A Lament for the Slain

Jeremiah 9

Jeremiah wishes for a lodging place in the wilderness so he might escape his treacherous, deceitful people, and the Lord calls for mourning women to raise a dirge because death has entered through the windows to cut down young and old. The Lord declares that no one should boast in wisdom, strength, or wealth, but only in knowing him, and pronounces coming judgment on Judah together with the surrounding nations.

About these editions

The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.

Thomson 1808Septuagint

Brenton 1851Septuagint

Greek · BrentonSeptuagint

KJV 1769Masoretic

JPS 1917Masoretic

ThomsonO! that I had a remote lodging in the wilderness, that I might leave my people and go away from them! (J) Because they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men,

BrentonWho would give me a most distant lodge in the wilderness, that I might leave my people, and depart from them? for they all commit adultery, an assembly of treacherous men.

GreekΤίς δῴη μοι ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ σταθμὸν ἔσχατον, καὶ καταλείψω τὸν λαόν μου, καὶ ἀπελεύσομαι ἀπʼ αὐτῶν; ὅτι πάντες μοιχῶνται, σύνοδος ἀθετούντων,

KJVOh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

JPSOh that I were in the wilderness, In a lodging-place of wayfaring men, That I might leave my people, And go from them! For they are all adulterers, An assembly of treacherous men.

Thomsonand have bent their tongue like a bow—lying and infidelity prevailed in the land—because they have proceeded from evils to evils, and have not known Me, saith the Lord;

BrentonAnd they have bent their tongue like a bow: falsehood and not faithfulness has prevailed upon the earth; for they have gone on from evil to evil, and have not known me, saith the Lord.

Greekκαὶ ἐνέτειναν τὴν γλῶσσαν αὐτῶν ὡς τόξον· ψεῦδος, καὶ οὐ πίστις ἐνίσχυσεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἐκ κακῶν εἰς κακὰ ἐξήλθοσαν, καὶ ἐμὲ οὐκ ἔγνωσαν, φησὶ Κύριος.

KJVAnd they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.

JPSAnd they bend their tongue, their bow of falsehood; And they are grown mighty in the land, but not for truth; For they proceed from evil to evil, And Me they know not, Saith the LORD.

Thomsonbe upon your guard every man against his neighbour, and in your own brothers place no confidence; for every brother will supplant, and every friend will walk deceitfully;

BrentonBeware ye each of his neighbour, and trust ye not in your brethren: for every one will surely supplant, and every friend will walk craftily.

GreekἝκαστος ἀπὸ τοῦ πλησίον αὐτοῦ φυλάξασθε, καὶ ἐπʼ ἀδελφοῖς αὐτῶν μὴ πεποίθατε, ὅτι πᾶς ἀδελφὸς πτέρνῃ πτερνιεῖ, καὶ πᾶς φίλος δολίως πορεύσεται.

KJVTake ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.

JPSTake ye heed every one of his neighbour, And trust ye not in any brother; For every brother acteth subtly, And every neighbour goeth about with slanders.

Thomsoneach one will treat his friend with contempt. They cannot speak truth; their tongue hath learned to speak lies. They have done injustice, and have not stopped to rectify it.

BrentonEvery one will mock his friend; they will not speak truth: their tongue has learned to speak falsehoods; they have committed iniquity, they ceased not, so as to return.

GreekἝκαστος κατὰ τοῦ φίλου αὐτοῦ καταπαίξεται, ἀλήθειαν οὐ μὴ λαλήσωσι· μεμάθηκεν ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτῶν λαλεῖν ψευδῆ, ἠδίκησαν, καὶ οὐ διέλιπον τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι.

KJVAnd they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.

JPSAnd they deceive every one his neighbour, And truth they speak not; They have taught their tongue to speak lies, They weary themselves to commit iniquity.

ThomsonThere is usury upon usury, deceit upon deceit; they refused to know Me, saith the Lord.

BrentonThere is usury upon usury, and deceit upon deceit: they would not know me, saith the Lord.

GreekΤόκος ἐπὶ τόκῳ, καὶ δόλος ἐπὶ δόλῳ· οὐκ ἤθελον εἰδέναι με, φησὶ Κύριος.

KJVThine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.

JPSThy habitation is in the midst of deceit; Through deceit they refuse to know Me, Saith the LORD.

ThomsonTherefore thus saith the Lord, Behold I will melt them and try them. What else can I do on account of the wickedness of the daughter of My people?

BrentonTherefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will try them with fire, and prove them; for I will do thus because of the wickedness of the daughter of my people.

