14. The Lord answered:They claim to speak for me, but they're lying! I didn't even speak to them, much less choose them to be my prophets. Their messages come from worthless dreams, useless fortune-telling, and their own imaginations.
15. Those lying prophets say there will be peace and plenty of food. But I say that those same prophets will die from war and hunger.
16. And everyone who listens to them will be killed, just as they deserve. Their dead bodies will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, because their families will also be dead, and no one will be left to bury them.
17. Jeremiah, go and tell the people how you feel about all this.So I told them:“Tears will flood my eyesboth day and night,because my nation suffersfrom a deadly wound.
18. In the fields I see the bodiesof those killed in battle.And in the towns I see crowdsdying of hunger.But the prophets and priestsgo about their business,without understandingwhat has happened.”
19. Have you rejected Judah, Lord?Do you hate Jerusalem?Why did you strike down Judahwith a fatal wound?We had hoped for peaceand a time of healing,but all we got was terror.
20. We and our ancestors are guiltyof rebelling against you.
21. If you save us, it will showhow great you are.Don't let our enemiesdisgrace your temple,your beautiful throne.Don't forget that you promisedto rescue us.
22. Idols can't send rain,and showers don't fallby themselves.Only you control the rain,so we put our trust in you,the Lord our God.