Jeremiah 14:17–18

“You shall say to them this word:

‘Let my eyes run down with tears night and day,

and let them not cease,

for the virgin daughter of my people is shattered with a great wound,

with a very grievous blow.

If I go out into the field,

behold, those pierced by the sword!

And if I enter the city,

behold, the diseases of famine!

For both prophet and priest ply their trade through the land

and have no knowledge.’ ”

“Speak this word to them:

“ ‘Let my eyes overflow with tears

night and day without ceasing;

for the Virgin Daughter, my people,

has suffered a grievous wound,

a crushing blow.

If I go into the country,

I see those slain by the sword;

if I go into the city,

I see the ravages of famine.

Both prophet and priest

have gone to a land they know not.’ ”

You are to speak this word to them:

Let my eyes overflow with tears;

day and night may they not stop,

for the virgin daughter of my people

has been destroyed by a crushing blow,

an extremely severe wound.

If I go out to the field,

look—those slain by the sword!

If I enter the city,

look—those ill from famine!

For both prophet and priest

travel to a land they do not know.

Now, Jeremiah, say this to them:

“Night and day my eyes overflow with tears.

I cannot stop weeping,

for my virgin daughter—my precious people—

has been struck down

and lies mortally wounded.

If I go out into the fields,

I see the bodies of people slaughtered by the enemy.

If I walk the city streets,

I see people who have died of starvation.

The prophets and priests continue with their work,

but they don’t know what they’re doing.”

“And you shall say to them this word,

‘Let my eyes melt with tears night and day,

and let them not cease,

for with a great wound the virgin daughter of my people is broken,

with a very incurable wound.

If I go out into the field,

then look, those slain by the sword.

And if I enter the city,

then look, the sickness of the famine.

For both prophet and priest wander around through the land,

they do not know what is going on.’ ”

Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them;

Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease:

For the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.

If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword!

And if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine!

Yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not.