My people have been lost sheep may be better translated as a simile: “My people are like lost sheep.”

Their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains: Their shepherds is used symbolically of the rulers (see 2.8), who have led the people astray. Good News Translation translates the first part of the verse as “My people are like sheep whose shepherds have let them get lost in the mountains.” A variation on this is “My people are like sheep whose leaders have led them away from the path, and they are lost, wandering about in the mountains.”

From mountain to hill they have gone may be rendered “they have wandered from hill to hill.”

They have forgotten their fold: If a simile is used, then it would be more natural to follow Good News Translation “they have forgotten where their home is.” Fold can be expressed as “resting place” (New International Version).

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 .