Jeremiah 4:13–22

¹³Look, he comes up like the clouds,

and his chariots are like the whirlwind,

his horses are swifter than eagles,

woe to us, for we are devastated.

¹⁴Cleanse your heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem,

so that you may be saved.

How long^q will your thoughts of mischief

dwell in your inner part?

¹⁵For a voice is declaring from Dan,

and is proclaiming disaster from the mountain of Ephraim.

¹⁶“Report to the nations, ‘Here they are!’

Proclaim against Jerusalem,

‘Besiegers are coming from a distant land,^r

and they raise their voice against the cities of Judah.’

¹⁷Like watchers of a field they were against her from all around,

because she has rebelled against me,” declares^s Yahweh.

¹⁸“You obtained this for yourself

because of your way and your deeds.

This is your doom, for it is bitter,

yes, it has reached up to your heart.”

¹⁹My bowels, my bowels! I writhe!

The walls of my heart!

My heart is restless within me, I cannot keep silent,

for I hear in my inner self the sound of a horn, the alarm of war.

²⁰Destruction on destruction is proclaimed,

for all of the land is devastated.

Suddenly my tents are devastated,

my tent curtains in a moment.

²¹How long must I see the banner,

and hear the sound of a horn?

²²“For my people are foolish,

they have not known me.

They are foolish children,

and they do not have insight.

They are skillful at doing evil,

and they do not know how to do good.”