Jeremiah 4:30

²⁸ For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.

²⁹ The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.

And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.

³¹ For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

This was said to Israel at a particular time, so it is wise to read it together with the surrounding text. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: And you, O devastated one, what will you do, though you dress yourself in scarlet, though you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, though you enlarge your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain; your lovers despise you; they want to take your life.
KJV: And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair; thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.
WEB: You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with makeup, you make yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers despise you. They seek your life.
ASV: And thou, when thou art made desolate, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with scarlet, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou enlargest thine eyes with paint, in vain dost thou make thyself fair; [thy] lovers despise thee, they seek thy life.
DARBY: And thou, wasted one, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rendest thine eyes with paint, in vain dost thou make thyself fair: [thy] lovers despise thee, they seek thy life.
BLB: And you, O devastated one, what are you doing, that you clothe yourself with crimson, that you adorn with ornaments of gold, that you tear open your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself; [for] you have rejected the ones lusting; they seek your life!

ÅB: Og du, når du blir ødelagt, hva vil du da gjøre? Om du klær deg i purpur, om du pryder deg med gullstas, om du gjør dine øyne store med sminke, så er det fåfengt at du gjør deg yndig; dine elskere forsmår deg, de vil ta ditt liv.
OTB: Og du, ødelagte, hva vil du gjøre? Selv om du kler deg i skarlagen, selv om du setter på deg gullsmykker, selv om du fremhever øynene dine med sminke, forgjeves gjør du deg vakker. Dine elskere forakter deg; de søker ditt liv.
B1930: Og du, når du blir ødelagt, hvad vil du da gjøre? Om du klær dig i purpur, om du pryder dig med gullstas, om du gjør dine øine store med sminke, så er det fåfengt at du gjør dig yndig; dine elskere forsmår dig, de vil ta ditt liv.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Lamentations 1:2
She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks: among all her lovers she hath none to comfort her: all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.
Read in context
2 Kings 9:30
And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her face, and tired her head, and looked out at a window.
Read in context
Lamentations 1:19
I called for my lovers, but they deceived me: my priests and mine elders gave up the ghost in the city, while they sought their meat to relieve their souls.
Read in context
Isaiah 10:3
And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
Read in context
Ezekiel 16:36–41
Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thy filthiness was poured out, and thy nakedness discovered through thy whoredoms with thy lovers, and with all the idols of thy abominations, and by the blood of thy children, which thou didst give unto them;
Read in context
Ezekiel 23:9–10
Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted.
Read in context
Ezekiel 23:22–24
Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side;
Read in context
Ezekiel 28:13
Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.
Read in context