The shift from “thou” (“you” singular) in verse 4 to he may be of some difficulty to the reader, since the same person is referred to by both pronouns. That is why Good News Translation and Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch shift to “you” in verses 4 and 5.

Be angry for ever is equivalent to be indignant to the end. Neither of these constructions in Hebrew actually contains the words angry or indignant, which must be supplied from the context. Rather two other similar verbs meaning “guard” or “watch” are used without an object. It is possible that in some instances the first of these two verbs may of itself mean “be angry” (see Lev 19.18, where Revised Standard Version has “bear any grudge”; Jer 3.12; Nahum 1.2; Psa 103.9), though some scholars question this meaning. However, it is clear that indignant would be too weak, and another word that means anger or to hold something against someone would be better.

To the end means the same as for ever. Translators could also use “always.”

Behold: See the comment at 1.6.

You have spoken refers to the statement “My father … to the end?” Good News Translation renders “Israel, that is what you said.”

But you have done all the evil that you could translates two verbs, “and you did evil and you were able.” The interpretation given the text by Revised Standard Version is followed by most translations, including Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch “you continued in your degenerate ways, and you did it masterfully” and Luther 1984 “you did evil and you did not restrain yourself.” Others evidently take “and you were able” in a slightly different sense: “you have done evil and gone unchallenged” (Revised English Bible) and “and still you went on sinning, you were so obstinate” (Jerusalem Bible). This sentence shows the contrast between what Israel says and what they continue doing. Therefore one possible translation is “But this is only what you say. What you have done is commit all the evil you could.”

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 .