It, of course, refers to Egypt. Translators might use “there.” With your hands upon your head is a figure of shame or disappointment: “you will return from there ashamed and confused” (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch). Good News Translation interprets and alters the figure: “You will turn away from Egypt, hanging your head in shame.” In 2Sam 13.19 Tamar puts her hands on her head and cries loudly after having been raped. Translators may either retain the image of the text, and explain in a footnote what it means, or retain the text and add “as a mark of shame” or “in shame” to the sentence; or, as Good News Translation has done, it may be possible to use an idiom from their language which indicates shame.

The text continues in the third line with the same sentence, using the transition for. Some translations, however, find it natural to begin a new sentence. The LORD is giving the reason the people will be shamed when they seek for help from Egypt: it is because he has rejected Egypt as having no authority, or has not approved of them.

As we have noted throughout the chapter, whether to retain third person, as in the text, or to use first person, “I the LORD,” will have to be decided on the basis of what is most natural in the language.

Rejected here means “will have nothing to do with.”

Those in whom you trust appears in Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch as “those powers in which you have placed your trust.” Bible en français courant has rendered this as “this type of assistance,” but almost all other translations understand this as referring to those powers or the people they have placed their trust in.

And you will not prosper by them may more effectively be rendered “and they will not [be able to] help you.” “You will not gain anything from them” (Good News Translation) is also good.

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 .