GreekΔιατοῦτο τάδε λέγει Κύριος, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ πυρώσω αὐτοὺς, καὶ δοκιμῶ αὐτούς· ὅτι ποιήσω ἀπὸ προσώπου πονηρίας θυγατρὸς λαοῦ μου.

KJVTherefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?

JPSTherefore thus saith the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will smelt them, and try them; For how else should I do, Because of the daughter of My people?

ThomsonTheir tongue is a wounding dart: the words of their mouth are deceitful. To his neighbour one speaketh peace; when inwardly he harboureth enmity.

BrentonTheir tongue is a wounding arrow; the words of their mouth are deceitful: one speaks peaceably to his neighbour, but in himself retains enmity.

GreekΒολὶς τιτρώσκουσα ἡ γλῶσσα αὐτῶν, δόλια τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ στόματος αὐτῶν· τῷ πλησίον αὐτοῦ λαλεῖ εἰρηνικὰ, καὶ ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἔχει τὴν ἔχθραν.

KJVTheir tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.

JPSTheir tongue is a sharpened arrow, It speaketh deceit; One speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, But in his heart he layeth wait for him.

ThomsonShall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord; and on such a nation shall not My soul be avenged?

BrentonShall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a people as this?

GreekΜὴ ἐπὶ τούτοις οὐκ ἐπισκέψομαι; λέγει Κύριος· ἢ ἐν λαῷ τοιούτῳ οὐκ ἐκδικήσει ἡ ψυχή μου;

KJVShall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

JPSShall I not punish them for these things? Saith the LORD; Shall not My soul be avenged On such a nation as this?

ThomsonTake ye up a lamentation for the mountains, and for the paths of the wilderness, a song of woe; for such is the desolation that there are no men, nor is there a sound of existence heard from birds of the air, nor from cattle. They were confounded. They are fled.

BrentonTake up a lamentation for the mountains, and a mournful dirge for the paths of the wilderness, for they are desolate for want of men; they heard not the sound of life from the birds of the sky, nor the cattle: they were amazed, they are gone.

GreekἘπὶ τὰ ὄρη λάβετε κοπετὸν, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς τρίβους τῆς ἐρήμου θρῆνον, ὅτι ἐξέλιπον παρὰ τὸ μὴ εἶναι ἀνθρώπους· οὐκ ἤκουσαν φωνὴν ὑπάρξεως ἀπὸ πετεινῶν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἕως κτηνῶν, ἐξέστησαν, ᾤχοντο.

KJVFor the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone.

JPSFor the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, And for the pastures of the wilderness a lamentation, Because they are burned up, so that none passeth through. And they hear not the voice of the cattle; Both the fowl of the heavens and the beast Are fled, and gone.

ThomsonI will indeed deliver up Jerusalem to captivity and make it a den for jackals; and the cities of Juda an uninhabitable desolation.

BrentonAnd I will remove the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and make it a dwelling-place of dragons; and I will utterly waste the cities of Juda, so that they shall not be inhabited.

GreekΚαὶ δώσω τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ εἰς μετοικίαν, καὶ εἰς κατοικητήριον δρακόντων, καὶ τὰς πόλεις Ἰούδα εἰς ἀφανισμὸν θήσομαι, παρὰ τὸ μὴ κατοικεῖσθαι.

KJVAnd I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.

JPSAnd I will make Jerusalem heaps, A lair of jackals; And I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, Without an inhabitant.

Thomson(p) Whoever is a wise man, let him understand this; and let him, who hath a word from the mouth of the Lord, declare to you for what cause the land is destroyed—burned up like a desert, so as not to be travelled.

BrentonWho is the wise man, that he may understand this? and he that has the word of the mouth of the Lord addressed to him, let him tell you wherefore the land has been destroyed, has been ravaged by fire like a desert, so that no one passes through it.

GreekΤίς ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ συνετὸς, καὶ συνέτω τοῦτο; καὶ ᾧ λόγος στόματος Κυρίου πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἀναγγειλάτω ὑμῖν, ἕνεκεν τίνος ἀπώλετο ἡ γῆ, ἀνήφθη, ὡς ἔρημος, παρὰ τὸ μὴ διοδεύεσθαι αὐτήν;

KJVWho is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?

JPSWho is the wise man, that he may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it? Wherefore is the land perished And laid waste like a wilderness, so that none passeth through?

