Jeremiah 20:7–13

Jeremiah Curses the Day He Was Born

⁷O Yahweh, You have enticed me, and I was enticed;

You were ^astronger than I, and You prevailed.

I have become a ^blaughingstock all day long;

Everyone ^cmocks me.

⁸For each time I speak, I cry aloud;

I ^acall out violence and devastation

Because for me the ^bword of Yahweh has ¹resulted

In reproach and derision all day long.

⁹But if I say, “I will not ^aremember Him

Or speak anymore in His name,”

Then in ^bmy heart it becomes like a burning fire

Shut up in my bones;

And I am weary of holding it in,

And ^cI cannot prevail.

¹⁰For ^aI have heard the bad report of many,

“^bTerror on every side!

^cDenounce him; yes, let us denounce him!”

¹All my ^dtrusted friends,

Keeping watch for my fall, say:

“Perhaps he will be ²deceived, so that we may ^eprevail against him

And take our revenge on him.”

¹¹But ^aYahweh is with me like a ruthless mighty one;

Therefore my ^bpersecutors will stumble and not prevail.

They will be utterly ashamed, because they have not prospered,

With an ^ceverlasting dishonor that will not be forgotten.

¹²Yet, O Yahweh of hosts, You who ^atest the righteous,

Who see the ¹mind and the heart;

Let me ^bsee Your vengeance on them,

For ^cto You I have revealed my cause.

^13aSing to Yahweh, praise Yahweh!

For He has ^bdelivered the soul of the needy one

From the hand of evildoers.