Jeremiah 15:10–12

10 Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth,

a man with whom the whole land strives and contends!

I have neither lent nor borrowed,

yet everyone curses me.

11 The Lord said,

“Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose;

surely I will make your enemies plead with you

in times of disaster and times of distress.

12 “Can a man break iron—

iron from the north—or bronze?

10 Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me. 11 The Lord said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction. 12 Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?

10 Then I said,

“What sorrow is mine, my mother.

Oh, that I had died at birth!

I am hated everywhere I go.

I am neither a lender who threatens to foreclose

nor a borrower who refuses to pay—

yet they all curse me.”

11 The Lord replied,

“I will take care of you, Jeremiah.

Your enemies will ask you to plead on their behalf

in times of trouble and distress.

12 Can a man break a bar of iron from the north,

or a bar of bronze?

10 Woe is me, my mother,

That you have borne me,

A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth!

I have neither lent for interest,

Nor have men lent to me for interest.

Every one of them curses me.

11 The Lord said:

“Surely it will be well with your remnant;

Surely I will cause the enemy to intercede with you

In the time of adversity and in the time of affliction.

12 Can anyone break iron,

The northern iron and the bronze?

10 Mother, I am sorry that you gave birth to me

since I must accuse and criticize the whole land.

I have not loaned or borrowed anything,

but everyone curses me.

11 The Lord said,

“I have saved you for a good reason.

I have made your enemies beg you

in times of disaster and trouble.

12 No one can smash a piece of iron or bronze

that comes from the north.

10 Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have not lent, neither have men lent to me; yet every one of them doth curse me.

11 Jehovah said, Verily I will strengthen thee for good; verily I will cause the enemy to make supplication unto thee in the time of evil and in the time of affliction. 12 Can one break iron, even iron from the north, and brass?

10 Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole land! I have not lent on usury, nor have they lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me. 11 Jehovah said, Verily I will set thee free for thy good; verily I will cause the enemy to meet thee kindly in the time of evil and in the time of affliction. 12 Will iron break? iron from the north? and bronze?

10 I’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. 

11 The 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. 

12 (No one can break iron, iron from the north, or bronze.) 

10 Woe is me, my mother,

that you gave birth to me,

a man who incites dispute and conflict

in all the land.

I did not lend or borrow,

yet everyone curses me.

11 The Lord said:

I will certainly set you free and care for you.

I will certainly intercede for you

in a time of trouble,

in your time of distress, with the enemy.

12 Can anyone smash iron,

iron from the north, or bronze?

10 Woe is me, my mother, that you ever bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet all of them curse me. 11 The Lord said: Surely I have intervened in your life for good; surely I have brought enemies upon you in a time of trouble and in a time of distress. 12 Can one break iron, iron from the north, and bronze?

10 Woe to me, O my mother, that you gave birth to me,

a man of contention and quarreling to the whole land.

I have not lent out and I have not borrowed.

All of them are cursing me.

11 Yahweh said,

“Surely I will set you free to be good for you,

surely I will cause the enemy to intercede with you

in a time of trouble,

and in a time of distress.

12 Can anyone break iron,

iron from the north, or bronze?

10 My mother, I wish I had never been born!

The whole land opposes me.

They fight against me.

I haven’t made loans to anyone.

And I haven’t borrowed anything.

But everyone still calls down curses on me.

11 The Lord said,

“Jeremiah, I will keep you safe for a good purpose.

I will make your enemies ask you to pray for them.

They will make their appeal to you

when they are in great trouble.

12 “People of Judah, the armies of Babylonia

will come from the north.

They are as strong as iron and bronze.

Can anyone break their power?

10 Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me

As a man of strife and a man of contention to all the land!

I have not lent, nor have men lent money to me,

Yet everyone curses me.

11 The Lord said, “Surely I will set you free for purposes of good;

Surely I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you

In a time of disaster and a time of distress.

12 “Can anyone smash iron,

Iron from the north, or bronze?