ThomsonAgain the Lord said to me: (J) Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them and have not hearkened to My voice;

BrentonAnd the Lord said to me, Because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them, and have not hearkened to my voice;

GreekΚαὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς μὲ, διὰ τὸ ἐγκαταλιπεῖν αὐτοὺς τὸν νόμον μου, ὃν ἔδωκα πρὸ προσώπου αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν τῆς φωνῆς μου,

KJVAnd the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;

JPSAnd the LORD saith: Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, And have not hearkened to My voice, neither walked therein;

Thomsonbut have gone after the pleasures of their own wicked heart, and after the idols which their fathers taught them;

Brentonbut went after the lusts of their evil heart, and after the idols which their fathers taught them to worship:

Greekἀλλʼ ἐπορεύθησαν ὀπίσω τῶν ἀρεστῶν τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν τῆς κακῆς, καὶ ὀπίσω τῶν εἰδώλων ἃ ἐδίδαξαν αὐτοὺς οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν.

KJVBut have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:

JPSBut have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, And after the Baalim, which their fathers taught them.

Thomsontherefore thus saith the Lord the God of Israel: Behold I will feed them with wormwood, and give them the water of gall to drink.

Brentontherefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Behold, I will feed them with trouble and will cause them to drink water of gall:

GreekΔιατοῦτο τάδε λέγει Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσραὴλ, ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ψωμιῶ αὐτοὺς ἀνάγκας, καὶ ποτιῶ αὐτοὺς ὕδωρ χολῆς,

KJVTherefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

JPSTherefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

ThomsonAnd I will scatter them among the nations, which neither they nor their fathers have known, and send a sword after them till they are consumed by it.

Brentonand I will scatter them among the nations, to them whom neither they nor their fathers knew; and I will send a sword upon them, until I have consumed them with it.

Greekκαὶ διασκορπιῶ αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, εἰς οὓς οὐκ ἐγίνωσκον αὐτοὶ καὶ οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπαποστελῶ ἐπʼ αὐτοὺς τὴν μάχαιραν, ἕως τοῦ ἐξαναλῶσαι αὐτοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ.

KJVI will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.

JPSI will scatter them also among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known; and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them.

ThomsonThus saith the Lord, Call the mourning women and let them come; send for the well instructed and let them utter a plaintive sound

BrentonThus saith the Lord, Call ye the mourning women, and let them come; and send to the wise women, and let them utter their voice;

GreekΤάδε λέγει Κύριος, καλέσατε τὰς θρηνούσας, καὶ ἐλθέτωσαν, καὶ πρὸς τὰς σοφὰς ἀποστείλατε, καὶ φθεγξάσθωσαν,

KJVThus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come:

JPSThus saith the LORD of hosts: Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the wise women, that they may come;

Thomsonand take up a mournful lamentation for you: and let your eyes collect tears, and your eyelids gush out water.

Brentonand let them take up a lamentation for you, and let your eyes pour down tears, and your eyelids drop water.

Greekκαὶ λαβέτωσαν ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς θρῆνον, καὶ καταγαγέτωσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ὑμῶν δάκρυα, καὶ τὰ βλέφαρα ὑμῶν ῥείτω ὕδωρ,

KJVAnd let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

JPSlet them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

Thomson(p) Because a sound of wailing is heard in Sion: “Oh how wretched we are! how greatly confounded because we have left our land, and abandoned our habitations!”

BrentonFor a voice of lamentation has been heard in Sion, How are we become wretched! we are greatly ashamed, for we have forsaken the land, and have abandoned our tabernacles!

Greekὅτι φωνὴ οἰκτροῦ ἠκούσθη ἐν Σιών· πῶς ἐταλαιπωρήσαμεν, κατῃσχύνθημεν σφόδρα, ὅτι ἐγκατελίπομεν τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἀπεῤῥίψαμεν τὰ σκηνώματα ἡμῶν;

KJVFor a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.

JPSFor a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: ‘How are we undone! We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.’

Thomsonhear I beseech ye, O women, a word of God! and let your ears receive the words of His mouth: and teach your daughters a song of woe; and every woman, the mournful dirge to her neighbour.

BrentonHear now, ye women, the word of God, and let your ears receive the words of his mouth, and teach your daughters lamentation, and every woman her neighbour a dirge.

GreekἈκούσατε δὴ γυναῖκες λόγον Θεοῦ, καὶ δεξάσθω τὰ ὦτα ὑμῶν λόγους στόματος αὐτοῦ, καὶ διδάξατε τὰς θυγατέρας ὑμῶν οἶκτον, καὶ γυνὴ τὴν πλησίον αὐτῆς θρῆνον.

