Fathers (see 2.5) is here the equivalent of “ancestors” (Good News Translation, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

Forsaken me occurs twice in this verse, but to be more natural English, Good News Translation has “turned away” and “abandoned.” Whether to use the same word twice or two different words will depend on the normal discourse patterns of the translator’s language.

Says the LORD: See 1.8.

Gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them: For gone after, see 2.23. Since gone after, served, and worshiped all mean the same thing, then if necessary in some languages, translators can collapse these into one or two words. The expression is restructured in Good News Translation with only two verbs: “worshiped and served other gods.” Compare 8.2, where the same three verbs occur. For other gods, see 1.16.

Law is here used in the widest sense possible; Good News Translation translates “teachings” and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “instructions.”

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 .