Jeremiah 9:1

New Living Translation

If only my head were a pool of water and my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night for all my people who have been slaughtered.

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
If my head were a flowing spring,

Hebrew Names Version
Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a spring of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

King James Version
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

English Standard Version
Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

New American Standard Bible
Oh, that my head were waters And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For those slain of the daughter of my people!

New Century Version
I wish my head were like a spring of water and my eyes like a fountain of tears! Then I could cry day and night for my people who have been killed.

Amplified Bible
Oh that my head were waters And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people!

World English Bible
Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a spring of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Geneva Bible (1587)
Oh, that mine head were full of water and mine eyes a fountaine of teares, that I might weepe day and night for the slayne of the daughter of my people.

Legacy Standard Bible
Oh that my head were watersAnd my eyes a fountain of tears,That I might weep day and nightFor the slain of the daughter of my people!

Berean Standard Bible
Oh, that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night over the slain daughter of my people.

Contemporary English Version
I wish that my eyes were fountains of tears, so I could cry day and night for my people who were killed.

Complete Jewish Bible
I wish I were out in the desert, in some travelers' lodge — then I could get away from my people and distance myself from them! "Indeed they are all adulterers, a band of traitors is what they are.

Darby Translation
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eye a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Easy-to-Read Version
If my head were filled with water, and if my eyes were a fountain of tears, I would cry day and night for my people who have been destroyed.

George Lamsa Translation
OH that my head were waters and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Good News Translation
I wish my head were a well of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I could cry day and night for my people who have been killed.

Lexham English Bible
Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might weep day and night, for the slain of the daughter of my people.

Literal Translation
Oh, that my head were waters and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
O who will geue my heade water ynough, & a well of teares for myne eyes: that I maye wepe night ad daye, for the slaughter of my people?

American Standard Version
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Bible in Basic English
If only my head was a stream of waters and my eyes fountains of weeping, so that I might go on weeping day and night for the dead of the daughter of my people!

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Oh that I were in the wilderness, in a lodging-place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people, and go from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

King James Version (1611)
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountaine of teares, that I might weepe day and night for the slaine of the daughter of my people.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
O who wyll geue my head water inough, and a wel of teares for mine eyes, that I may weepe night and day for the slaughter of my people?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Who will give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to my eyes? then would I weep for this my people day and night, even for the slain of the daughter of my people.

English Revised Version
Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Who schal yyue watir to myn heed, and a welle of teeris to myn iyen? And Y schal biwepe dai and niyt the slayn men of the douyter of my puple.

Update Bible Version
Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Webster's Bible Translation
Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

New English Translation
I wish that my head were a well full of water and my eyes were a fountain full of tears! If they were, I could cry day and night for those of my dear people who have been killed.

New King James Version
Oh, that my head were waters, And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people!

New Life Bible
If only my head were a well of water, and my eyes a well of tears, that I might cry day and night for my people who have been killed!

New Revised Standard
O that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might weep day and night for the slain of my poor people!

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Oh that my head were waters, And mine eyes a fountain of tears, - That I might weep day and night, For the slain of the daughter of my people!

Douay-Rheims Bible
Who will give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to my eyes? and I will weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people.

Revised Standard Version
O that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Young's Literal Translation
Who doth make my head waters, And mine eye a fountain of tears? And I weep by day and by night, For the wounded of the daughter of my people.

THE MESSAGE
I wish my head were a well of water and my eyes fountains of tears So I could weep day and night for casualties among my dear, dear people. At times I wish I had a wilderness hut, a backwoods cabin, Where I could get away from my people and never see them again. They're a faithless, feckless bunch, a congregation of degenerates.

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Oh that my head were waters And my eyes a fountain of tears, That I might weep day and night For the slain of the daughter of my people!

Contextual Overview

¹ If only my head were a pool of water and my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night for all my people who have been slaughtered. ² Oh, that I could go away and forget my people and live in a travelers' shack in the desert. For they are all adulterers— a pack of treacherous liars. ³ "My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me," says the Lord . ⁴ "Beware of your neighbor! Don't even trust your brother! For brother takes advantage of brother, and friend slanders friend. ⁵ They all fool and defraud each other; no one tells the truth. With practiced tongues they tell lies; they wear themselves out with all their sinning. ⁶ They pile lie upon lie and utterly refuse to acknowledge me," says the Lord . ⁷ Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says: "See, I will melt them down in a crucible and test them like metal. What else can I do with my people? ⁸ For their tongues shoot lies like poisoned arrows. They speak friendly words to their neighbors while scheming in their heart to kill them. ⁹ Should I not punish them for this?" says the Lord . "Should I not avenge myself against such a nation?" ¹⁰ I will weep for the mountains and wail for the wilderness pastures. For they are desolate and empty of life; the lowing of cattle is heard no more; the birds and wild animals have all fled.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

