Jeremiah 15 in plain modern English. New Ground English Translation.

Then Yahweh said to me: "Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me, my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them away from my presence. Let them go."

And when they ask you, 'Where should we go?' — tell them: This is what Yahweh says: Those marked for death — to death. Those marked for the sword — to the sword. Those marked for famine — to famine. Those marked for captivity — to captivity.

"I will send four kinds of destroyers against them" — this is Yahweh's declaration — "the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, the birds of the sky and the animals of the earth to devour and destroy."

"I will make them a horror to every kingdom on earth — because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem."

Who will feel sorry for you, Jerusalem? Who will grieve for you? Who will even stop to ask how you are?

"You rejected me" — this is Yahweh's declaration — "you kept walking away. So I stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you. I am tired of relenting."

"I winnowed them with a winnowing fork at the gates of the land. I bereaved them. I destroyed my people. They did not turn from their ways."

"Their widows became more numerous to me than the sand of the seas. I brought against them — against the mother of young men — a destroyer at noon. I dropped anguish and terrors on her without warning."

"The mother of seven withered away. She breathed her last breath. Her sun went down while it was still day — she was left shamed and humiliated. And those who remain, I will hand over to the sword before their enemies" — this is Yahweh's declaration.

How terrible for me, my mother, that you gave birth to me — a man the whole land fights against, the whole land argues with. I haven't lent money to anyone, and no one has lent to me, but every one of them curses me.

Yahweh said: "Surely I will set you free for a good purpose. Surely I will make your enemies plead with you in their time of disaster and distress."

Can anyone shatter iron — iron from the north — or bronze?

"Your wealth and your treasures I will hand over as plunder — no payment required — because of all your failures throughout your territory."

"I will make you serve your enemies in a land you do not know, because a fire has been kindled by my anger — it will burn against you."

You know, Yahweh. Remember me. Come to me. Take revenge for me on those who pursue me. In your patience with them, don't let me be taken. Know that I carry insults because of you.

Your words were found, and I devoured them. Your words became my joy and my heart's deepest delight, because I carry your name, Yahweh, God of angel armies.

I never sat in the circle of those who celebrate, never joined in their laughter. Because your hand was on me, I sat alone, because you filled me with fury.

Why is my pain unending? Why is my wound beyond healing, refusing to get better? Will you really be to me like a deceptive stream — water that can't be counted on?

So this is what Yahweh said: "If you come back to me, I will take you back — you will stand before me again. If you pull out what is precious from what is worthless, you will be like my own mouth. Let them come back to you — but you must not go back to them."

"I will make you a wall to this people — a wall of bronze, fortified. They will fight against you but they will not overpower you, because I am with you to rescue you and pull you out" — this is Yahweh's declaration.

"I will pull you out of the grip of the ruthless. I will buy you back from the fist of the violent."