Jeremiah 15:10–21
"Woe is me, my mother": a confession the Greek reads differently
"Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth!" Jeremiah has neither lent nor borrowed, "yet every one of them doth curse me" (15:10). "Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart" (v. 16). He sat alone, "filled with indignation" (v. 17). "Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable…? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?" (v. 18): he accuses God of being a dry stream. God's answer is a rebuke and a renewed call: "If thou return, then will I bring thee again… if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth" (vv. 19–21). The Greek reads several of these lines quite differently.
Manuscript variant: witnesses differ in wording
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✓ contains it · ✕ does not · ❝ quotes part of it · ⓘ reports on manuscripts · ▢ pages lost · – no copy survives
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- Translation
Every witness, in order
late 7th–6th century BC (by section; debated)
The words as first spoken or written
No original survives, and Jeremiah circulated in at least two ancient Hebrew editions: a shorter one behind the Old Greek and the longer one preserved as the Masoretic Text. The oldest copies are six fragmentary Qumran manuscripts (2QJer, 4QJer-a to 4QJer-e), from about 200 BC to the 1st century AD.
Jerome c. AD 400, from Hebrew; edition 1592
Latin Vulgate (Clementine)
How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Clementine Vulgate (1592 edition).
Væ mihi, mater mea! quare genuisti me, virum rixæ, virum discordiæ in universa terra? Non fœneravi, nec fœneravit mihi quisquam: omnes maledicunt mihi. Dicit Dominus: Si non reliquiæ tuæ in bonum, si non occurri tibi in tempore afflictionis, et in tempore tribulationis adversus inimicum. Numquid fœderabitur ferrum ferro ab aquilone, et æs? Divitias tuas et thesauros tuos in direptionem dabo gratis, in omnibus peccatis tuis, et in omnibus terminis tuis. Et adducam inimicos tuos de terra quam nescis, quia ignis succensus est in furore meo: super vos ardebit. Tu scis, Domine: recordare mei, et visita me, et tuere me ab his qui persequuntur me. Noli in patientia tua suscipere me: scito quoniam sustinui propter te opprobrium. Inventi sunt sermones tui, et comedi eos: et factum est mihi verbum tuum in gaudium et in lætitiam cordis mei, quoniam invocatum est nomen tuum super me, Domine Deus exercituum. Non sedi in concilio ludentium, et gloriatus sum a facie manus tuæ: solus sedebam, quoniam comminatione replesti me. Quare factus est dolor meus perpetuus, et plaga mea desperabilis renuit curari? facta est mihi quasi mendacium aquarum infidelium. Propter hoc hæc dicit Dominus: Si converteris, convertam te, et ante faciem meam stabis: et si separaveris pretiosum a vili, quasi os meum eris: convertentur ipsi ad te, et tu non converteris ad eos. Et dabo te populo huic in murum æreum fortem: et bellabunt adversum te, et non prævalebunt, quia ego tecum sum ut salvem te, et eruam te, dicit Dominus: et liberabo te de manu pessimorum, et redimam te de manu fortium.
Latin numbering: Jeremiah 15:10–21. Jerome translated Jeremiah from Hebrew (c. AD 400).
AD 1008
Masoretic Text (Leningrad Codex)
How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: Westminster Leningrad Codex, a digital transcription of the Leningrad Codex.
אֽוֹי־לִ֣י אִמִּ֔י כִּ֣י יְלִדְתִּ֗נִי אִ֥ישׁ רִ֛יב וְאִ֥ישׁ מָד֖וֹן לְכָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ לֹֽא־נָשִׁ֥יתִי וְלֹא־נָֽשׁוּ־בִ֖י כֻּלֹּ֥ה מְקַלְלַֽונִי׃ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה אִם־לֹ֥א שרותך שֵֽׁרִיתִ֖יךָ לְט֑וֹב אִם־ל֣וֹא ׀ הִפְגַּ֣עְתִּֽי בְךָ֗ בְּעֵ֥ת־רָעָ֛ה וּבְעֵ֥ת צָרָ֖ה אֶת־הָאֹיֵֽב׃ הֲיָרֹ֨עַ בַּרְזֶ֧ל ׀ בַּרְזֶ֛ל מִצָּפ֖וֹן וּנְחֹֽשֶׁת׃ חֵילְךָ֧ וְאוֹצְרוֹתֶ֛יךָ לָבַ֥ז אֶתֵּ֖ן לֹ֣א בִמְחִ֑יר וּבְכָל־חַטֹּאותֶ֖יךָ וּבְכָל־גְּבוּלֶֽיךָ׃ וְהַֽעֲבַרְתִּי֙ אֶת־אֹ֣יְבֶ֔יךָ בְּאֶ֖רֶץ לֹ֣א יָדָ֑עְתָּ כִּֽי־אֵ֛שׁ קָדְחָ֥ה בְאַפִּ֖י עֲלֵיכֶ֥ם תּוּקָֽד׃ אַתָּ֧ה יָדַ֣עְתָּ יְהוָ֗ה זָכְרֵ֤נִי וּפָקְדֵ֙נִי֙ וְהִנָּ֤קֶם לִי֙ מֵרֹ֣דְפַ֔י אַל־לְאֶ֥רֶךְ אַפְּךָ֖ תִּקָּחֵ֑נִי דַּ֕ע שְׂאֵתִ֥י עָלֶ֖יךָ חֶרְפָּֽה׃ נִמְצְא֤וּ דְבָרֶ֙יךָ֙ וָאֹ֣כְלֵ֔ם וַיְהִ֤י דבריך דְבָֽרְךָ֙ לִ֔י לְשָׂשׂ֖וֹן וּלְשִׂמְחַ֣ת לְבָבִ֑י כִּֽי־נִקְרָ֤א שִׁמְךָ֙ עָלַ֔י יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֥י צְבָאֽוֹת׃ לֹֽא־יָשַׁ֥בְתִּי בְסוֹד־מְשַׂחֲקִ֖ים וָֽאֶעְלֹ֑ז מִפְּנֵ֤י יָֽדְךָ֙ בָּדָ֣ד יָשַׁ֔בְתִּי כִּֽי־זַ֖עַם מִלֵּאתָֽנִי׃ לָ֣מָּה הָיָ֤ה כְאֵבִי֙ נֶ֔צַח וּמַכָּתִ֖י אֲנוּשָׁ֑ה מֵֽאֲנָה֙ הֵֽרָפֵ֔א הָי֨וֹ תִֽהְיֶ֥ה לִי֙ כְּמ֣וֹ אַכְזָ֔ב מַ֖יִם לֹ֥א נֶאֱמָֽנוּ׃ לָכֵ֞ן כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה אִם־תָּשׁ֤וּב וַאֲשִֽׁיבְךָ֙ לְפָנַ֣י תַּֽעֲמֹ֔ד וְאִם־תּוֹצִ֥יא יָקָ֛ר מִזּוֹלֵ֖ל כְּפִ֣י תִֽהְיֶ֑ה יָשֻׁ֤בוּ הֵ֙מָּה֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְאַתָּ֖ה לֹֽא־תָשׁ֥וּב אֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ וּנְתַתִּ֜יךָ לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֗ה לְחוֹמַ֤ת נְחֹ֙שֶׁת֙ בְּצוּרָ֔ה וְנִלְחֲמ֥וּ אֵלֶ֖יךָ וְלֹא־י֣וּכְלוּ לָ֑ךְ כִּֽי־אִתְּךָ֥ אֲנִ֛י לְהוֹשִֽׁיעֲךָ֥ וּלְהַצִּילֶ֖ךָ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ וְהִצַּלְתִּ֖יךָ מִיַּ֣ד רָעִ֑ים וּפְדִתִ֖יךָ מִכַּ֥ף עָרִצִֽים׃
Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me, a man of strife and a man of contention to all the land! I have not lent, and they have not lent to me, yet all of them curse me (v. 10)
Hebrew numbering: Jeremiah 15:10–21.
1611
King James Bible
How the site knows this: Read in the site's library text: King James Version (1769 text).
Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me. The Lord said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction. Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel? Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders. And I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you. O Lord, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke. Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation. Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail? Therefore thus saith the Lord, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them. And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the Lord. And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.
Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872
Greek Jeremiah (library: Giguet's French)
How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.
Hélas! ma mère, pourquoi m’avez-vous enfanté, pour être un homme de contradiction par toute la terre? Je n’ai été utile à personne, et personne ne m’a été utile; la force m’a manqué contre ceux qui me maudissent. Soit, Maître, qu’ils aient raison contre moi si je ne me suis tenu auprès de vous au temps de leurs calamités et au temps de leur tribulation, pour les servir contre leurs ennemis. En vain le fer est connu de toi, en vain un vêtement d’airain est ta force; Je livrerai tes trésors au pillage sur ton territoire entier pour prix de tous tes péchés, Et je t’asservirai à tes ennemis d’alentour, en une terre que tu ne connaissais pas; car le feu de ma colère est allumé, et il vous brûlera. Seigneur, souvenez-vous de moi et visitez-moi; protégez-moi contre ceux qui me poursuivent, et ne tardez pas; sachez que c’est à cause de vous que je suis outragé Par ceux qui tiennent pour rien votre parole; exterminez-les, et votre parole fera mes délices et la joie de mon cœur, parce que j’ai été appelé de votre nom, Seigneur tout-puissant. Je ne me suis point assis dans leur assemblée quand ils vous raillaient; mais j’ai été saisi de crainte en face de votre main; je me suis assis solitaire, parce que j’étais rempli d’amertume. Pourquoi ceux qui m’affligent ont-ils prévalu sur moi? Ma blessure est profonde: comment en guérirai-je? me voici comme dans une eau trompeuse, à laquelle on ne peut se fier. À cause de cela, voici ce que dit le Seigneur: Si tu reviens toujours à moi, je te fortifierai, et tu resteras de Et je te donnerai contre ce peuple une défense et un rempart d’airain; et ils te combattront et ne pourront rien contre toi, parce que je suis avec toi pour te sauver Et te retirer des mains des méchants, et je te rachèterai de la main des hommes de pestilence.
