4 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says:

“ ‘When people fall down, do they not get up?

When someone turns away, do they not return?

5 Why then have these people turned away?

Why does Jerusalem always turn away?

They cling to deceit;

they refuse to return.

6 I have listened attentively,

but they do not say what is right.

None of them repent of their wickedness,

saying, “What have I done?”

Each pursues their own course

like a horse charging into battle.

7 Even the stork in the sky

knows her appointed seasons,

and the dove, the swift and the thrush

observe the time of their migration.

But my people do not know

the requirements of the Lord.

8 “ ‘How can you say, “We are wise,

for we have the law of the Lord,”

when actually the lying pen of the scribes

has handled it falsely?

4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? 5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. 7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord. 8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.

4 “Jeremiah, say to the people, ‘This is what the Lord says:

“ ‘When people fall down, don’t they get up again?

When they discover they’re on the wrong road, don’t they turn back?

5 Then why do these people stay on their self-destructive path?

Why do the people of Jerusalem refuse to turn back?

They cling tightly to their lies

and will not turn around.

6 I listen to their conversations

and don’t hear a word of truth.

Is anyone sorry for doing wrong?

Does anyone say, “What a terrible thing I have done”?

No! All are running down the path of sin

as swiftly as a horse galloping into battle!

7 Even the stork that flies across the sky

knows the time of her migration,

as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane.

They all return at the proper time each year.

But not my people!

They do not know the Lord’s laws.

8 “ ‘How can you say, “We are wise because we have the word of the Lord,”

when your teachers have twisted it by writing lies?

4 “Moreover you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord:

“Will they fall and not rise?

Will one turn away and not return?

5 Why has this people slidden back,

Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding?

They hold fast to deceit,

They refuse to return.

6 I listened and heard,

But they do not speak aright.

No man repented of his wickedness,

Saying, ‘What have I done?’

Everyone turned to his own course,

As the horse rushes into the battle.

7 “Even the stork in the heavens

Knows her appointed times;

And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow

Observe the time of their coming.

But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord.

8 “How can you say, ‘We are wise,

And the law of the Lord is with us’?

Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.

4 “Say to the people of Judah: ‘This is what the Lord says:

When people fall down, don’t they get up again?

And when someone goes the wrong way, doesn’t he turn back?

5 Why, then, have the people of Jerusalem gone the wrong way

and not turned back?

They believe their own lies

and refuse to turn around and come back.

6 I have listened to them very carefully,

but they do not say what is right.

They do not feel sorry about their wicked ways,

saying, “What have I done?”

Each person goes his own way,

like a horse charging into a battle.

7 Even the birds in the sky

know the right times to do things.

The storks, doves, swifts, and thrushes

know when it is time to migrate.

But my people don’t know

what the Lord wants them to do.

8 “ ‘You keep saying, “We are wise,

because we have the teachings of the Lord.”

But actually, those who explain the Scriptures

have written lies with their pens.

4 Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah: Shall men fall, and not rise up again? Shall one turn away, and not return? 5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turneth to his course, as a horse that rusheth headlong in the battle. 7 Yea, the stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the law of Jehovah.

8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of Jehovah is with us? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes hath wrought falsely.

4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah: Do men fall, and not rise up? Doth one turn away, and not return? 5 Why hath this people of Jerusalem slidden back with a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6 I hearkened and heard: they speak not what is right; there is no man who repenteth him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Every one turneth to his course, like a horse rushing into the battle. 7 Even a stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed times, and the turtle-dove and the swallow and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of Jehovah. 8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of Jehovah is with us? Behold, certainly the lying pen of the scribes hath made it falsehood.

4 “Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: 

When someone falls, he gets back up. 

When someone turns away from me, he returns. 

5 The people of Jerusalem turned away from me without ever returning. 

They still cling to deceit. 

They refuse to return. 

6 I have paid attention and listened, 

but they weren’t honest. 

They don’t turn away from their wickedness and ask, 

“What have we done?” 

