1The word of Yehovah that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought. 2Judah mourns, and its gates languish, they sit in black upon the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem has gone up. 3And their nobles send their little ones to the waters: they come to the cisterns, and find no water; they return with their vessels empty; they are put to shame and confounded, and cover their heads. 4Because of the ground which is cracked, since no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are put to shame, they cover their heads. 5Indeed, the doe also in the field calves, and forsakes her young, because there is no grass. 6And the wild donkeys stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals; their eyes fail, because there is no herbage. 7Though our iniquities testify against us, act for your name’s sake, O Yehovah; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against you. 8O hope of Israel, its Savior in the time of trouble, why should you be as a sojourner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to stay for a night? 9Why should you be as a man dismayed, as a mighty man who cannot save? Yet you, O Yehovah, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us. 10Thus says Yehovah to this people, Even so have they loved to wander; they have not restrained their feet: therefore Yehovah does not accept them; now he will remember their iniquity, and visit their sins. 11And Yehovah said to me, Do not pray for this people for their good. 12When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them; but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence. 13Then I said, Ah, Lord Yehovah! behold, the prophets say to them, You shall not see the sword, neither shall you have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. 14Then Yehovah said to me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I did not send them, neither have I commanded them, nor did I speak to them: they prophesy to you a lying vision, and divination, and a thing of nothing, and the deceit of their own heart. 15Therefore thus says Yehovah concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name, and I did not send them, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land: By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed. 16And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have no one to bury them—them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them. 17And you shall say this word to them, Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and do not let them cease; for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound. 18If I go out into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then, behold, those who are sick with famine! for both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge. 19Have you utterly rejected Judah? has your soul loathed Zion? why have you struck us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and, behold, dismay! 20We acknowledge, O Yehovah, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers; for we have sinned against you. 21Do not abhor us, for your name’s sake; do not disgrace the throne of your glory: remember, do not break your covenant with us. 22Are there any among the vanities of the nations that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? are you not he, O Yehovah our God? therefore we will wait for you; for you have made all these things.