The Lord says,“ Suppose you have raced against people. And suppose they have worn you out. Then how would you be able to race against horses? Suppose you feel safe only in open country. Then how would you get along in the bushes near the Jordan River?

耶和华说：“你若与步行的人同跑，尚且觉累，怎能与马赛跑呢？你在平安之地，虽然安稳，在约旦河边的丛林要怎样行呢？

“你与步行的人同跑，尚且觉得累，怎能与马赛跑呢？你在安全之地尚且会跌倒，在约旦河边的丛林要怎么办呢？

“你与步行的人同跑，尚且觉得累，怎能与马赛跑呢？你在安全之地尚且会跌倒，在约旦河边的丛林要怎么办呢？

耶和华说：“如果你与步行的人竞走，尚且感到疲乏，又怎能与马赛跑呢？如果你在宽阔之地尚且跌倒，在约旦河边的丛林中又会怎样呢？

耶和华说：“如果你与徒步的人同跑，尚且觉得疲倦，怎能跟马赛跑呢？你在平安稳妥之地，尚且跌倒，在约旦河边的丛林怎么办呢？

耶和華說：你若與步行的人同跑，尚且覺累，怎能與馬賽跑呢？你在平安之地，雖然安穩，在約旦河邊的叢林要怎樣行呢？

「你與步行的人同跑，尚且覺得累，怎能與馬賽跑呢？你在安全之地尚且會跌倒，在約旦河邊的叢林要怎麼辦呢？

「你與步行的人同跑，尚且覺得累，怎能與馬賽跑呢？你在安全之地尚且會跌倒，在約旦河邊的叢林要怎麼辦呢？

耶和華說：「如果你與步行的人競走，尚且感到疲乏，又怎能與馬賽跑呢？如果你在寬闊之地尚且跌倒，在約旦河邊的叢林中又會怎樣呢？

耶和華說：“如果你與徒步的人同跑，尚且覺得疲倦，怎能跟馬賽跑呢？你在平安穩妥之地，尚且跌倒，在約旦河邊的叢林怎麼辦呢？

『你若跟步行的人同跑，尚且覺得累，怎能跟馬賽跑呢？你在平安之地尚且要匍匐而逃，在約但河邊的叢林要怎樣行呢？

爾與步卒同趨、尚猶疲憊、焉能與馬角逐哉、在平康之地、爾可安泰、約但溢於叢林、爾將若何、

耶和華曰、爾與步卒爭鬥、已形困憊、焉能與驍騎角力哉、邦國平康、爾可自恃、約但漲溢、將如之何、

主曰、爾與徒行者同趨、尚且困憊、焉能與乘馬者角力哉、在平康之地、爾可自恃、爾在約但河濱之茂林、將如之何、

“ If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?

“ If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?

“ If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan?

If you have raced with runners and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in a peaceful land, what will you do in the thickets of the Jordan?

“ If you have run with infantrymen and they have tired you out, How can you compete with horses? If you fall down in a land of peace, How will you do in the thicket by the Jordan?

“ If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, Then how can you contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, In which you trusted, they wearied you, Then how will you do in the floodplain of the Jordan?

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and though in a land of peace thou art secure, yet how wilt thou do in the pride of the Jordan?

If you have raced with runners and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in a peaceful land, what will you do in the thickets of the Jordan?

If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? and[ if] in the land of peace,[ wherein] thou trustedst,[ they wearied thee], then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?

The LORD answered,“ If you have raced on foot against men and they have worn you out, how will you be able to compete with horses? And if you feel secure only in safe and open country, how will you manage in the thick undergrowth along the Jordan River?

“ If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? Though in a land of peace you are secure, yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan?

Dear friends, don’t be surprised by the terrible things happening to you. The trouble you are having has come to test you. So don’t feel as if something strange were happening to you.

He made it through these attacks by sinners. So think about him. Then you won’t get tired. You won’t lose hope.You struggle against sin. But you have not yet fought to the point of spilling your blood.

If you grow weak when trouble comes, your strength is very small!

“ I will be like a lion coming up from the bushes by the Jordan River. I will hunt in rich grasslands. I will chase you from your land in an instant. What nation will I choose to do this? Which one will I appoint? Is anyone like me? Who would dare to argue with me? What leader can stand against me?”

I will be like a lion coming up from the bushes by the Jordan River. I will hunt in rich grasslands. I will chase the people of Babylon from their land in an instant. What nation will I choose to do this? Which one will I appoint? Is anyone like me? Who would dare to argue with me? What leader can stand against me?”

God, save me. My troubles are like a flood. I’m up to my neck in them.I’m sinking in deep mud. I have no firm place to stand. I am out in deep water. The waves roll over me.

My son, do not hate the Lord’ s training. Do not object when he corrects you.

You have sent wave upon wave of trouble over me. It roars down on me like a waterfall. All your waves and breakers have rolled over me.

They went across the Jordan River when it was flowing over its banks. That happened in the first month of spring. They chased away everyone who lived in the valleys. They chased them away from the east and west sides of the river.

The water of the Jordan was going over its banks. It always does that at the time the crops are being gathered. The priests came to the river. Their feet touched the water’s edge.

Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded him to say. But as soon as he did, the priests, the prophets and all the people grabbed him. They said,“ You must die!

Instead, the king commanded three men to arrest Baruch the secretary and Jeremiah the prophet. But the Lord had hidden them. The three men were Jerahmeel, Seraiah and Shelemiah. Jerahmeel was a member of the royal court. Seraiah was the son of Azriel. And Shelemiah was the son of Abdeel.

Then these officials said to the king,“ This man should be put to death. What he says is making the soldiers who are left in this city lose hope. It’s making all the people lose hope too. He isn’t interested in what is best for the people. In fact, he’s trying to destroy them.”“ He’s in your hands,” King Zedekiah answered.“ I can’t do anything to oppose you.”So they took Jeremiah and put him into an empty well. It belonged to Malkijah. He was a member of the royal court. His well was in the courtyard of the guard. Zedekiah’s men lowered Jeremiah by ropes into the well. It didn’t have any water in it. All it had was mud. And Jeremiah sank down into the mud.