Jeremiah 8

At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:

At that time, says the Lord, they will take out the remains of Judah's kings, leaders, priests, prophets, and people of Jerusalem from their burial places.

And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.

They will display them to the sun, moon, and all heavenly beings they loved and served. They followed and worshiped them, but they won't be collected or buried. Instead, they'll become like animal waste on the earth.

And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.

All those left from this bad family will choose death over life, as they are scattered in all the places I have sent them, says the Lord of heaven's armies.

Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?

You should tell them, "The Lord says, will they fall and not rise again? Will he turn away and never come back?"

Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

Why do the people of Jerusalem keep sliding back? They cling to deceit and won't change their ways.

I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

I listened and understood, but they didn't speak correctly: nobody regretted their bad actions, asking, "What did I do?" Everyone continued with their own path, just like a horse rushing into a fight.

Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD.

Yes, birds like the stork, turtle, crane, and swallow know when to arrive; but my people don't understand God's judgment.

How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.

"How do you say, 'We are wise, and God's law is with us?' But actually, the law was pointless; the writers' work was for nothing."

The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?

The smart people feel embarrassed, confused, and captured. They've turned away from God's message. So, where is their wisdom now?

Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

So, I will give the wives of these people to others, and their land to those who take it over. Everyone, from the smallest person to the greatest, wants more than they need. Even the prophets and priests are not honest.

For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

They slightly fixed the pain of my people's daughter, saying, "Peace, peace," but there is actually no peace.

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.

Did they feel embarrassed after doing something terrible? No, they didn't feel any shame or could blush. So, they will fall with those who fail. In the time when God punishes them, they will be brought down, says the Lord.

I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

The Lord says He will take away what they have. There will be no grapes or figs, and leaves will wither. Everything He gave them will be taken away.

Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

Why do we stay put? Come together, and let's go to the safe cities. Be quiet there. The LORD our God made us quiet and gave us bitter water to drink because we did something wrong.

We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!

We searched for peace, but found nothing but harm. We also sought wellness, but instead, we encountered problems.

The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.

Horse noises were heard from Dan, making the ground shake. People were scared because the powerful horses came and ate up everything in the area, including the city and its people.

For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.

"See, I will send venomous snakes and scorpions your way, that won't be able to be tamed, and they will bite you," says the Lord.

When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.

When I try to feel better about sadness, my heart feels weak inside 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?

Look, listen to the cry of my people's daughter because of those living far away: Isn't God in Zion? isn't he her king? Why do they make me angry with their carved idols and foreign treasures?

The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

The crop gathering time is over, the warm season is done, and we're still not rescued.

For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.

I'm hurting because of my people's pain; I feel dark and shocked.

Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

Is there no healing medicine in Gilead; is there no doctor there? why isn't my people's daughter getting better?