Jeremiah 8:11–15

They have healed the wound of my people lightly,

saying, ‘Peace, peace,’

when there is no peace.

Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?

No, they were not at all ashamed;

they did not know how to blush.

Therefore they shall fall among the fallen;

when I punish them, they shall be overthrown,

says the Lord.

When I would gather them, declares the Lord,

there are no grapes on the vine,

nor figs on the fig tree;

even the leaves are withered,

and what I gave them has passed away from them.”

Why do we sit still?

Gather together; let us go into the fortified cities

and perish there,

for the Lord our God has doomed us to perish

and has given us poisoned water to drink,

because we have sinned against the Lord.

We looked for peace, but no good came;

for a time of healing, but behold, terror.

They dress the wound of my people

as though it were not serious.

“Peace, peace,” they say,

when there is no peace.

Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?

No, they have no shame at all;

they do not even know how to blush.

So they will fall among the fallen;

they will be brought down when they are punished,

says the Lord.

“ ‘I will take away their harvest,

declares the Lord.

There will be no grapes on the vine.

There will be no figs on the tree,

and their leaves will wither.

What I have given them

will be taken from them.’ ”

Why are we sitting here?

Gather together!

Let us flee to the fortified cities

and perish there!

For the Lord our God has doomed us to perish

and given us poisoned water to drink,

because we have sinned against him.

We hoped for peace

but no good has come,

for a time of healing

but there is only terror.

They have treated the brokenness

of my dear people superficially,

claiming, ‘Peace, peace,’

when there is no peace.

Were they ashamed when they acted so detestably?

They weren’t at all ashamed.

They can no longer feel humiliation.

Therefore, they will fall among the fallen.

When I punish them, they will collapse,”

says the Lord.

“I will gather them and bring them to an end.”

This is the Lord’s declaration.

“There will be no grapes on the vine,

no figs on the fig tree,

and even the leaf will wither.

Whatever I have given them will be lost to them.”

Why are we just sitting here?

Gather together; let’s enter the fortified cities

and perish there,

for the Lord our God has destroyed us.

He has given us poisoned water to drink,

because we have sinned against the Lord.

We hoped for peace, but there was nothing good;

for a time of healing, but there was only terror.

They offer superficial treatments

for my people’s mortal wound.

They give assurances of peace

when there is no peace.

Are they ashamed of these disgusting actions?

Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush!

Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered.

They will be brought down when I punish them,

says the Lord.

I will surely consume them.

There will be no more harvests of figs and grapes.

Their fruit trees will all die.

Whatever I gave them will soon be gone.

I, the Lord, have spoken!’

“Then the people will say,

‘Why should we wait here to die?

Come, let’s go to the fortified towns and die there.

For the Lord our God has decreed our destruction

and has given us a cup of poison to drink

because we sinned against the Lord.

We hoped for peace, but no peace came.

We hoped for a time of healing, but found only terror.’

And they have treated the wound of the daughter of my people lightly,

saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace.

Were they ashamed, for they had committed a detestable thing?

What’s worse, they were not ashamed at all,

and they did not know to feel humiliated.

Therefore they will fall among those who fall;

at the time of their punishment they will stumble,” says Yahweh.

“I will take away their harvest,” declares Yahweh.

“There are no grapes on the vine,

and there are no figs on the fig tree,

and the leaves wither,

and what I gave to them passed over them.” ’ ”

Why are we sitting?

Gather, and let us go into the fortified cities,

and let us perish there,

for Yahweh our God has caused us to perish,

and has provided drink for us, water of poison,

because we have sinned against Yahweh.

We hope for peace,

but there is no good,

for a time of healing,

but there is terror.

For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord. I will surely consume them, saith the Lord: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them. Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the Lord our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord. We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!