Jeremiah 10:21–25

21 The shepherds are senseless

and do not inquire of the Lord;

so they do not prosper

and all their flock is scattered.

22 Listen! The report is coming—

a great commotion from the land of the north!

It will make the towns of Judah desolate,

a haunt of jackals.

23 Lord, I know that people’s lives are not their own;

it is not for them to direct their steps.

24 Discipline me, Lord, but only in due measure—

not in your anger,

or you will reduce me to nothing.

25 Pour out your wrath on the nations

that do not acknowledge you,

on the peoples who do not call on your name.

For they have devoured Jacob;

they have devoured him completely

and destroyed his homeland.

21 For the pastors are become brutish,

And have not sought the Lord:

Therefore they shall not prosper,

And all their flocks shall be scattered.

22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come,

And a great commotion out of the north country,

To make the cities of Judah desolate,

And a den of dragons.

23 O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself:

It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

24 O Lord, correct me, but with judgment;

Not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

25 Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not,

And upon the families that call not on thy name:

For they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him,

And have made his habitation desolate.

21 The shepherds of my people have lost their senses.

They no longer seek wisdom from the Lord.

Therefore, they fail completely,

and their flocks are scattered.

22 Listen! Hear the terrifying roar of great armies

as they roll down from the north.

The towns of Judah will be destroyed

and become a haunt for jackals.

23 I know, Lord, that our lives are not our own.

We are not able to plan our own course.

24 So correct me, Lord, but please be gentle.

Do not correct me in anger, for I would die.

25 Pour out your wrath on the nations that refuse to acknowledge you—

on the peoples that do not call upon your name.

For they have devoured your people Israel;

they have devoured and consumed them,

making the land a desolate wilderness.

21 For the shepherds have become dull-hearted,

And have not sought the Lord;

Therefore they shall not prosper,

And all their flocks shall be scattered.

22 Behold, the noise of the report has come,

And a great commotion out of the north country,

To make the cities of Judah desolate, a den of jackals.

23 O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself;

It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps.

24 O Lord, correct me, but with justice;

Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.

25 Pour out Your fury on the Gentiles, who do not know You,

And on the families who do not call on Your name;

For they have eaten up Jacob,

Devoured him and consumed him,

And made his dwelling place desolate.

21 The shepherds are stupid

and don’t ask the Lord for advice.

So they do not have success,

and all their flocks are scattered and lost.

22 Listen! The news is coming.

A loud noise comes from the north

to make the towns of Judah an empty desert

and a home for wild dogs!

23 Lord, I know that our lives don’t really belong to us.

We can’t control our own lives.

24 Lord, correct me, but be fair.

Don’t punish me in your anger,

or you will destroy me.

25 Pour out your anger on other nations

that do not know you

and do not pray to you.

Those nations have destroyed the people of Jacob.

They have eaten them up completely

and destroyed their homeland.

21 For the shepherds are become brutish, and have not inquired of Jehovah: therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered. 22 The voice of tidings, behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling-place of jackals.

23 O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. 24 O Jehovah, correct me, but in measure: not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. 25 Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have devoured Jacob, yea, they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.

21 For the shepherds are become brutish, and have not sought Jehovah; therefore have they not acted wisely, and all their flock is scattered. 22 The voice of a rumour! Behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling-place of jackals. 23 I know, Jehovah, that the way of man is not his own; it is not in a man that walketh to direct his steps. 24 Jehovah, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing. 25 Pour out thy fury upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name; for they have eaten up Jacob, yea, they have eaten him up and consumed him, and have laid waste his dwelling-place.

21 The shepherds are foolish. 

They don’t look to the Lord for help. 

That is why they won’t succeed, 

and all their flocks will be scattered. 

22 The report has arrived. 

A tremendous uproar is coming from the land of the north. 

Its army will destroy Judah’s cities 

and make them homes for jackals. 

23 O Lord, I know that the way humans act is not under their control. 

Humans do not direct their steps as they walk. 

24 Correct me, O Lord, but please be fair. 

Don’t correct me when you’re angry. 

Otherwise, you’ll reduce me to nothing. 

25 Pour out your fury on the nations who don’t know you 

and on people who don’t worship you. 

They have devoured the descendants of Jacob. 

They have devoured them completely. 

They have destroyed their homes. 

21 For the shepherds are stupid:

they don’t seek the Lord.

Therefore they have not prospered,

and their whole flock is scattered.

22 Listen! A noise—it is coming—

a great commotion from the land to the north.

The cities of Judah will be made desolate,

a jackals’ den.

23 I know, Lord,

that a man’s way of life is not his own;

no one who walks determines his own steps.

24 Discipline me, Lord, but with justice—

not in Your anger,

or You will reduce me to nothing.

25 Pour out Your wrath on the nations

that don’t recognize You

and on the families

that don’t call on Your name,

for they have consumed Jacob;

they have consumed him and finished him off

and made his homeland desolate.

21 For the shepherds are stupid

and do not inquire of the Lord;

therefore they have not prospered,

and all their flock is scattered.

22 Hear, a noise! Listen, it is coming—

a great commotion from the land of the north

to make the cities of Judah a desolation,

a lair of jackals.

23 I know, O Lord, that the way of humans is not in their control,

that mortals as they walk cannot direct their steps.

24 Correct me, O Lord, but in just measure;

not in your anger, or you will bring me to nothing.

25 Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not know you

and on the peoples that do not call on your name,

for they have devoured Jacob;

they have devoured him and consumed him

and have laid waste his habitation.

21 For the shepherds have become stupid,

they do not seek Yahweh.

Therefore they do not have insight,

and all of their flock are scattered.

22 Listen, news:

Look, it is coming,

a great roar from the land of the north,

to make the cities of Judah a desolation,

a lair of jackals.

23 I know, O Yahweh, that to the human is not his own way,

nor to a person is the walking and the directing of his own step.

24 Chastise me, O Yahweh, but in moderation,

not in your anger, lest you eradicate me.

25 Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not know you,

and on the peoples that do not call on your name,

for they have devoured Jacob,

they have devoured and consumed him,

and they have caused his settlement to be desolate.

21 The leaders of my people are like shepherds

who don’t have any sense.

They don’t ask the Lord for advice.

That’s why they don’t succeed.

And that’s why their whole flock

is scattered like sheep.

22 Listen! A message is coming!

I hear the sound of a great army

marching down from the north!

It will turn Judah’s towns into a desert.

They will become a home for wild dogs.

23 Lord, I know that a man doesn’t control his own life.

He doesn’t direct his own steps.

24 Correct me, Lord. But please be fair.

Don’t correct me when you are angry.

If you do, nothing will be left of me.

25 Pour out your burning anger on the nations.

They don’t pay any attention to you.

They refuse to worship you.

They have destroyed the people of Jacob.

They’ve wiped them out completely.

They’ve also destroyed the land they lived in.

21 For the shepherds have become stupid

And have not sought the Lord;

Therefore they have not prospered,

And all their flock is scattered.

22 The sound of a report! Behold, it comes—

A great commotion out of the land of the north—

To make the cities of Judah

A desolation, a haunt of jackals.

23 I know, O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself,

Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.

24 Correct me, O Lord, but with justice;

Not with Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing.

25 Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You

And on the families that do not call Your name;

For they have devoured Jacob;

They have devoured him and consumed him

And have laid waste his habitation.