1Jehovah spoke his word about the drought to Jeremiah: 2Judah mourns and its gates collapse. The people of Judah are filled with bereavement as they sit on the ground. Their cry goes up from Jerusalem. 3Important people send their assistants out for water. They do not find any water at the cisterns. They return with their containers empty. They cover their heads, because they are ashamed and dishonored. 4There is no rain in the land and the ground is cracked. The farmers are disappointed. They cover their heads. 5Even deer in the fields give birth and abandon their young because there is no grass. 6Wild donkeys stand on the bare hills. They sniff the wind like jackals. Their eyesight fails because they have no green plants. 7Do something, Jehovah, for the sake of your name, even though our iniquities testify against us. We have been unfaithful like apostates and have sinned against you. 8You are Israel's hope, its savior in times of trouble. Why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays only one night? 9Why are you like someone taken by surprise, like a mighty man who cannot help? You, O Jehovah, are among us. We are called by your name. Do not leave us! 10This is what Jehovah says about these people: »They love to wander. They do not keep their feet where they belong. Therefore Jehovah is not happy with them. He will remember their crimes and punish their sins.« 11Jehovah said to me: »Do not pray for the good of these people. 12»Even if they go without food, I will not listen to their cries for help. Even if they sacrifice burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not be pleased with them. But I will destroy these people with wars, famines, and plagues.« 13I said: »Alas, O Lord Jehovah, prophets are telling them: ‘You will not see wars or famines, for I will give you lasting peace in this place.« 14Jehovah then told me: »These are the lies that the prophets are telling in my name: They claim that I sent them. They claim that I commanded them. They claim that I spoke to them. They even dreamed up visions to tell you. Their predictions are worthless! They are the products of their own imagination. 15»I did not send these prophets. Yet, they prophesy in my name that there will be no wars or famines in this land. So this is what I, Jehovah, say about them: ‘Wars and famines will bring an end to these prophets. 16»‘The people to whom they prophesy will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem. They will be victims of famines and wars. No one will bury them, their wives, their sons, or their daughters. I will pour on them the destruction that they deserve.’ 17»Say this to them: ‘My eyes flow with tears day and night without stopping because my dear people will suffer massive destruction. It will be a very serious blow. 18»‘If I go to the field, I see those killed because of war. If I go to the city, I see those sick because of famine. Prophets and priests wander through a land they have not heard of.’« 19Have you completely rejected Judah? Do you despise Zion? Why have you struck us so hard that we cannot heal? We hope for peace, but no good comes from it. We hope for a time of healing, but there's only terror. 20O Jehovah, we recognize our wickedness and the wrongs done by our ancestors. We have sinned against you. 21For the sake of your name, do not despise us. Do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your promise to us. Do not break it. 22The valueless gods of the nations cannot make it rain. The skies cannot give showers by themselves. But you can, O Jehovah our God. We hope in you because you do all these things.