Verse 10 is a parenthetical comment in prose, and for this reason it is set off in parentheses by Good News Translation. In Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch parentheses are not used, though the verse is given a separate paragraph.

Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD with slackness: Many languages require that the agent of the cursing be given (see 11.3). In this case, it should perhaps be the LORD: “May the LORD curse anyone…” or “The LORD will bring evil on anyone….” He is used to refer to “any person,” not just to men. As Good News Translation has it, with slackness means to not put your whole heart into something.

Cursed is he who keeps back his sword from bloodshed: Good News Translation uses more modern imagery with the rendering “Curse those who do not slash and kill!” Translators who want to retain some of the image of the text can say something like “May the LORD curse any person who won’t bloody his sword in killing” or “… who won’t smear his sword with blood.” Obviously, in this case, killing the people of Moab was a task given by the LORD.

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 .