They go their own ways like horses charging into battle. 

7 Even storks know when it’s time to return. 

Mourning doves, swallows, and cranes know 

when it’s time to migrate. 

But my people don’t know 

that I, the Lord, am urging them to return. 

8 “ ‘How can you say that you are wise 

and that you have the Lord’s teachings? 

The scribes have used their pens to turn these teachings into lies. 

4 “You are to say to them: This is what the Lord says:

Do people fall and not get up again?

If they turn away, do they not return?

5 Why have these people turned away?

Why is Jerusalem always turning away?

They take hold of deceit;

they refuse to return.

6 I have paid careful attention.

They do not speak what is right.

No one regrets his evil,

asking, ‘What have I done?’

Everyone has stayed his course

like a horse rushing into battle.

7 Even the stork in the sky

knows her seasons.

The turtledove, swallow, and crane

are aware of their migration,

but My people do not know

the requirements of the Lord.

8 “How can you claim, ‘We are wise;

the law of the Lord is with us’?

In fact, the lying pen of scribes

has produced falsehood.

4 You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord:

When people fall, do they not get up again?

If they go astray, do they not turn back?

5 Why then has this people turned away

in perpetual backsliding?

They have held fast to deceit,

they have refused to return.

6 I have given heed and listened,

but they do not speak honestly;

no one repents of wickedness,

saying, “What have I done!”

All of them turn to their own course,

like a horse plunging headlong into battle.

7 Even the stork in the heavens

knows its times;

and the turtledove, swallow, and crane

observe the time of their coming;

but my people do not know

the ordinance of the Lord.

8 How can you say, “We are wise,

and the law of the Lord is with us,”

when, in fact, the false pen of the scribes

has made it into a lie?

4 “And you shall say to them, ‘Thus asks Yahweh:

“Do men fall and not stand up?

If one turns away does he not return?

5 Why has this people, Jerusalem, turned away in enduring apostasy?

They have kept hold of deceit, they have refused to return.

6 I have listened attentively,

and I have listened.

They do not speak honestly,

there is no man who regrets his wickedness, saying, ‘What have I done?’

All of them are turning to their ways of running,

like a horse plunging into battle.

7 Even the stork in heaven knows its appointed time,

and the turtledove, and the swallow, and the song bird,

they observe the time of their coming.

But my people do not know the ordinance of Yahweh.

8 How can you say, ‘We are wise and the law of Yahweh is with us’?

Look, surely the lying stylus of the scribes has made it a lie.

4 “Jeremiah, tell them, ‘The Lord says,

“ ‘ “When people fall down, don’t they get up again?

When someone turns away, doesn’t he come back?

5 Then why have the people of Jerusalem turned away from me?

Why do they always turn away?

They keep on telling lies.

They refuse to come back to me.

6 I have listened carefully.

But they do not say what is right.

They refuse to turn away from their sins.

No one says, ‘What have I done?’

All of them go their own way.

They are like horses charging into battle.

7 Storks know when to fly south.

So do doves, swifts and thrushes.

But my people do not know

what I require them to do.

8 “ ‘ “How can you people say, ‘We are wise.

We have the law of the Lord’?

Actually, the teachers of the law have told lies about it.

Their pens have not written what is true.

4 “You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord,

“Do men fall and not get up again?

Does one turn away and not repent?

5 “Why then has this people, Jerusalem,

Turned away in continual apostasy?

They hold fast to deceit,

They refuse to return.

6 “I have listened and heard,

They have spoken what is not right;

No man repented of his wickedness,

Saying, ‘What have I done?’

Everyone turned to his course,

Like a horse charging into the battle.

7 “Even the stork in the sky

Knows her seasons;

And the turtledove and the swift and the thrush

Observe the time of their migration;

But My people do not know

The ordinance of the Lord.

8 “How can you say, ‘We are wise,

And the law of the Lord is with us’?

But behold, the lying pen of the scribes

Has made it into a lie.