Jeremiah 45:3

45:3 ‘You have said, “I feel so hopeless! ¹  For the Lord has added sorrow to my suffering. ²  I am worn out from groaning. I can’t find any rest.”’”

Jeremiah 51:58

51:58 This is what the Lord who rules over all ³  says,

“Babylon’s thick wall ⁴  will be completely demolished. ⁵ 

Her high gates will be set on fire.

The peoples strive for what does not satisfy. ⁶ 

The nations grow weary trying to get what will be destroyed.” ⁷ 

¹ tn Heb “Woe to me!” See the translator’s note on 4:13 and 10:19 for the rendering of this term.

² sn From the context it appears that Baruch was feeling sorry for himself (v. 5) as well as feeling anguish for the suffering that the nation would need to undergo according to the predictions of Jeremiah that he was writing down.

³ sn See the note at Jer 2:19.

⁴ tn The text has the plural “walls,” but many Hebrew mss read the singular “wall,” which is also supported by the ancient Greek version. The modifying adjective “thick” is singular as well.

⁵ tn The infinitive absolute emphasizes the following finite verb. Another option is to translate, “will certainly be demolished.”

⁶ tn Heb “for what is empty.”

⁷ tn Heb “and the nations for fire, and they grow weary.”