3 Heb “Behold! Waters are rising from the north.” The metaphor of enemy armies compared to overflowing water is seen also in Isa 8:8–9 (Assyria) and 46:7–8 (Egypt). Here it refers to the foe from the north (Jer 1:14; 4:6; etc) which is specifically identified with Babylon in Jer 25. The metaphor has been turned into a simile in the translation to help the average reader identify that a figure is involved and to hint at the referent.
4 Heb “From the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his stallions, from the rattling of his chariots at the rumbling of their wheels, fathers will not turn to their children from sinking of hands.” According to 952 רִפָּיוֹן the “sinking of the hands” is figurative of helplessness caused by terror. A very similar figure is seen with a related expression in Isa 35:3–4. The sentence has been restructured to put the subject up front and to suggest through shorter sentences more in keeping with contemporary English style the same causal connections. The figures have been interpreted for the sake of clarity for the average reader.

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

“Thus says the Lord:

Behold, waters are rising out of the north,

and shall become an overflowing torrent;

they shall overflow the land and all that fills it,

the city and those who dwell in it.

Men shall cry out,

and every inhabitant of the land shall wail.

At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his stallions,

at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of their wheels,

the fathers look not back to their children,

so feeble are their hands,

NIVNew International Version (2011)

This is what the Lord says:

“See how the waters are rising in the north;

they will become an overflowing torrent.

They will overflow the land and everything in it,

the towns and those who live in them.

The people will cry out;

all who dwell in the land will wail

at the sound of the hooves of galloping steeds,

at the noise of enemy chariots

and the rumble of their wheels.

Parents will not turn to help their children;

their hands will hang limp.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

This is what the Lord says:

Look, water is rising from the north

and becoming an overflowing wadi.

It will overflow the land and everything in it,

the cities and their inhabitants.

The people will cry out,

and every inhabitant of the land will wail.

At the sound of the stomping hooves of his stallions,

the rumbling of his chariots,

and the clatter of their wheels,

fathers will not turn back for their sons.

They will be utterly helpless

NLTNew Living Translation

This is what the Lord says:

“A flood is coming from the north

to overflow the land.

It will destroy the land and everything in it—

cities and people alike.

People will scream in terror,

and everyone in the land will wail.

Hear the clatter of stallions’ hooves

and the rumble of wheels as the chariots rush by.

Terrified fathers run madly,

without a backward glance at their helpless children.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Thus says Yahweh:

“Look, waters are rising from the north,

and they will become as a raging torrent,

and they will overflow the land,

and that which fills it,

the city and those who live in it.

And the people will cry out,

and every inhabitant of the land will wail,

from the sound of the stamping of the hoofs of his stallions,

from the clattering of his chariots,

the noise of their wheels.

Fathers do not turn to their children

because of the slackness of their hands.

KJV 1900King James Version

Thus saith the Lord;

Behold, waters rise up out of the north,

And shall be an overflowing flood,

And shall overflow the land, and all that is therein;

The city, and them that dwell therein:

Then the men shall cry,

And all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.

At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong horses,

At the rushing of his chariots,

And at the rumbling of his wheels,

The fathers shall not look back to their children

For feebleness of hands;

Public Domain