The pronoun I in the first line and the pronoun thou in the third line are emphatic. Note that Good News Translation makes it clear that it is still Jeremiah speaking to the LORD.

Pressed translates a verb that most frequently means “be in a hurry [to do something].” In the present context it means “urge” or “encourage.”

In many languages to send evil will require indication of the persons the evil will come to: “to bring disaster on them” (Good News Translation). As the Good News Translation footnote indicates, this clause in Hebrew is actually “from being a shepherd after you.” The Hebrew construction “from being a shepherd” is similar in form to “from evil,” which is the basis for the text of Good News Translation and Revised Standard Version. Hebrew Old Testament Text Project believes the meaning for the first line should be “I did not stop being a shepherd and following after you.” New Revised Standard Version follows this interpretation with “But I have not run away from being a shepherd in your service.” Translators may follow either interpretation.

Nor have I desired the day of disaster: The day of disaster is what will happen to Jeremiah’s enemies; thus Good News Translation has “I did not wish a time of trouble for them.” Disaster translates the word rendered “corrupt” by Revised Standard Version in verse 9. Here it means “trouble” (Good News Translation) or “terrible things.”

Thou knowest; that which came out of my lips was before thy face: Revised English Bible (“You know all that has passed my lips”) and New American Bible (“You know what passed my lips”) join thou knowest directly with that which came out of my lips. In so doing, was before thy face is in a separate clause and given the meaning “you are fully aware of it” (Revised English Bible). Both Good News Translation and Revised English Bible take thou knowest and was before thy face as having essentially the same meaning: “Everything that I said, you know exactly” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

To retain the emphasis on I and thou, which are in the text, translators can also translate this verse as:

• But, LORD, it was never I who urged you to do terrible things to the people, nor wished some evil to happen to them. You know that, for what words came from my lips were spoken in front of you [or, in your very presence].

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 .