Jeremiah 20:7–9

O Lord, you have deceived me,

and I was deceived;

you are stronger than I,

and you have prevailed.

I have become a laughingstock all the day;

everyone mocks me.

For whenever I speak, I cry out,

I shout, “Violence and destruction!”

For the word of the Lord has become for me

a reproach and derision all day long.

If I say, “I will not mention him,

or speak any more in his name,”

there is in my heart as it were a burning fire

shut up in my bones,

and I am weary with holding it in,

and I cannot.

You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived;

you overpowered me and prevailed.

I am ridiculed all day long;

everyone mocks me.

Whenever I speak, I cry out

proclaiming violence and destruction.

So the word of the Lord has brought me

insult and reproach all day long.

But if I say, “I will not mention his word

or speak anymore in his name,”

his word is in my heart like a fire,

a fire shut up in my bones.

I am weary of holding it in;

indeed, I cannot.

You deceived me, Lord, and I was deceived.

You seized me and prevailed.

I am a laughingstock all the time;

everyone ridicules me.

For whenever I speak, I cry out,

I proclaim, “Violence and destruction!”

so the word of the Lord has become my

constant disgrace and derision.

I say, “I won’t mention him

or speak any longer in his name.”

But his message becomes a fire burning in my heart,

shut up in my bones.

I become tired of holding it in,

and I cannot prevail.

O Lord, you misled me,

and I allowed myself to be misled.

You are stronger than I am,

and you overpowered me.

Now I am mocked every day;

everyone laughs at me.

When I speak, the words burst out.

“Violence and destruction!” I shout.

So these messages from the Lord

have made me a household joke.

But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord

or speak in his name,

his word burns in my heart like a fire.

It’s like a fire in my bones!

I am worn out trying to hold it in!

I can’t do it!

You have persuaded me, O Yahweh, and I was persuaded.

You have overpowered me, and you have prevailed.

I have become a laughingstock all day long.

Everyone is mocking me.

For as often as I speak,

I must cry out violence and destruction.

I must shout, for the word of Yahweh has become for me

a disgrace and derision all day long.

But if I say, “I will not mention him

and I will no longer speak in his name,”

then it becomes in my heart like a fire burning,

locked up in my bones,

and I struggle to contain it,

and I am not able.

O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived:

Thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed:

I am in derision daily,

Every one mocketh me.

For since I spake, I cried out,

I cried violence and spoil;

Because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me,

And a derision, daily.

Then I said, I will not make mention of him,

Nor speak any more in his name.

But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones,

And I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.