9 But if I say, “I will not mention his word

or speak anymore in his name,”

his word is in my heart like a fire,

a fire shut up in my bones.

I am weary of holding it in;

indeed, I cannot.

10 I hear many whispering,

“Terror on every side!

Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!”

All my friends

are waiting for me to slip, saying,

“Perhaps he will be deceived;

then we will prevail over him

and take our revenge on him.”

9 Then I said, I will not make mention of him,

Nor speak any more in his name.

But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones,

And I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

10 For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side.

Report, say they, and we will report it.

All my familiars watched for my halting, saying,

Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him,

And we shall take our revenge on him.

9 But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord

or speak in his name,

his word burns in my heart like a fire.

It’s like a fire in my bones!

I am worn out trying to hold it in!

I can’t do it!

10 I have heard the many rumors about me.

They call me “The Man Who Lives in Terror.”

They threaten, “If you say anything, we will report it.”

Even my old friends are watching me,

waiting for a fatal slip.

“He will trap himself,” they say,

“and then we will get our revenge on him.”

9 Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him,

Nor speak anymore in His name.”

But His word was in my heart like a burning fire

Shut up in my bones;

I was weary of holding it back,

And I could not.

10 For I heard many mocking:

“Fear on every side!”

“Report,” they say, “and we will report it!”

All my acquaintances watched for my stumbling, saying,

“Perhaps he can be induced;

Then we will prevail against him,

And we will take our revenge on him.”

9 Sometimes I say to myself,

“I will forget about the Lord.

I will not speak anymore in his name.”

But then his message becomes like a burning fire inside me,

deep within my bones.

I get tired of trying to hold it inside of me,

and finally, I cannot hold it in.

10 I hear many people whispering about me:

“Terror on every side!

Tell on him! Let’s tell the rulers about him.”

My friends are all just waiting for me to make some mistake.

They are saying,

“Maybe we can trick him

so we can defeat him

and pay him back.”

9 And if I say, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot contain. 10 For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, say all my familiar friends, they that watch for my fall; peradventure he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

9 And I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name: but it was in my heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones; and I became wearied with holding in, and I could not. 10 For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side: Report, and we will report it. All my familiars are watching for my stumbling: Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him; and we shall take our revenge on him.

9 I think to myself, “I can forget the Lord 

and no longer speak his name.” 

But ⸤his word⸥ is inside me like a burning fire shut up in my bones. 

I wear myself out holding it in, but I can’t do it any longer. 

10 I have heard many ⸤people⸥ whispering, 

“Terror is everywhere! 

Report him! Let’s report him!” 

All my closest friends are waiting to see me stumble. 

They say, “Maybe he will be tricked. 

Then we can overpower him and take revenge on him.” 

9 If I say, “I won’t mention Him

or speak any longer in His name,”

His message becomes a fire burning in my heart,

shut up in my bones.

I become tired of holding it in,

and I cannot prevail.

10 For I have heard the gossip of many people,

“Terror is on every side!

Report him; let’s report him!”

Everyone I trusted watches for my fall.

“Perhaps he will be deceived

so that we might prevail against him

and take our vengeance on him.”

9 If I say, “I will not mention him,

or speak any more in his name,”

then within me there is something like a burning fire

shut up in my bones;

I am weary with holding it in,

and I cannot.

10 For I hear many whispering:

“Terror is all around!

Denounce him! Let us denounce him!”

All my close friends

are watching for me to stumble.

“Perhaps he can be enticed,

and we can prevail against him,

and take our revenge on him.”

9 But if I say, “I will not mention him

and I will no longer speak in his name,”

then it becomes in my heart like a fire burning,

locked up in my bones,

and I struggle to contain it,

and I am not able.

10 For I hear the rumor of many,

“Terror is from all around, denounce him,

yes, let us denounce him!”

All my close friends are watchers of my stumbling,

saying, “perhaps he can be persuaded,

and we can prevail over him,

and we can take our revenge on him.”

9 Sometimes I think, “I won’t talk about him anymore.

I’ll never speak in his name again.”

But then your message burns in my heart.

It’s like a fire inside my very bones.

I’m tired of holding it in.

In fact, I can’t.

10 I hear many people whispering,

“There is terror on every side!

Report Jeremiah! Let’s report him to the authorities!”

All of my friends

are waiting for me to slip.

They are saying, “Perhaps he will be tricked

into making a mistake.

Then we’ll win out over him.

We’ll get even with him.”

9 But if I say, “I will not remember Him

Or speak anymore in His name,”

Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire

Shut up in my bones;

And I am weary of holding it in,

And I cannot endure it.

10 For I have heard the whispering of many,

“Terror on every side!

Denounce him; yes, let us denounce him!”

All my trusted friends,

Watching for my fall, say:

“Perhaps he will be deceived, so that we may prevail against him

And take our revenge on him.”