Its evil is translated “its evil doings” by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch. In its second occurrence the noun evil has a different sense, that is, the punishment or disaster that the LORD will bring. In Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch this is hinted at rather than being stated directly: “I will not do what I said I would” (Good News Translation) and “I will not carry out what I threatened to do to it” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch).

In this context, for God to repent means he will change his mind about punishing the people. Translators should not use a word or expression that would otherwise mean to stop doing evil or to change because of remorse or regret. Translators can say something like “take back my decision” or “change my decision.” Compare “relented” in 4.28, which translates the same Hebrew verb.

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 .