I spoke to you in your prosperity is translated “I warned you when as yet no danger threatened you” by Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch. The Hebrew word rendered prosperity means a time of ease or unconcern, as its other occurrences in the Old Testament indicate (“security” in Psa 122.7; “complacence” in Pro 1.32; “quiet” in Pro 17.1; “prosperous” in Ezek 16.49; “without warning” in Dan 8.25; 11.21, 24). This line can also be translated “I warned you when things were going well for you.”

This has been your way from your youth refers to the history of Jerusalem. In 2.2 the similar expression “the devotion of your youth” is a reference back to the period of Israel’s wandering in the wilderness. Translators usually put something such as “You’ve been like this all your life [or, since you were young].”

Not obeyed my voice: See 3.13. Voice represents the commands of the LORD; or rather, it represents the LORD himself in this context. Translators can say either “never obeyed my commands” or “never obeyed me.”

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 .