Jeremiah 9:1-6

New International Version

9 ^[a]¹Oh, that my head were a spring of water
    and my eyes a fountain of tears!^(A)
I would weep^(B) day and night
    for the slain of my people.^(C)
²Oh, that I had in the desert^(D)
    a lodging place for travelers,
so that I might leave my people
    and go away from them;
for they are all adulterers,^(E)
    a crowd of unfaithful^(F) people.

³“They make ready their tongue
    like a bow, to shoot lies;^(G)
it is not by truth
    that they triumph^[b] in the land.
They go from one sin to another;
    they do not acknowledge^(H) me,”
declares the Lord.
⁴“Beware of your friends;^(I)
    do not trust anyone in your clan.^(J)
For every one of them is a deceiver,^[c]^(K)
    and every friend a slanderer.^(L)
⁵Friend deceives friend,^(M)
    and no one speaks the truth.^(N)
They have taught their tongues to lie;^(O)
    they weary themselves with sinning.
⁶You^[d] live in the midst of deception;^(P)
    in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,”
declares the Lord.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

Jeremiah 9:1 In Hebrew texts 9:1 is numbered 8:23, and 9:2-26 is numbered 9:1-25.
Jeremiah 9:3 Or lies; / they are not valiant for truth
Jeremiah 9:4 Or a deceiving Jacob
Jeremiah 9:6 That is, Jeremiah (the Hebrew is singular)

Jeremiah 15:15-21

New International Version

¹⁵Lord, you understand;
    remember me and care for me.
    Avenge me on my persecutors.^(A)
You are long-suffering^(B)—do not take me away;
    think of how I suffer reproach for your sake.^(C)
¹⁶When your words came, I ate^(D) them;
    they were my joy and my heart’s delight,^(E)
for I bear your name,^(F)
    Lord God Almighty.
¹⁷I never sat^(G) in the company of revelers,
    never made merry with them;
I sat alone because your hand^(H) was on me
    and you had filled me with indignation.
¹⁸Why is my pain unending
    and my wound grievous and incurable?^(I)
You are to me like a deceptive brook,
    like a spring that fails.^(J)

¹⁹Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“If you repent, I will restore you
    that you may serve^(K) me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
    you will be my spokesman.^(L)
Let this people turn to you,
    but you must not turn to them.
²⁰I will make you a wall^(M) to this people,
    a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
    but will not overcome^(N) you,
for I am with you
    to rescue and save you,”^(O)
declares the Lord.
²¹“I will save^(P) you from the hands of the wicked^(Q)
    and deliver^(R) you from the grasp of the cruel.”^(S)