Greek (digital file) numbering: Jeremiah 15:10–21. Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check only), in the Greek book's own order and verse numbering; a C check needs Ziegler's Göttingen Jeremiah or Rahlfs–Hanhart.
Greek translation c. 2nd century BC; French 1872
Greek Jeremiah 15:16–18 (library's Giguet)
How the site knows this: Known here only through a translation.
Par ceux qui tiennent pour rien votre parole; exterminez-les, et votre parole fera mes délices et la joie de mon cœur, parce que j’ai été appelé de votre nom, Seigneur tout-puissant. Je ne me suis point assis dans leur assemblée quand ils vous raillaient; mais j’ai été saisi de crainte en face de votre main; je me suis assis solitaire, parce que j’étais rempli d’amertume. Pourquoi ceux qui m’affligent ont-ils prévalu sur moi? Ma blessure est profonde: comment en guérirai-je? me voici comme dans une eau trompeuse, à laquelle on ne peut se fier.
Giguet's 1872 French of a printed Greek text (D check only), in the Greek book's own order and verse numbering; a C check needs Ziegler's Göttingen Jeremiah or Rahlfs–Hanhart. Compare the Hebrew "Your words were found, and I ate them."
What changed, and why
Classification: genuine differences between the Masoretic Text and the Greek (as seen through Giguet) in vv. 10–18, plus a difficult Hebrew text in vv. 11–14 that translators handle in many ways.
v. 10: Hebrew "I have not lent, nor have they lent to me"; Greek "I have not been of use to anyone, nor anyone to me." v. 16: Hebrew "Your words were found, and I ate them"; the Greek begins "by those who reject your words; consume them," joining the line to v. 15. v. 18: Hebrew "Why is my pain perpetual?"; Greek "Why do those who grieve me prevail over me?" These look like a different reading or understanding of the Hebrew consonants; they need checking in Ziegler before any conclusion.
"A deceitful brook" (akhzav, v. 18) is a wadi that runs dry in summer: the opposite of God as "the fountain of living waters" in 2:13.
Verses 13–14 repeat 17:3–4 with small differences; the Greek lacks 17:1–4 (see "The heart is deceitful").
What the evidence shows
- The Greek of 15:16 differs from the Hebrew "Your words were found, and I ate them." Library's Giguet; C check against Ziegler.
- In 15:18 Jeremiah compares God to a stream that fails.
- Jeremiah 15:13–14 repeats 17:3–4.
- Ezekiel 3:1–3 depends on Jeremiah 15:16. A shared image of eating God's word; no demonstrated dependence.
Sources
Related lessons
- Jeremiah 15: Though Moses and Samuel Stood Before Me →"Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people" (15:1). Those for death to death, for the sword to the sword, for famine to famine, for captivity to captivity; four destroyers: sword, dogs, birds, beasts; "because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah" (vv. 2–4). "Who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem?"; "I am weary with repenting"; widows more than the sand; "she that hath borne seven languisheth… her sun is gone down while it was yet day" (vv. 5–9). Then the third confession: "Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife" (v. 10); obscure lines about the enemy, northern iron, and plunder (vv. 11–14); "remember me… revenge me of my persecutors" (v. 15); "Thy words were found, and I did eat them" (v. 16); "I sat alone because of thy hand"; "wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?" (vv. 17–18). God answers: "If thou return, then will I bring thee again… thou shalt be as my mouth… I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall" (vv. 19–21).
- Investigation: Jeremiah's Confessions →Scattered through chapters 11–20 are poems in which Jeremiah speaks not to the people for God but to God about himself. Since the 19th century scholars have called them his "confessions," borrowing Augustine's word for an autobiography addressed to God. They are prayers of a persecuted man: he asks for vengeance, accuses God of failing him like a dry stream, says God enticed and overpowered him, and curses the day he was born. Some get an answer from God; the last gets none. This investigation studies each poem on its own, compares them with Job and the lament psalms, and separates real verbal parallels from claims that one text borrowed from another.