Jeremiah 4

“If you will return, Israel, says Yahweh, if you will return to me and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight, then you will not be removed,

and you will swear, ‘As Yahweh lives,’ in truth, in justice and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in him, and in him they will glory.”

For this is what Yahweh says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns.

Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest my wrath come out like fire and burn so that none can quench it because of the evil of your doings.”

Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say, “Blow the shofar in the land! Cry out aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves! Let’s go into the fortified cities!’

Set up a standard toward Zion. Flee for safety! Do not wait, for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

A lion has gone up from his thicket, even a destroyer of nations; he is on his way, he has gone out from his place to make your land desolate, so that your cities are laid waste without inhabitant.

Because of this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of Yahweh has not turned back from us.”

“On that day, says Yahweh, the heart of the king will perish, and the heart of the rulers, and the priests will be astonished and the prophets will wonder.”

Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Surely you have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace,’ whereas the sword reaches to the heart.”

At that time will it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert is coming toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow nor to cleanse;

a wind too strong for that will come from me. Now I will also utter judgments against them.”

“Behold, he will come up as clouds and his chariots will be as the whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined.

Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge inside you?

For a voice declares from Dan, and proclaims evil from the hills of Ephraim.

Tell the nations; behold, proclaim against Jerusalem, ‘Watchers come from a far country and raise their voice against the cities of Judah.

Like guards guarding a field, they are against her from all around her, because she has been rebellious against me,’” says Yahweh.

“Your way and your doings have brought these things upon you. This is your punishment. How bitter! It reached your heart!”

My bowels, my bowels! I am in anguish. Oh, my heart! My heart is pounding within me. I cannot keep silent because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the shofar, the alarm of war.

Destruction on destruction is cried out, for the whole land is laid waste; suddenly my tents are destroyed, and my tent curtains in a moment.

How long must I see the battle flag and hear the sound of the shofar?

“For my people are fools, they do not know me. They are senseless children, and they have no understanding. They are skillful in doing evil, but they do not know how to do good.”

I saw the earth, and behold, it was formless and empty, and I saw the heavens, and they had no light.

I saw the mountains, and behold, they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth.

I saw, and behold, there was no human there, and all the birds of the air had fled.

I saw, and behold, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of Yahweh, before his fierce anger.

For this is what Yahweh says, “The whole land will be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.

The earth will mourn because of this, and the heavens above will be black because I have spoken it. I have purposed it and I will not repent, nor will I turn back from it.”

Every city flees because of the noise of the horsemen and archers; they go into the thickets and climb up on the rocks; every city is abandoned, and not a person lives in them.

You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with paint, you are making yourself beautiful in vain; your lovers despise you, they seek your life.

For I have heard a voice like that of a woman in labor, the anguish like that of she who brings forth her first child, the voice of Daughter Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, saying, “Woe is me now! For my soul faints before the murderers.”