Jeremiah 4:22
Modern Translations
New International Version
"My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good."

New Living Translation
“My people are foolish and do not know me,” says the LORD. “They are stupid children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing wrong, but they have no idea how to do right!”

English Standard Version
“For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.”

Berean Study Bible
“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”

New American Standard Bible
“For My people are foolish, They do not know Me; They are foolish children And have no understanding. They are skillful at doing evil, But they do not know how to do good.”

NASB 1995
"For My people are foolish, They know Me not; They are stupid children And have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, But to do good they do not know."

NASB 1977
“For My people are foolish, They know Me not; They are stupid children, And they have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, But to do good they do not know.”

Amplified Bible
“For My people are stupid and foolish,” [says the LORD to Jeremiah]; “They do not know Me; They are foolish children And have no understanding. They are shrewd [enough] to do evil, But they do not know [how] to do good.”

Christian Standard Bible
“For my people are fools; they do not know me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing what is evil, but they do not know how to do what is good.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
"For My people are fools; they do not know Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing what is evil, but they do not know how to do what is good."

Contemporary English Version
I heard the LORD say, "My people ignore me. They are foolish children who do not understand that they will be punished. All they know is how to sin."

Good News Translation
The LORD says, "My people are stupid; they don't know me. They are like foolish children; they have no understanding. They are experts at doing what is evil, but failures at doing what is good."

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"My people are fools. They don't know me. They are stupid people. They don't understand. They are experts in doing wrong, and they don't know how to do good."

International Standard Version
"For my people are foolish, they don't know me. They're stupid children, they have no understanding. They're skilled at doing evil, but how to do good, they don't know."

NET Bible
The LORD answered, "This will happen because my people are foolish. They do not know me. They are like children who have no sense. They have no understanding. They are skilled at doing evil. They do not know how to do good."
Classic Translations
King James Bible
For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

New King James Version
“For My people are foolish, They have not known Me. They are silly children, And they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge.”

King James 2000 Bible
For my people are foolish, they have not known me; they are stupid children, and they have no understanding: they are wise to do evil, but how to do good they have no knowledge.

New Heart English Bible
"For my people are foolish, they do not know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skillful in doing evil, but to do good they have no knowledge."

World English Bible
"For my people are foolish, they don't know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skillful in doing evil, but to do good they have no knowledge."

American King James Version
For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are silly children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

American Standard Version
For my people are foolish, they know me not; they are sottish children, and they have no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

A Faithful Version
"For My people are foolish; they have not known Me; they are stupid children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge."

Darby Bible Translation
For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have no intelligence; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

English Revised Version
For my people is foolish, they know me not; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

Webster's Bible Translation
For my people are foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have no understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
For my people is foolish, they haue not knowen me: they are foolish children, and haue none vnderstanding: they are wise to doe euill, but to doe well they haue no knowledge.

Bishops' Bible of 1568
Neuerthelesse, this shall come vpon them, because my people is become foolishe, and hath not knowen me: they are the children of foolishnesse, and without any discretion: To do euyll, they haue wit inough: but to do well, they haue no wisdome.

Coverdale Bible of 1535
Neuertheles this shall come vpon them, because my people is become foolish, and hath vterly no vnderstondinge. They are the children of foolishnes, and without eny discrecio. To do euell, they haue witt ynough: but to do well, they haue no wisdome.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
“For My people [are] foolish, "" They have not known Me, "" They [are] foolish sons, "" Indeed, they [are] not intelligent, "" They [are] wise to do evil, "" And they have not known to do good.”

Young's Literal Translation
For my people are foolish, me they have not known, Foolish sons are they, yea, they are not intelligent, Wise are they to do evil, And to do good they have not known.

Smith's Literal Translation
For my people are foolish, they knew me not; foolish sons are they and they not understanding; wise are they to do evil, and to do good they knew not.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
For my foolish people have not known me: they are foolish and senseless children: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

Catholic Public Domain Version
For my foolish people have not known me. They are foolish and mad sons. They are clever in doing evil, but they do not know how to do good.

Translations from Aramaic
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Because my people are insane and they have not known me. They are foolish children and they have not been wise. They are wise for evil and they do not know good

Lamsa Bible
For my people are foolish; they have not known me; they are stupid children, and they have no understanding; they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
For My people is foolish, They know Me not; They are sottish children, And they have no understanding; They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
For the princes of my people have not known me, they are foolish and unwise children: they are wise to do evil, but how to do good they have not known.
















Jeremiah 4:21
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