Yeremia 6:7

6:7 As a well continually pours out fresh water

so it continually pours out wicked deeds. ¹ 

Sounds of violence and destruction echo throughout it. ² 

All I see are sick and wounded people.’ ³ 

Yeremia 31:16

31:16 The Lord says to her, ⁴ 

“Stop crying! Do not shed any more tears! ⁵ 

For your heartfelt repentance ⁶  will be rewarded.

Your children will return from the land of the enemy.

I, the Lord, affirm it! ⁷ 

[6:7]  ¹ tc Heb “As a well makes cool/fresh its water, she makes cool/fresh her wickedness.” The translation follows the reading proposed by the Masoretes (Qere) which reads a rare form of the word “well” (בַּיִר [bayir] for בְּאֵר [bÿ’er]) in place of the form written in the text (Kethib, בּוֹר [bor]), which means “cistern.” The latter noun is masculine and the pronoun “its” is feminine. If indeed בַּיִר (bayir) is a byform of בְּאֵר (be’er), which is feminine, it would agree in gender with the pronoun. It also forms a more appropriate comparison since cisterns do not hold fresh water.

[6:7]  ² tn Heb “Violence and destruction are heard in it.”

[6:7]  ³ tn Heb “Sickness and wound are continually before my face.”

[31:16]  ⁴ tn The words “to her” are not in the text but are implicit from the context. They are supplied in the translation for clarity.

[31:16]  ⁵ tn Heb “Refrain your voice from crying and your eyes from tears.”

[31:16]  ⁶ tn Heb “your work.” Contextually her “work” refers to her weeping and refusing to be comforted, that is, signs of genuine repentance (v. 15).

[31:16]  ⁷ tn Heb “Oracle of the Lord.”