The Hebrew text does not use quotation marks, and so it is possible to interpret verse 10 as either a continuation of Jeremiah’s words (Revised Standard Version, Good News Translation) or as a part of the message spoken to Jeremiah by the LORD (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch, Bible en français courant). If the latter is the case, then For is a transition explaining why the LORD says Jeremiah’s heart is broken in the previous verse. But if Jeremiah is speaking here now, as in Good News Translation, then in most languages the transition is not needed.
Full of adulterers: See 3.9 and the discussion on “harlot” in 2.20; the reference is to Israel’s unfaithfulness to the LORD. It is used frequently as a figure, but at times it also actually involved the people in adulterous relationships with the priests and priestesses of the Canaanite fertility cults. However, it is better to emphasize the aspect of being unfaithful to the LORD, as Good News Translation has, than to translate adulterers literally.
The curse is what is found in the Hebrew text; it is followed by most translations and recommended by Hebrew Old Testament Text Project. Revised English Bible has “them,” which represents the consonants of the Hebrew text with different vowels. Note that Good News Translation makes it clear that it is the LORD who has placed the curse on the land.
The land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up: The worship of the fertility deities, rather than being a productive endeavor, leads to drought and the loss of a harvest. The land mourns, except for the tense of the verb, is the same expression used in 4.28; 12.4. In some languages, better than saying the land mourns, translators may need to say “the people of this land are in mourning.” However, the meaning seems to be that because of the drought, the land itself is in sorry shape, so that if possible, translators should retain the literal form. See also 12.4. For pastures of the wilderness, see 9.10.
Their course is evil, and their might is not right: Course (or, “running”) is the same word used in 8.6. Good News Translation interprets Their course is evil to mean “they live wicked lives” and understands their might is not right to mean “[they] misuse their power” (New International Version “use their power unjustly”). “They” in Good News Translation thus clearly refers to the people who are unfaithful. Moreover, Good News Translation introduces these two lines immediately following For the land is full of adulterers, to make what seems to be a more logical development within the verse. However, it is equally possible that it is the prophets who are leading wicked lives and misusing their power, in which case it would not necessarily be helpful to restructure as Good News Translation has.
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 .