Previous

Jeremiah 20:15

Jeremiah 20:16-1964 bbe — May that man be like the towns overturned by the Lord without mercy: let a cry for help come to his ears in the morning…

Bible in Basic English

16

May that man be like the towns overturned by the Lord without mercy: let a cry for help come to his ears in the morning, and the sound of war in the middle of the day;

17

Because he did not put me to death before my birth took place: so my mother's body would have been my last resting-place, and she would have been with child for ever.

18

Why did I come from my mother's body to see pain and sorrow, so that my days might be wasted with shame?

— Jeremiah 20:16-1964, Bible in Basic English

Read in Another Translation

5 of 21 translations

Jeremiah 20:16-1964 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And let that man be as the cities which the Lord overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide; Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me. Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame? ”

  • ASV

    “And let that man be as the cities which Jehovah overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime; because he slew me not from the womb; and so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great. Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame? ”

  • WEB

    “Let that man be as the cities which Yahweh overthrew, and didn't repent: and let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime; because he didn't kill me from the womb; and so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great. Why came I forth out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?”

  • NET

    “May that man be like the cities that the LORD destroyed without showing any mercy. May he hear a cry of distress in the morning and a battle cry at noon. For he did not kill me before I came from the womb, making my pregnant mother’s womb my grave forever. Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb? All I experience is trouble and grief, and I spend my days in shame.”

  • DRB

    “Let that man be as the cities which the Lord hath overthrown, and hath not repented: let him hear a cry in the morning, and howling at noontide: Who slew me not from the womb, that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb an everlasting conception. Why came I out of the womb, to see labour and sorrow, and that my days should be spent in confusion? ”

  • KJVA

    “And let that man be as the cities which the Lord overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide; Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me. Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame? ”

Jeremiah 20 — Context

13

Make melody to the Lord, give praise to the Lord: for he has made the soul of the poor man free from the hands of the evil-doers.

14

A curse on the day of my birth: let there be no blessing on the day when my mother had me.

15

A curse on the man who gave the news to my father, saying, You have a male child; making him very glad.

16

May that man be like the towns overturned by the Lord without mercy: let a cry for help come to his ears in the morning, and the sound of war in the middle of the day;

17

Because he did not put me to death before my birth took place: so my mother's body would have been my last resting-place, and she would have been with child for ever.

18

Why did I come from my mother's body to see pain and sorrow, so that my days might be wasted with shame?

Jeremiah 20:16-1964 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does Jeremiah 20:16-1964 say?
Jeremiah 20:16-1964 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “May that man be like the towns overturned by the Lord without mercy: let a cry for help come to his ears in the morning, and the sound of war in the middle of the day; Because he did not put me to death before my birth took place: so my mother's body would have been my last resting-place, and she would have been with child for ever. Why did I come from my mother's body to see pain and sorrow, so that my days might be wasted with shame?”
Where is Jeremiah 20:16-1964 in the Bible?
Jeremiah 20:16-1964 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 20, verses 16–1964.
Who wrote Jeremiah?
Jeremiah is traditionally attributed to Jeremiah, with scribal help from Baruch. It was written c. 627–580 BC.
What is the book of Jeremiah about?
Jeremiah, the "weeping prophet," ministered through Judah's slow-motion collapse — pleading with kings and people to repent, suffering imprisonment for his message, and ultimately watching Jerusalem fall. Yet in the midst of judgment he promises a new covenant written on the heart.
What are the major themes of Jeremiah?
Jeremiah explores themes including Judgment, Repentance, New Covenant, Suffering Prophet, Hope. These themes shape the meaning and context of Jeremiah 20:16-1964.
What translation should I read Jeremiah 20:16-1964 in?
Jeremiah 20:16-1964 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize Jeremiah 20:16-1964?
Jeremiah 20:16-1964 reads (BBE): “May that man be like the towns overturned by the Lord without mercy: let a cry for help come to his ears in the morning, and the sound of war in the middle of the day; Because he did not put me to death before my birth took place: so my mother's body would have been my last resting-place, and she would have been with child for ever. Why did I come from my mother's body to see pain and sorrow, so that my days might be wasted with shame?” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
GodsGoodBook logo

GodsGoodBook

Making God's Word accessible to everyone

Experience the Bible like never before with multiple translations, powerful search tools, and features to make God's Word personal to you. Completely free, forever.

Features

15+ Bible Translations
Powerful Search Tools
Highlight & Annotate
Share Verses
100% Free Forever
© 2025 GodsGoodBookVersion 1.8.2