Jeremiah 4:13–22

¹³Look! He advances like the clouds,ⁱ

his chariots^j come like a whirlwind,^k

his horses^l are swifter than eagles.^m

Woe to us! We are ruined!ⁿ

¹⁴Jerusalem, wash^o the evil from your heart and be saved.^p

How long^q will you harbor wicked thoughts?

¹⁵A voice is announcing from Dan,^r

proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.^s

¹⁶“Tell this to the nations,

proclaim concerning Jerusalem:

‘A besieging army is coming from a distant land,^t

raising a war cry^u against the cities of Judah.^v

¹⁷They surround^w her like men guarding a field,

because she has rebelled^x against me,’ ”

declares the Lord.

¹⁸“Your own conduct and actions^y

have brought this on you.^z

This is your punishment.

How bitter^a it is!

How it pierces to the heart!”

¹⁹Oh, my anguish, my anguish!^b

I writhe in pain.^c

Oh, the agony of my heart!

My heart pounds^d within me,

I cannot keep silent.^e

For I have heard the sound of the trumpet;^f

I have heard the battle cry.^g

²⁰Disaster follows disaster;^h

the whole land lies in ruins.ⁱ

In an instant my tents^j are destroyed,

my shelter in a moment.

²¹How long must I see the battle standard^k

and hear the sound of the trumpet?^l

²²“My people are fools;^m

they do not know me.ⁿ

They are senseless children;

they have no understanding.^o

They are skilled in doing evil;^p

they know not how to do good.”^q