Yeremia 5:21

5:21 Tell them: ‘Hear this,

you foolish people who have no understanding,

who have eyes but do not discern,

who have ears but do not perceive: ¹ 

Yeremia 4:22

4:22 The Lord answered, ² 

“This will happen ³  because my people are foolish.

They do not know me.

They are like children who have no sense. ⁴ 

They have no understanding.

They are skilled at doing evil.

They do not know how to do good.”

[5:21]  ¹ tn Heb “they have eyes but they do not see, they have ears but they do not hear.”

[4:22]  ² tn These words are not in the text but are supplied in the translation to show clearly the shift in speaker. Jeremiah has been speaking; now the Lord answers, giving the reason for the devastation Jeremiah foresees.

[4:22]  ³ tn Heb “For….” This gives the explanation for the destruction envisaged in 4:20 to which Jeremiah responds in 4:19, 21.

[4:22]  ⁴ tn Heb “They are senseless children.”