O that, Heb. Who will give, etc. Jeremiah 4:19, Jeremiah 13:17, Jeremiah 14:17, Psalms 119:136, Isaiah 16:9, Isaiah 22:4, Lamentations 2:11, Lamentations 2:18, Lamentations 2:19, Lamentations 3:48, Lamentations 3:49, Ezekiel 21:6, Ezekiel 21:7

weep: Psalms 42:3

the daughter: Jeremiah 6:26, Jeremiah 8:21, Jeremiah 8:22

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 7:6 - drew water 1 Samuel 15:11 - it grieved 1 Samuel 15:35 - Samuel mourned 2 Samuel 1:12 - General 2 Samuel 11:14 - wrote a letter 2 Kings 8:11 - wept 2 Kings 22:19 - wept Ezra 10:1 - weeping Esther 8:6 - For how Isaiah 59:11 - mourn Jeremiah 4:11 - daughter Jeremiah 8:4 - Moreover Jeremiah 9:18 - our eyes Jeremiah 10:19 - Woe Jeremiah 17:16 - neither Jeremiah 23:9 - heart Jeremiah 30:15 - for the Jeremiah 45:3 - Woe Lamentations 1:2 - weepeth Lamentations 1:16 - I weep Ezekiel 6:11 - Smite Ezekiel 12:2 - thou Ezekiel 19:1 - take Ezekiel 24:16 - thy tears Daniel 10:2 - I Daniel Micah 1:8 - I will wail Matthew 18:31 - they Luke 6:21 - ye that weep Luke 19:41 - and wept John 11:35 - General Acts 20:19 - many Romans 9:2 - General Romans 12:15 - weep 1 Corinthians 13:6 - Rejoiceth not 2 Corinthians 12:21 - that I Philippians 3:18 - even 1 Thessalonians 2:9 - night 2 Peter 2:7 - vexed

Cross-References

Genesis 1:22
Then God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply. Let the fish fill the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth."

Genesis 2:3
And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

Genesis 8:17
Release all the animals—the birds, the livestock, and the small animals that scurry along the ground—so they can be fruitful and multiply throughout the earth."

Genesis 9:3
I have given them to you for food, just as I have given you grain and vegetables.

Genesis 9:4
But you must never eat any meat that still has the lifeblood in it.

Genesis 9:7
Now be fruitful and multiply, and repopulate the earth."

Genesis 9:19
From these three sons of Noah came all the people who now populate the earth.

Genesis 10:32
These are the clans that descended from Noah's sons, arranged by nation according to their lines of descent. All the nations of the earth descended from these clans after the great flood.

Genesis 24:60
They gave her this blessing as she parted: "Our sister, may you become the mother of many millions! May your descendants be strong and conquer the cities of their enemies."

Psalms 112:1
Praise the Lord ! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears,.... Or, "who will give to my head water, and to mine eyes a fountain of tears?" as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and Arabic versions. The prophet wishes that his head was turned and dissolved into water, and that tears might flow from his eyes as water issues out from a fountain; and he suggests, that could this be, it would not be sufficient to deplore the miserable estate of his people, and to express the inward grief and sorrow of his mind on account of it.

That I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people; the design of all this is to set forth the greatness and horribleness of the destruction, signifying that words were wanting to express it, and tears to lament it; and to awaken the attention of the people to it, who were quite hardened, insensible, and stupid. The Jewish writers close the eighth chapter with this verse, and begin the ninth with the following.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

This verse is joined in the Hebrew to the preceding chapter. But any break at all here interrupts the meaning.

A fountain - Rather, “a reservoir,” in which tears had been stored up, so that the prophet might weep abundantly.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

CHAPTER IX

The prophet bitterly laments the terrible judgments about to be

inflicted upon his countrymen, and points out some of the evils

which have provoked the Divine Majesty, 1-9.

Judea shall be utterly desolated, and the inhabitants

transplanted into heathen countries, 10-17.

In allusion to an ancient custom, a band of mourning women is

called to lament over the ruins of Jerusalem, 17, 18;

and even the funeral dirge is given in terms full of beauty,

elegance, and pathos, 19-22.

God is the fountain of all good; man, merely an instrument by

which a portion of this good is distributed in the earth;

therefore none should glory in his wisdom, might, or riches,

23, 24.

The judgments of God shall fall, not upon the land of Judea

only, but also upon many heathen nations, 25, 26.

NOTES ON CHAP. IX

Verse Jeremiah 9:1. O that my head were waters — מי יתן ראשי מים mi yitten roshi mayim, "who will give to my head waters?" My mourning for the sins and desolations of my people has already exhausted the source of tears: I wish to have a fountain opened there, that I may weep day and night for the slain of my people. This has been the sorrowful language of many a pastor who has preached long to a hardened, rebellious people, to little or no effect. This verse belongs to the preceding chapter.