוֹי־לִי אִמִּי כִּי יְלִדְתִּנִי אִישׁ רִיב וְאִישׁ מָדוֹן לְכָל־הָאָרֶץ לֹא־נָשִׁיתִי וְלֹא־נָשׁוּ־בִי כֻּלֹּה מְקַלְלַוְנִי

After describing the misfortunes that will befall the mothers and their children, the prophet laments his own fate in analogous terms: Woe to me, my mother, that you bore me, as I am a man of strife and a man of contentiousness with the entire land. For although I have not demanded payment of debts from anyone nor have others demanded such payment from me, and so I do not owe anyone money, nevertheless, everyone curses me.

אָמַר ה' אִם־לֹא שֵׁרִיתִיךָ לְטוֹב אִם־לוֹא הִפְגַּעְתִּי בְךָ בְּעֵת רָעָה וּבְעֵת צָרָה אֶת־הָאֹיֵב

In response to Jeremiah’s complaint, the Lord said, in the form of an oath: Have I not bolstered [sheritikha] and strengthened you for good? Alternatively, have I not left [hisharti] you alive for good? Or have I not released you from the bonds in which you have been imprisoned and the curses which have been applied to you for good? You will survive and prosper, as I have sent you on an important mission and have led you on the correct path. Furthermore, have I not caused the enemy to plead with you, or meet you, in a time of misfortune and in a time of trouble? Ultimately, those who currently oppose you will come to beg you to pray on their behalf or to wish you success.

הֲיָרֹעַ בַּרְזֶל בַּרְזֶל מִצָּפוֹן וּנְחֹשֶׁת !

Can plain, untempered iron break a tempered alloy of iron of the north or bronze? Just as this is impossible, so too your pursuers will be unable to harm you, as I have made you like an iron pillar and as bronze walls (1:18).

חֵילְךָ וְאוֹצְרֹתֶיךָ לָבַז אֶתֵּן לֹא בִמְחִיר ובְכָל־חַטֹּאותֶיךָ וּבְכָל־גְּבוּלֶיךָ

The prophet returns to the people’s approaching misfortunes: I will deliver your wealth and your treasures as loot without payment, due to all your sins which you committed within all your borders. Alternatively, due to your sins, I will deliver your wealth and your treasures as spoils within all your borders.

וְהַעֲבַרְתִּי אֶת אֹיְבֶיךָ בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא יָדָעְתָּ כִּי־אֵשׁ קָדְחָה בְאַפִּי עֲלֵיכֶם תּוּקָד

I will transfer you to your enemies, into a land that you have not known. For fire rages in My nostrils; it will burn upon you. A fire in the nostrils is a metaphor for anger, as though one is burning with rage.

אַתָּה יָדַעְתָּ ה' זָכְרֵנִי וּפָקְדֵנִי וְהִנָּקֶם לִי מֵרֹדְפַי אַל־לְאֶרֶךְ אַפְּךָ תִּקָּחֵנִי דַּע שְׂאֵתִי עָלֶיךָ חֶרְפָּה

Jeremiah again speaks about himself: You know, Lord, of my shame and distress. Remember me, and regard me, and avenge me from my persecutors, but do not take me with Your slowness to anger. Do not treat my case with Your attribute of slowness to anger, but instead punish my enemies quickly, as You know my bearing of disgrace for You, on Your behalf.

נִמְצְאוּ דְבָרֶיךָ – וָאֹכְלֵם וַיְהִי דְבָרְךָ לִי לְשָׂשׂוֹן וּלְשִׂמְחַת לְבָבִי כִּי־נִקְרָא שִׁמְךָ עָלַי ה' אֱלֹהֵי צְבָאוֹת

Your words were revealed to me, and I ingested, internalized them willingly. Your words were gladness for me and the joy of my heart because Your name was called upon me, Lord, God of hosts. I rejoice in my relationship with You, which has been my only comfort, as my life has become miserable in all other aspects.

לֹא־יָשַׁבְתִּי בְסוֹד מְשַׂחֲקִים וָאֶעְלֹז מִפְּנֵי יָדְךָ בָּדָד יָשַׁבְתִּי כִּי־זַעַם מִלֵּאתָנִי

I did not sit in the company of revelers and delight. I do not participate in festive meals and celebrations, and people do not feel comfortable in my presence. Because of Your hand, due to Your prophetic spirit that overcame me, I sat alone and isolated, for You filled me with fury, through the prophecies of doom that You revealed to me.

לָמָּה הָיָה כְאֵבִי נֶצַח וּמַכָּתִי אֲנוּשָׁה מֵאֲנָה הֵרָפֵא! הָיוֹ תִהְיֶה לִי כְּמוֹ אַכְזָב מַיִם לֹא נֶאֱמָנוּ

Why is my pain eternal and my wound mortal, refusing to be healed? You, Lord, are to me like a failing stream, water that is unreliable, as You allow me to suffer under their hands.

לָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר ה' אִם־תָּשׁוּב – וַאֲשִׁיבְךָ לְפָנַי תַּעֲמֹד וְאִם־תּוֹצִיא יָקָר מִזּוֹלֵל – כְּפִי תִהְיֶה יָשֻׁבוּ הֵמָּה אֵלֶיךָ וְאַתָּה לֹא־תָשׁוּב אֲלֵיהֶם

Therefore, so said the Lord to me: If you return with zeal to your mission, I will assist you and I will restore you, and you will stand before Me. Alternatively, this last clause is the beginning of the next sentence: Likewise, if you will stand before Me, and if you extract that which is precious from the worthless, if you manage to bring out the good in evil people and return them to the upright path, or, alternatively, if you are able to separate good people from the evil, then you shall be like My mouth, as I too extract the honorable from the lowly. Alternatively, by causing them to repent, you will be able to annul My decree of retribution, as though you were equal to Me, and they will return to you, and you will not need to return to them and approach their ways, or out of fear that they might kill you.

וּנְתַתִּיךָ לָעָם הַזֶּה לְחוֹמַת נְחֹשֶׁת בְּצוּרָה וְנִלְחֲמוּ אֵלֶיךָ וְלֹא־יוּכְלוּ לָךְ כִּי־אִתְּךָ אֲנִי לְהוֹשִׁיעֲךָ וּלְהַצִּילֶךָ נְאֻם־ה'

I will render you as a fortified bronze wall to this people, so that you can resist them. And they will make war against you, but they will not prevail against you, as I am with you to save you and to deliver you – the utterance of the Lord.

וְהִצַּלְתִּיךָ מִיַּד רָעִים וּפְדִתִיךָ מִכַּף עָרִיצִים

I will deliver you from the hand of the evil, and I will redeem you from the palm of the forceful. Although many troubles await you, I promise to protect you and save you.