<p class="poetry">Do not go out into the countryside.p> <p class="poetry">Do not travel on the roads.p> <p class="poetry">For the enemy is there with sword in hand.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They are spreading terror everywhere.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Tell your daughters and neighbors, &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;The dead bodies of people will lie scattered everywherep> <p class="poetry">like manure scattered on a field.p> <p class="poetry">They will lie scattered on the groundp> <p class="poetry">like grain that has been cut down but has not been gathered.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">The people I call my own attack me like birds of prey or like hyenas.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">But other birds of prey are all around them.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Let all the nations gather together like wild beasts.p> <p class="poetry">Let them come and destroy these people I call my own.<n id="3" />p>

So I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel. I weighed out seven ounces of silver and gave it to him to pay for it.<n id="1" />

The city is sure to fall into the hands of the Babylonians.<n id="1" /> Yet, in spite of this,<n id="2" /> you, Lord <sc>Godsc>,<n id="3" /> have said to me, &#8220;Buy that field with silver and have the transaction legally witnessed.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

You and your people<n id="1" /> are saying that this land will become desolate, uninhabited by either people or animals. You are saying that it will be handed over to the Babylonians.<n id="2" /> But fields<n id="3" /> will again be bought in this land.<n id="4" />

So,&#8221; the Lord <sc>Godsc><n id="1" /> says, &#8220;my raging fury will be poured out on this land.<n id="2" /> It will be poured out on human beings and animals, on trees and crops.<n id="3" /> And it will burn like a fire which cannot be extinguished.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">How long must the land be parched<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and the grass in every field be withered?p> <p class="poetry">How long<n id="2" /> must the animals and the birds diep> <p class="poetry">because of the wickedness of the people who live in this land?<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">For these people boast,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;God<n id="4" /> will not see what happens to us.&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">If I go out into the countryside,p> <p class="poetry">I see those who have been killed in battle.p> <p class="poetry">If I go into the city,p> <p class="poetry">I see those who are sick because of starvation.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For both prophet and priest go about their own businessp> <p class="poetry">in the land without having any real understanding.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

I have at this time placed all these nations of yours under the power<n id="1" /> of my servant,<n id="2" /> King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made all the wild animals subject to him.<n id="3" />

For the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel who rules over all<n id="1" /> says, &#8220;I have put an irresistible yoke of servitude on all these nations<n id="2" /> so they will serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. And they will indeed serve him. I have even given him control over the wild animals.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="3" />