Thus says the LORD: See 2.2.

Cursed is the man: Good News Translation renders Cursed as “I will condemn,” with the LORD as the understood subject. For a discussion of this term, see 11.3. There is a question here whether the meaning in this verse is “I have cursed,” as in 11.3, or “I will curse.” This statement seems to be a sort of universal truth, however, so that it is best to use a future tense (Good News Translation) or another form that means that as a rule this is what happens to the people described here. Man refers here to any human being, so “person” is better in English.

Who trusts in man is translated “who trusts in human beings” by New American Bible and “who depends on mortals” by Traduction œcuménique de la Bible. New Revised Standard Version has “who trust in mere mortals.” Makes flesh his arm means to depend on physical things or the body as a source of strength. Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch combines who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, translating “who depends upon mortal man for help.” Translators could also say “who put their trust in man, and rely on the body as their source of strength.”

Since the LORD is speaking, whose heart turns away from the LORD is translated “who turn away from me” by Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch. Notice that Good News Translation finds it more natural to reverse the order of the sentence: “… who turn away from me and put their trust….”

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 .