Bible in Basic English
Sorrow has come on me! my heart in me is feeble.
The voice of the cry of the daughter of my people comes from a far land: Is the Lord not in Zion? is not her King in her? Why have they made me angry with their images and their strange gods which are no gods?
The grain-cutting is past, the summer is ended, and no salvation has come to us.
For the destruction of the daughter of my people I am broken: I am dressed in the clothing of grief; fear has taken me in its grip.
Is there no life-giving oil in Gilead? is there no expert in medical arts? why then have my people not been made well?
— Jeremiah 8:18-1964, Bible in Basic English
“When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me. Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the Lord in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? ”
“Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! my heart is faint within me. Behold, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land that is very far off: is not Jehovah in Zion? is not her King in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with foreign vanities? The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt: I mourn; dismay hath taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? ”
“Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! My heart is faint within me. Behold, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land that is very far off: isn't Yahweh in Zion? Isn't her King in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their engraved images, and with foreign vanities? The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt: I mourn; dismay has taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead? is there no physician there? why then isn't the health of the daughter of my people recovered?”
“Then I said,“There is no cure for my grief! I am sick at heart! I hear my dear people crying out throughout the length and breadth of the land. They are crying,‘Is the LORD no longer in Zion? Is her divine King no longer there?’” The LORD answers,“Why then do they provoke me to anger with their images, with their worthless foreign idols?” “They cry,‘Harvest time has come and gone, and the summer is over, and still we have not been delivered.’ My heart is crushed because my dear people are being crushed. I go about crying and grieving. I am overwhelmed with dismay. There is still medicinal ointment available in Gilead! There is still a physician there! Why then have my dear people not been restored to health?”
“My sorrow is above sorrow, my heart mourneth within me. Behold the voice of the daughter of my people from a far country: Is not the Lord in Sion, or is not her king in her? why then have they provoked me to wrath with their idols, and strange vanities? The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the affliction of the daughter of my people I am afflicted, and made sorrowful, astonishment hath taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Galaad? or is there no physician there? Why then is not the wound of the daughter of my people closed? ”
“When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me. Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the Lord in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered? ”
We were looking for peace, but no good came; and for a time of well-being, but there is only a great fear.
The loud breathing of the horses comes to our ears from Dan: at the sound of the outcry of his war-horses, all the land is shaking with fear; for they have come, and have made a meal of the land and everything in it; the town and the people living in it.
See, I will send snakes and poison-snakes among you, against which the wonder-worker has no power; and they will give you wounds which may not be made well, says the Lord.
Sorrow has come on me! my heart in me is feeble.
The voice of the cry of the daughter of my people comes from a far land: Is the Lord not in Zion? is not her King in her? Why have they made me angry with their images and their strange gods which are no gods?
The grain-cutting is past, the summer is ended, and no salvation has come to us.
For the destruction of the daughter of my people I am broken: I am dressed in the clothing of grief; fear has taken me in its grip.
Is there no life-giving oil in Gilead? is there no expert in medical arts? why then have my people not been made well?