Jeremiah 31:15–20

¹⁵Thus says Yahweh,

“^aA voice is heard in ^bRamah,

Wailing and bitter weeping.

Rachel is weeping for her children;

She ^crefuses to be comforted for her children

Because ^dthey are no more.”

¹⁶Thus says Yahweh,

“^aRestrain your voice from weeping

And your eyes from tears,

For your ^bwork will be rewarded,” declares Yahweh,

“And they will ^creturn from the land of the enemy.

¹⁷“And there is ^ahope for your future,” declares Yahweh,

“And your children will return to their own territory.

¹⁸“I have surely heard Ephraim ^agrieving,

‘You have ^bchastised me, and I was chastised,

Like an untrained ^ccalf;

^dCause me to return that I may return,

For You are Yahweh my God.

¹⁹‘For after I turned away, I ^arepented;

And after I was instructed, I ^bslapped my thigh;

I was ^cashamed and also dishonored

Because I bore the reproach of my youth.’

²⁰“Is ^aEphraim My dear son?

Is he a delightful child?

Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him,

I certainly still remember him;

Therefore My ^1binmost being yearns for him;

I will surely ^chave compassion on him,” declares Yahweh.