Jeremiah complained to Yahweh again when the people planned to attack him

18 Then some of the people said, “Come, let’s plan to attack Jeremiah. We have many priests who teach us God’s laws, and wise men who give us good advice, and prophets who tell us what will happen. We do not need Jeremiah! So, let’s slander him and not pay attention to anything that he says.”

19 Then I prayed, “Yahweh, please listen to me!

And listen to what my enemies are saying about me.

20 I am doing things that are good,

so it is disgusting that [RHQ] they are paying me back by doing evil things to me.

It is as though they have dug a pit for me to fall into and die.

Do not forget that one time I stood in front of you and pleaded for you to help them,

and I tried to prevent you from punishing them [MTY], even though you were very angry with them.

21 So now, allow their children to die from hunger!

Or cause them to be killed by their enemies’ swords!

Cause their wives to become widows, whose children are all dead!

Cause their old men to die in a plague,

and cause their young men to be killed in battles!

22 Cause people to scream in their homes

when enemy soldiers suddenly come into their houses!

Cause all those things to happen to them because they want to kill me.

It is as though they have dug a pit for me to fall into,

and they have hidden traps along my path.

23 Yahweh, you know all the things that they are planning to do to kill me.

Do not forgive them for their crimes

or blot out the record of their sins.

Cause them to be destroyed;

punish them because of your being angry with them!”