TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

Chapter 14

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1The word of Hashem which came to Yirmiyahu concerning the droughts.

אאֲשֶׁר הָיָה דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֶל־יִרְמְיָהוּ עַל־דִּבְרֵי הַבַּצָּרוֹת׃

2Yehuda is in mourning, Her settlements languish. Men are bowed to the ground, And the outcry of Yerushalayim rises.

באָבְלָה יְהוּדָה וּשְׁעָרֶיהָ אֻמְלְלוּ קָדְרוּ לָאָרֶץ וְצִוְחַת יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם עָלָתָה׃

3Their nobles sent their servants for water; They came to the cisterns, they found no water. They returned, their vessels empty. They are shamed and humiliated, They cover their heads.

גוְאַדִּרֵיהֶם שָׁלְחוּ צעוריהם [צְעִירֵיהֶם] לַמָּיִם בָּאוּ עַל־גֵּבִים לֹא־מָצְאוּ מַיִם שָׁבוּ כְלֵיהֶם רֵיקָם בֹּשׁוּ וְהָכְלְמוּ וְחָפוּ רֹאשָׁם׃

4Because of the ground there is dismay, For there has been no rain on the earth. The plowmen are shamed, They cover their heads.

דבַּעֲבוּר הָאֲדָמָה חַתָּה כִּי לֹא־הָיָה גֶשֶׁם בָּאָרֶץ בֹּשׁוּ אִכָּרִים חָפוּ רֹאשָׁם׃

5Even the hind in the field Forsakes her new-born fawn, Because there is no grass.

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

6And the wild asses stand on the bare heights, Snuffing the air like jackals; Their eyes pine, Because there is no herbage.

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

7Though our iniquities testify against us, Act, Hashem, for the sake of Your name; Though our rebellions are many And we have sinned against You.

im a-vo-NAY-nu A-nu VA-nu a-do-NAI a-SAY l'-MA-an sh'-ME-kha kee ra-BU m'-shu-vo-TAY-nu l'-KHA kha-TA-nu

זאִם־עֲוׂנֵינוּ עָנוּ בָנוּ יְהֹוָה עֲשֵׂה לְמַעַן שְׁמֶךָ כִּי־רַבּוּ מְשׁוּבֹתֵינוּ לְךָ חָטָאנוּ׃

14:7   We have sinned against You

This chapter contains a prophecy to Yirmiyahu “concerning the droughts” (verse 1). Due to lack of water, neither people nor animals have enough to eat or drink, and therefore Yehuda is in a state of mourning. Since Israel is a land with few rivers and lakes, it is dependent on rain from Heaven for its subsistence. As such, Sefer Devarim (11:11-12) states that Eretz Yisrael “soaks up its water from the rains of heaven. It is a land which Hashem your God looks after, on which Hashem your God always keeps His eye.” Because the Israelites are dependent on Hashem for their water, the amount of rain that falls is reflective of the relationship between the people and their Creator. Droughts are sent to encourage Israel to repent and to reevaluate their relationship with God. The lack of water at this time is indicative of the fact that the people have sinned against Hashem.

8O Hope of Yisrael, Its deliverer in time of trouble, Why are You like a stranger in the land, Like a traveler who stops only for the night?

חמִקְוֵה יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹשִׁיעוֹ בְּעֵת צָרָה לָמָּה תִהְיֶה כְּגֵר בָּאָרֶץ וּכְאֹרֵחַ נָטָה לָלוּן׃

9Why are You like a man who is stunned, Like a warrior who cannot give victory? Yet You are in our midst, Hashem, And Your name is attached to us— Do not forsake us!

טלָמָּה תִהְיֶה כְּאִישׁ נִדְהָם כְּגִבּוֹר לֹא־יוּכַל לְהוֹשִׁיעַ וְאַתָּה בְקִרְבֵּנוּ יְהֹוָה וְשִׁמְךָ עָלֵינוּ נִקְרָא אַל־תַּנִּחֵנוּ׃

10Thus said Hashem concerning this people: “Truly, they love to stray, they have not restrained their feet; so Hashem has no pleasure in them. Now He will recall their iniquity and punish their sin.”

יכֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה לָעָם הַזֶּה כֵּן אָהֲבוּ לָנוּעַ רַגְלֵיהֶם לֹא חָשָׂכוּ וַיהֹוָה לֹא רָצָם עַתָּה יִזְכֹּר עֲוׂנָם וְיִפְקֹד חַטֹּאתָם׃

11And Hashem said to me, “Do not pray for the benefit of this people.

יאוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֵלָי אַל־תִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד־הָעָם הַזֶּה לְטוֹבָה׃

12When they fast, I will not listen to their outcry; and when they present burnt offering and meal offering, I will not accept them. I will exterminate them by war, famine, and disease.”

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

13I said, “Ah, Hashem! The Neviim are saying to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, famine shall not come upon you, but I will give you unfailing security in this place.'”

יגוָאֹמַר אֲהָהּ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה הִנֵּה הַנְּבִאִים אֹמְרִים לָהֶם לֹא־תִרְאוּ חֶרֶב וְרָעָב לֹא־יִהְיֶה לָכֶם כִּי־שְׁלוֹם אֱמֶת אֶתֵּן לָכֶם בַּמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה׃

14Hashem replied: It is a lie that the Neviim utter in My name. I have not sent them or commanded them. I have not spoken to them. A lying vision, an empty divination, the deceit of their own contriving—that is what they prophesy to you!

ידוַיֹּאמֶר יְהֹוָה אֵלַי שֶׁקֶר הַנְּבִאִים נִבְּאִים בִּשְׁמִי לֹא שְׁלַחְתִּים וְלֹא צִוִּיתִים וְלֹא דִבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵיהֶם חֲזוֹן שֶׁקֶר וְקֶסֶם ואלול [וֶאֱלִיל] ותרמות [וְתַרְמִית] לִבָּם הֵמָּה מִתְנַבְּאִים לָכֶם׃

15Assuredly, thus said Hashem concerning the Neviim who prophesy in My name though I have not sent them, and who say, “Sword and famine shall not befall this land”; those very Neviim shall perish by sword and famine.

טולָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה עַל־הַנְּבִאִים הַנִּבְּאִים בִּשְׁמִי וַאֲנִי לֹא־שְׁלַחְתִּים וְהֵמָּה אֹמְרִים חֶרֶב וְרָעָב לֹא יִהְיֶה בָּאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת בַּחֶרֶב וּבָרָעָב יִתַּמּוּ הַנְּבִאִים הָהֵמָּה׃

16And the people to whom they prophesy shall be left lying in the streets of Yerushalayim because of the famine and the sword, with none to bury them—they, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. I will pour out upon them [the requital of] their wickedness.

טזוְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר־הֵמָּה נִבְּאִים לָהֶם יִהְיוּ מֻשְׁלָכִים בְּחֻצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם מִפְּנֵי הָרָעָב וְהַחֶרֶב וְאֵין מְקַבֵּר לָהֵמָּה הֵמָּה נְשֵׁיהֶם וּבְנֵיהֶם וּבְנֹתֵיהֶם וְשָׁפַכְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת־רָעָתָם׃

17And do you speak to them thus: Let my eyes run with tears, Day and night let them not cease, For my hapless people has suffered A grievous injury, a very painful wound.

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

18If I go out to the country— Lo, the slain of the sword. If I enter the city— Lo, those who are sick with famine. Both Kohen and Navi roam the land, They know not where.

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

19Have You, then, rejected Yehuda? Have You spurned Tzion? Why have You smitten us So that there is no cure? Why do we hope for happiness, But find no good; For a time of healing, And meet terror instead?

יטהֲמָאֹס מָאַסְתָּ אֶת־יְהוּדָה אִם־בְּצִיּוֹן גָּעֲלָה נַפְשֶׁךָ מַדּוּעַ הִכִּיתָנוּ וְאֵין לָנוּ מַרְפֵּא קַוֵּה לְשָׁלוֹם וְאֵין טוֹב וּלְעֵת מַרְפֵּא וְהִנֵּה בְעָתָה׃

20We acknowledge our wickedness, Hashem— The iniquity of our fathers— For we have sinned against You.

כיָדַעְנוּ יְהֹוָה רִשְׁעֵנוּ עֲוׂן אֲבוֹתֵינוּ כִּי חָטָאנוּ לָךְ׃

21For Your name's sake, do not disown us; Do not dishonor Your glorious throne. Remember, do not annul Your covenant with us.

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

22Can any of the false gods of the nations give rain? Can the skies of themselves give showers? Only You can, Hashem our God! So we hope in You, For only You made all these things.

כבהֲיֵשׁ בְּהַבְלֵי הַגּוֹיִם מַגְשִׁמִים וְאִם־הַשָּׁמַיִם יִתְּנוּ רְבִבִים הֲלֹא אַתָּה־הוּא יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ וּנְקַוֶּה־לָּךְ כִּי־אַתָּה עָשִׂיתָ אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה׃