Jeremiah 4:13–22

¹³Behold, he comes up like clouds,

his chariots like the whirlwind;

his horses are swifter than eagles—

woe to us, for we are ruined!

¹⁴O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness,

that you may be saved.

How long shall your evil thoughts

lodge within you?

¹⁵For a voice declares from Dan

and proclaims evil from Mount Ephraim.

¹⁶Warn the nations that he is coming;

announce to Jerusalem,

“Besiegers come from a distant land;

they shout against the cities of Judah.

¹⁷Like keepers of a field are they against her round about,

because she has rebelled against me,

says the Lord.

¹⁸Your ways and your doings

have brought this upon you.

This is your doom, and it is bitter;

it has reached your very heart.”

¹⁹My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!

Oh, the walls of my heart!

My heart is beating wildly;

I cannot keep silent;

for I hear the sound of the trumpet,

the alarm of war.

²⁰Disaster follows hard on disaster,

the whole land is laid waste.

Suddenly my tents are destroyed,

my curtains in a moment.

²¹How long must I see the standard,

and hear the sound of the trumpet?

²²“For my people are foolish,

they know me not;

they are stupid children,

they have no understanding.

They are skilled in doing evil,

but how to do good they know not.”