I will make you serve your enemies is what is in the text of the Septuagint and of many Hebrew manuscripts. This is accepted by a majority of translations, some of which include a note to indicate the alternative text (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, New Jerusalem Bible), while others do not (Good News Translation, An American Translation, Luther 1984). The Hebrew Masoretic Text is rendered in the footnote of New International Version as “I will cause your enemies to bring you into.”

A land which you do not know is rendered “a land they know nothing about” by Good News Translation and “a distant unknown land” by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch.

For in my anger a fire is kindled which shall burn for ever is restructured as a comparison by Good News Translation: “because my anger is like fire and it will burn forever.” Bible en français courant has “for my anger has caught fire, I am furious against you.” However, it is also possible to interpret the clause to mean “because I am so angry with you I will light a fire to burn you.” See, for example, New International Version “for my anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you.”

For ever (so also Good News Translation) is the text of some Hebrew manuscripts; the Masoretic Text has “against you [plural].” This is the preference of Traduction œcuménique de la Bible, Revised English Bible, Luther 1984, New International Version, and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch; An American Translation combines the two versions into “against you forever.”

Quoted with permission from Newman, Barclay M. and Stine, Philip C. A Handbook on Jeremiah. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2003. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .