Charles Ellicott Commentary Jeremiah 12:13

"They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns; they have put themselves to pain, and profit nothing: and ye shall be ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Jehovah." — Jeremiah 12:13 (ASV)

But shall reap thorns. — It is better translated as have reaped thorns; and similarly, in the next clause, they have profited nothing. This rendering, which is truer to the Hebrew, is also truer to the Prophet’s meaning. The sentence of failure is already written on everything. The best plans are marred, the “wheat” turned to “thorns.” These words are clearly a proverbial saying, of the same type as that found in Haggai 1:6.

They shall be ashamed. — The word is imperative: be ashamed.

Revenues. — At the time of the 1611 translation, the word had not acquired the exclusively financial sense that it now has, and was used as equivalent to increase or “produce” generally. Some commentators refer these words to the conquerors, who are to be ashamed of their scanty spoil; others refer them to the conquered, who are to find all their hopes of increase disappointed. The latter interpretation seems preferable.