Liber Ieremiae, 12

1. Iustus quidem tu es, Domine, si disputem tecum; verumtamen de iudiciis loquar ad te. Quare via impiorum prosperatur? Bene est omnibus, qui praevaricantur et inique agunt.

1. Righteous art thou, O LORD, when I complain to thee; yet I would plead my case before thee. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

2. Plantasti eos, et radicem miserunt, proficiunt et faciunt fructum; prope es tu ori eorum et longe a renibus eorum.

2. Thou plantest them, and they take root; they grow and bring forth fruit; thou art near in their mouth and far from their heart.

3. Et tu, Domine, nosti me, vidisti me et probasti cor meum tecum; segrega eos quasi gregem ad victimam et sanctifica eos in diem occisionis.

3. But thou, O LORD, knowest me; thou seest me, and triest my mind toward thee. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and set them apart for the day of slaughter.

4. Usquequo lugebit terra, et herba omnis regionis siccabitur propter malitiam habitantium in ea? Consumptum est animal et volucre, quoniam dixerunt: “Non videbit novissima nostra”.

4. How long will the land mourn, and the grass of every field wither? For the wickedness of those who dwell in it the beasts and the birds are swept away, because men said, "He will not see our latter end."

5. “Si cum peditibus currens laborasti, quomodo contendere poteris cum equis? Cum autem in terra pacis securus fueris, quid facies in silva condensa Iordanis?

5. "If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you fall down, how will you do in the jungle of the Jordan?

6. Nam et fratres tui et domus patris tui, etiam ipsi fraudulenter egerunt adversum te et clamaverunt post te plena voce; ne credas eis, cum locuti fuerint tibi bona”.

6. For even your brothers and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you; they are in full cry after you; believe them not, though they speak fair words to you."

7. “Reliqui domum meam, dimisi hereditatem meam; dedi dilectam animae meae in manu inimicorum eius.

7. "I have forsaken my house, I have abandoned my heritage; I have given the beloved of my soul into the hands of her enemies.

8. Facta est mihi hereditas mea quasi leo in silva; dedit contra me vocem, ideo odivi eam.

8. My heritage has become to me like a lion in the forest, she has lifted up her voice against me; therefore I hate her.

9. Numquid avis discolor hereditas mea mihi? Numquid aves in circuitu contra eam? Venite, congregamini, omnes bestiae campi, properate ad devorandum.

9. Is my heritage to me like a speckled bird of prey? Are the birds of prey against her round about? Go, assemble all the wild beasts; bring them to devour.

10. Pastores multi demoliti sunt vineam meam, conculcaverunt partem meam; dederunt portionem meam desiderabilem in desertum solitudinis.

10. Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard, they have trampled down my portion, they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

11. Posuerunt eam in dissipationem; lugetque coram me desolata, vastata est omnis terra, quia nullus est qui recogitet corde”.

11. They have made it a desolation; desolate, it mourns to me. The whole land is made desolate, but no man lays it to heart.

12. Super omnes colles in deserto venerunt vastatores, quia gladius Domini devorat ab extremo terrae usque ad extremum eius; non est pax universae carni.

12. Upon all the bare heights in the desert destroyers have come; for the sword of the LORD devours from one end of the land to the other; no flesh has peace.

13. Seminaverunt triticum et spinas messuerunt, laboraverunt, et non eis proderit; confundemini a fructibus vestris propter iram furoris Domini.

13. They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns, they have tired themselves out but profit nothing. They shall be ashamed of their harvests because of the fierce anger of the LORD."

14. Haec dicit Dominus adversum omnes vicinos meos pessimos, qui tangunt hereditatem, quam distribui populo meo Israel: “Ecce ego evellam eos de terra sua et domum Iudae evellam de medio eorum.

14. Thus says the LORD concerning all my evil neighbors who touch the heritage which I have given my people Israel to inherit: "Behold, I will pluck them up from their land, and I will pluck up the house of Judah from among them.

15. Et erit: cum evulsero eos, convertar et miserebor eorum et reducam eos, virum ad hereditatem suam et virum in terram suam.

15. And after I have plucked them up, I will again have compassion on them, and I will bring them again each to his heritage and each to his land.

16. Et erit: si eruditi didicerint vias populi mei, ut iurent in nomine meo: “Vivit Dominus!”, sicut docuerunt populum meum iurare in Baal, aedificabuntur in medio populi mei.

16. And it shall come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, `As the LORD lives,' even as they taught my people to swear by Ba'al, then they shall be built up in the midst of my people.

17. Quod si non audierint, evellam gentem illam evulsione et perditione”, ait Dominus.

17. But if any nation will not listen, then I will utterly pluck it up and destroy it, says the LORD."