Jeremiah 4:23–29

I looked at the earth,

and it was formless and empty;

and at the heavens,

and their light was gone.

I looked at the mountains,

and they were quaking;

all the hills were swaying.

I looked, and there were no people;

every bird in the sky had flown away.

I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert;

all its towns lay in ruins

before the Lord, before his fierce anger.

This is what the Lord says:

“The whole land will be ruined,

though I will not destroy it completely.

Therefore the earth will mourn

and the heavens above grow dark,

because I have spoken and will not relent,

I have decided and will not turn back.”

At the sound of horsemen and archers

every town takes to flight.

Some go into the thickets;

some climb up among the rocks.

All the towns are deserted;

no one lives in them.

I looked at the earth,

and it was formless and empty.

I looked to the heavens,

and their light was gone.

I looked at the mountains,

and they were quaking;

all the hills shook.

I looked, and there was no human being,

and all the birds of the sky had fled.

I looked, and the fertile field was a wilderness.

All its cities were torn down

because of the Lord

and his burning anger.

For this is what the Lord says:

“The whole land will be a desolation,

but I will not finish it off.

Because of this, the earth will mourn;

the skies above will grow dark.

I have spoken; I have planned,

and I will not relent or turn back from it.”

Every city flees

at the sound of the horseman and the archer.

They enter the thickets

and climb among the rocks.

Every city is abandoned;

no inhabitant is left.

I looked at the earth, and it was empty and formless.

I looked at the heavens, and there was no light.

I looked at the mountains and hills,

and they trembled and shook.

I looked, and all the people were gone.

All the birds of the sky had flown away.

I looked, and the fertile fields had become a wilderness.

The towns lay in ruins,

crushed by the Lord’s fierce anger.

This is what the Lord says:

“The whole land will be ruined,

but I will not destroy it completely.

The earth will mourn

and the heavens will be draped in black

because of my decree against my people.

I have made up my mind and will not change it.”

At the noise of charioteers and archers,

the people flee in terror.

They hide in the bushes

and run for the mountains.

All the towns have been abandoned—

not a person remains!

I looked at the earth, and behold, it was wasteland and emptiness,

and to the heavens, and they were without their light.

I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking,

and all of the hills were jolted to and fro.

I looked and behold, there was no person,

and all of the birds of the sky had fled.

I looked and behold, the fruitful land was a desert,

and all of its cities were ruined before Yahweh,

before the face of his burning anger.

For thus says Yahweh, “All of the land will be a desolation,

yet I will not make a complete desolation.

Because of this the earth will mourn,

and the heavens above will become dark.

Because I have spoken, I have planned,

and I have not relented, and I will not turn back from it.”

From the sound of a horseman and an archer every town flees,

they enter in the thickets and among the rocks they climb.

Every town is forsaken,

and there is no person who lives in them.

I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void;

And the heavens, and they had no light.

I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled,

And all the hills moved lightly.

I beheld, and, lo, there was no man,

And all the birds of the heavens were fled.

I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness,

And all the cities thereof were broken down

At the presence of the Lord, and by his fierce anger.

For thus hath the Lord said,

The whole land shall be desolate;

Yet will I not make a full end.

For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black:

Because I have spoken it, I have purposed it,

And will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.

The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen;

They shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks:

Every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.