Liber Ieremiae, 22

1. Haec dicit Dominus: “Descende in domum regis Iudae et loqueris ibi verbum hoc

1. Thus says the LORD: "Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word,

2. et dices: Audi verbum Domini, rex Iudae, qui sedes super solium David, tu et servi tui et populus tuus, qui ingredimini per portas istas.

2. and say, `Hear the word of the LORD, O King of Judah, who sit on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates.

3. Haec dicit Dominus: Facite iudicium et iustitiam et liberate vi oppressum de manu expoliantis et advenam et pupillum et viduam nolite affligere neque opprimatis inique et sanguinem innocentem ne effundatis in loco isto.

3. Thus says the LORD: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place.

4. Si enim facientes feceritis verbum istud, ingredientur per portas domus huius reges, sedentes de genere David super thronum eius et ascendentes currus et equos, ipsi et servi et populus eorum.

4. For if you will indeed obey this word, then there shall enter the gates of this house kings who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their servants, and their people.

5. Quod si non audieritis verba haec, in memetipso iuravi, dicit Dominus, quia in solitudinem erit domus haec.

5. But if you will not heed these words, I swear by myself, says the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.

6. Quia haec dicit Dominus super domum regis Iudae: Galaad tu mihi, caput Libani, verumtamen ponam te solitudinem, urbes inhabitabiles,

6. For thus says the LORD concerning the house of the king of Judah: "`You are as Gilead to me, as the summit of Lebanon, yet surely I will make you a desert, an uninhabited city.

7. et sanctificabo super te interficientem virum et arma eius, et succident electas cedros tuas et praecipitabunt in ignem.

7. I will prepare destroyers against you, each with his weapons; and they shall cut down your choicest cedars, and cast them into the fire.

8. Et pertransibunt gentes multae per civitatem hanc, et dicet unusquisque proximo suo: “Quare fecit Dominus sic civitati huic grandi?”.

8. "`And many nations will pass by this city, and every man will say to his neighbor, "Why has the LORD dealt thus with this great city?"

9. Et respondebunt: “Eo quod dereliquerint pactum Domini Dei sui et adoraverint deos alienos et servierint eis””.

9. And they will answer, "Because they forsook the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshiped other gods and served them."'"

10. Nolite flere mortuum neque lugeatis super eum fletu; plangite eum, qui egreditur, quia non revertetur ultra nec videbit terram nativitatis suae.

10. Weep not for him who is dead, nor bemoan him; but weep bitterly for him who goes away, for he shall return no more to see his native land.

11. Quia haec dicit Dominus ad Sellum filium Iosiae regem Iudae, qui regnavit pro Iosia patre suo: “Qui egressus est de loco isto, non revertetur huc amplius,

11. For thus says the LORD concerning Shallum the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josi'ah his father, and who went away from this place: "He shall return here no more,

12. sed in loco, ad quem transtulerunt eum, ibi morietur et terram istam non videbit amplius”.

12. but in the place where they have carried him captive, there shall he die, and he shall never see this land again."

13. Vae, qui aedificat domum suam in iniustitia et cenacula sua non in iudicio, proximum suum servire facit gratis et mercedem eius non reddet ei;

13. "Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms by injustice; who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing, and does not give him his wages;

14. qui dicit: “Aedificabo mihi domum latam et cenacula spatiosa”; qui aperit sibi fenestras et facit laquearia cedrina pingitque sinopide!

14. who says, `I will build myself a great house with spacious upper rooms,' and cuts out windows for it, paneling it with cedar, and painting it with vermilion.

15. Numquid regnabis, quoniam gloriaris in cedris? Pater tuus numquid non comedit et bibit? Sed fecit iudicium et iustitiam, tunc bene erat ei.

15. Do you think you are a king because you compete in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.

16. Iudicavit causam pauperis et egeni, tunc bene. “Numquid non hoc est nosse me?”, dicit Dominus.

16. He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well. Is not this to know me? says the LORD.

17. Tui vero oculi et cor tuum nonnisi ad avaritiam et ad sanguinem innocentem fundendum et ad calumniam et ad oppressionem faciendam.

17. But you have eyes and heart only for your dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, and for practicing oppression and violence."

18. Propterea haec dicit Dominus ad Ioachim filium Iosiae regem Iudae: “Non plangent eum: “Vae, frater meus!” et “Vae, soror!”. Non concrepabunt ei: “Vae, domine!” et “Vae, inclite!”.

18. Therefore thus says the LORD concerning Jehoi'akim the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah: "They shall not lament for him, saying, `Ah my brother!' or `Ah sister!' They shall not lament for him, saying, `Ah lord!' or `Ah his majesty!'

19. Sepultura asini sepelietur, tractus et proiectus longe extra portas Ierusalem”.

19. With the burial of an ass he shall be buried, dragged and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem."

20. Ascende Libanum et clama et in Basan da vocem tuam et clama de Abarim, quia contriti sunt omnes amatores tui.

20. "Go up to Lebanon, and cry out, and lift up your voice in Bashan; cry from Ab'arim, for all your lovers are destroyed.

21. Locutus sum ad te in securitate tua, et dixisti: “Non audiam!”. Haec est via tua ab adulescentia tua, quia non audisti vocem meam.

21. I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said, `I will not listen.' This has been your way from your youth, that you have not obeyed my voice.

22. Omnes pastores tuos pascet ventus, et amatores tui in captivitatem ibunt, quia tunc confunderis et erubesces ab omni malitia tua.

22. The wind shall shepherd all your shepherds, and your lovers shall go into captivity; then you will be ashamed and confounded because of all your wickedness.

23. Quae sedes in Libano et nidificas in cedris, quomodo congemisces, cum venerint tibi dolores quasi dolores parturientis!

23. O inhabitant of Lebanon, nested among the cedars, how you will groan when pangs come upon you, pain as of a woman in travail!"

24. “Vivo ego, dicit Dominus, quia si fuerit Iechonias, filius Ioachim rex Iudae, anulus in manu dextera mea, inde evellam eum

24. "As I live, says the LORD, though Coni'ah the son of Jehoi'akim, king of Judah, were the signet ring on my right hand, yet I would tear you off

25. et dabo te in manu quaerentium animam tuam et in manu, quorum tu formidas faciem, in manu Nabuchodonosor, regis Babylonis, et in manu Chaldaeorum;

25. and give you into the hand of those who seek your life, into the hand of those of whom you are afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon and into the hand of the Chalde'ans.

26. et mittam te et matrem tuam, quae genuit te, in terram alienam, in qua nati non estis, ibique moriemini;

26. I will hurl you and the mother who bore you into another country, where you were not born, and there you shall die.

27. et in terram, ad quam ipsi levant animam suam, ut revertantur, illuc non revertentur”.

27. But to the land to which they will long to return, there they shall not return."

28. Numquid vas despectum et contritum, vir iste Iechonias? Numquid vas absque omni voluptate? Quare abiecti sunt, ipse et semen eius, et proiecti in terram, quam ignoraverunt?

28. Is this man Coni'ah a despised, broken pot, a vessel no one cares for? Why are he and his children hurled and cast into a land which they do not know?

29. Terra, terra, terra, audi sermonem Domini!

29. O land, land, land, hear the word of the LORD!

30. Haec dicit Dominus: “Scribite virum istum sterilem, virum, qui in diebus suis non prosperabitur; nec enim erit de semine eius vir, qui sedeat super solium David et potestatem habeat ultra in Iuda”.

30. Thus says the LORD: "Write this man down as childless, a man who shall not succeed in his days; for none of his offspring shall succeed in sitting on the throne of David, and ruling again in Judah."