Jeremiah 15:5–11

⁵No one will take pity on you, Jerusalem. 

No one will mourn for you. 

No one will bother to ask how you are doing. 

⁶You have left me,” declares the Lord. 

“You have turned your back on me. 

So I will use my power against you and destroy you. 

I’m tired of showing compassion to you. 

⁷“I will separate them with a winnowing^ashovel at the city gates. 

I will make them childless. 

I will destroy my people because they will not change their ways. 

⁸Their widows will be more numerous 

than the grains of sand on the seashore. 

At noontime I will send a destroyer against the mothers of young men. 

I will suddenly bring anguish and terror to them. 

⁹A mother who gives birth to seven sons will grow faint 

and breathe her last. 

She will die, ashamed and humiliated, 

while it is still daylight. 

I will put survivors from these people to death 

in the presence of their enemies,” declares the Lord. 

Jeremiah Complains Bitterly

¹⁰I’m so miserable! Why did my mother give birth to me? 

I am a man who argues and quarrels with the whole earth. 

I have never lent or borrowed anything. 

Yet, everyone curses me. 

¹¹The Lord said, 

“I will certainly rescue you for a good reason. 

I will certainly make your enemies plead with you 

in times of disaster and in times of distress.