Jeremiah 5:4

I thought, “Surely it is only the ignorant poor who act this way. ¹  They act like fools because they do not know what the Lord demands. ²  They do not know what their God requires of them. ³ 

I thought, "These are only the poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of the LORD, the requirements of their God.

Then I said, "They are only the poor, They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the LORD Or the ordinance of their God.

Then I said, "But what can we expect from the poor and ignorant? They don’t know the ways of the LORD. They don’t understand what God expects of them.

Then I said to myself, "Well, these are just poor people. They don't know any better. They were never taught anything about GOD. They never went to prayer meetings. I'll find some people from the best families.

Then I said, But these are the poor: they are foolish, for they have no knowledge of the way of the Lord or of the behaviour desired by their God.

Then I said, "These are only the poor, they have no sense; for they do not know the way of the LORD, the law of their God.

Therefore I said, "Surely these are poor. They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the LORD, The judgment of their God.

I thought, “Surely it is only the ignorant poor who act this way. ¹  They act like fools because they do not know what the Lord demands. ²  They do not know what their God requires of them. ³ 

¹ tn Heb “Surely they are poor.” The translation is intended to make clear the explicit contrasts and qualifications drawn in this verse and the next.

² tn Heb “the way of the Lord.”

³ tn Heb “the judgment [or ordinance] of their God.”