KJVYet hear the word of the LORD, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.

JPSYea, hear the word of the LORD, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of His mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation:

ThomsonFor death is gone up through your windows: it is come into your land, to destroy infants at home and young men in the streets,

BrentonFor death has come up through your windows, it has entered into our land, to destroy the infants without, and the young men from the streets.

GreekὍτι ἀνέβη θάνατος διὰ τῶν θυρίδων ὑμῶν, εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὴν γῆν ὑμῶν, τοῦ ἐκτρίψαι νήπια ἔξωθεν, καὶ νεανίσκους ἀπὸ τῶν πλατειῶν.

KJVFor death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.

JPS‘For death is come up into our windows, it is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from the street, and the young men from the broad places.—

Thomsonand the carcasses of the men shall be for a spectacle on the open field throughout your land, like grass after a mower; and there will be none to gather.

BrentonAnd the carcases of the men shall be for an example on the face of the field of your land, like grass after the mower, and there shall be none to gather them.

GreekΚαὶ ἔσονται οἱ νεκροὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰς παράδειγμα ἐπὶ προσώπου τοῦ πεδίου τῆς γῆς ὑμῶν, ὡς χόρτος ὀπίσω θερίζοντος, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ συνάγων.

KJVSpeak, Thus saith the LORD, Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather them.

JPSSpeak: Thus saith the LORD— And the carcasses of men fall as dung upon the open field, And as the handful after the harvestman, Which none gathereth.’

Thomson(J) Thus saith the Lord: Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, nor the mighty man boast of his strength; neither let the rich man boast of his riches;

BrentonThus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, and let not the strong man boast in his strength, and let not the rich man boast in his wealth;

GreekΤάδε λέγει Κύριος, μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ σοφὸς ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ ἰσχυρὸς ἐν τῆ ἰσχύϊ αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ πλούσιος ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτοῦ,

KJVThus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:

JPSThus saith the LORD: Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, Let not the rich man glory in his riches;

Thomsonbut let him who boasteth boast of this only: that he understandeth and knoweth that I am the Lord, Who exercise mercy and judgment and justice on the earth: that in these things is My delight, saith the Lord.

Brentonbut let him that boasts boast in this, the understanding and knowing that I am the Lord that exercise mercy, and judgment, and righteousness, upon the earth; for in these things is my pleasure, saith the Lord.

Greekἀλλʼ ἢ ἐν τούτῳ καυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος, συνιεῖν καὶ γινώσκειν, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος ὁ ποιῶν ἔλεος καὶ κρίμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἐν τούτοις τὸ θέλημά μου, λέγει Κύριος.

KJVBut let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

JPSBut let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth, and knoweth Me, That I am the LORD who exercise mercy, justice, and righteousness, in the earth; for in these things I delight, Saith the LORD.

ThomsonBehold days are coming, saith the Lord, when I will visit upon all the uncircumcised their uncircumcision—

BrentonBehold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will visit upon all the circumcised their uncircumcision;

GreekἸδοὺ ἡμέραι ἔρχονται, λέγει Κύριος, καὶ ἐπισκέψομαι ἐπὶ πάντας περιτετμημένους ἀκροβυστίας αὐτῶν.

KJVBehold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;

JPSBehold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them that are circumcised in their uncircumcision:

Thomsonupon Egypt, and upon Idumea, and upon Edom, and upon the Ammonites, and upon the Moabites, and upon all that have their foreheads shaven, namely them who dwell in the wilderness. For all the nations are uncircumcised in flesh, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in their hearts.

Brentonon Egypt, and on Idumea, and on Edom, and on the children of Ammon, and on the children of Moab, and on every one that shaves his face round about, even them that dwell in the wilderness; for all the Gentiles are uncircumcised in flesh, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in their hearts.

GreekἘπʼ Αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἐπὶ Ἰδουμαίαν, καὶ ἐπὶ Ἐδὼμ, καὶ ἐπὶ υἱοὺς Ἀμμὼν, καὶ ἐπὶ υἱοὺς Μωὰβ, καὶ ἐπὶ πάντα περικειρόμενον τὰ κατὰ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ, τοὺς κατοικοῦντας ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, ὅτι πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἀπερίτμητα σαρκὶ, καὶ πᾶς οἶκος Ἰσραὴλ ἀπερίτμητοι καρδίας αὐτῶν.

KJVEgypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.

JPSEgypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that have the corners of their hair polled, that dwell in the wilderness; For all the nations are uncircumcised, But all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.