Jeremiah, 46

1. The words of Yahweh that were addressed to the prophet Jeremiah against the nations.

1. The word of the LORD which came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

2. On Egypt. Against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was at Carchemish on the River Euphrates when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon defeated it in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah.

2. About Egypt. Concerning the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphra'tes at Car'chemish and which Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of Jehoi'akim the son of Josi'ah, king of Judah:

3. Buckler and shield at the ready! Onward to battle!

3. "Prepare buckler and shield, and advance for battle!

4. Harness the horses: into the saddle, horsemen! To your ranks! On with your helmets! Sharpen your spears, put on your breastplates!

4. Harness the horses; mount, O horsemen! Take your stations with your helmets, polish your spears, put on your coats of mail!

5. Why do I see them retreating, panic-stricken? Their heroes, beaten back, are fleeing headlong, with not a look behind. Terror on every side, Yahweh declares!

5. Why have I seen it? They are dismayed and have turned backward. Their warriors are beaten down, and have fled in haste; they look not back -- terror on every side! says the LORD.

6. No flight for the swift, no escape for the strong! Up in the north on the River Euphrates, they have collapsed, have fallen.

6. The swift cannot flee away, nor the warrior escape; in the north by the river Euphra'tes they have stumbled and fallen.

7. Who was it rose like the Nile, his waters foaming like a torrent?

7. "Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge?

8. Why, Egypt rose like the Nile, his waters foaming like a torrent. 'I shall rise', he said, 'and drown the earth; sweep away town and its inhabitants!

8. Egypt rises like the Nile, like rivers whose waters surge. He said, I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities and their inhabitants.

9. Charge, horses! Forward, chariots! Let the warriors advance, men from Cush and Put with shield in hand, men from Lud who bend the bow!'

9. Advance, O horses, and rage, O chariots! Let the warriors go forth: men of Ethiopia and Put who handle the shield, men of Lud, skilled in handling the bow.

10. For this is the Day of Lord Yahweh Sabaoth, a day of vengeance when he takes revenge on his foes: the sword will devour until gorged, until drunk with their blood, for Lord Yahweh Sabaoth is holding a sacrificial feast in the land of the north, on the River Euphrates.

10. That day is the day of the Lord GOD of hosts, a day of vengeance, to avenge himself on his foes. The sword shall devour and be sated, and drink its fill of their blood. For the Lord GOD of hosts holds a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphra'tes.

11. Go up to Gilead and fetch balm, virgin daughter of Egypt! You multiply remedies in vain, nothing can cure you!

11. Go up to Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you have used many medicines; there is no healing for you.

12. The nations have heard of your shame, your wailing fills the world, for warrior has stumbled against warrior, and both have fallen together.

12. The nations have heard of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry; for warrior has stumbled against warrior; they have both fallen together."

13. The word that came from Yahweh to the prophet Jeremiah when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon advanced to attack Egypt.

13. The word which the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon to smite the land of Egypt:

14. Publish it in Egypt, proclaim it in Migdol, proclaim it in Noph and Tahpanhes! Say, 'Stand your ground, be prepared, for the sword is devouring all round you!'

14. "Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol; proclaim in Memphis and Tah'panhes; Say, `Stand ready and be prepared, for the sword shall devour round about you.'

15. Why has Apis fled? Why has your Mighty One not stood firm? Why, Yahweh has overturned him,

15. Why has Apis fled? Why did not your bull stand? Because the LORD thrust him down.

16. he has caused many to fall! Falling over one another, they say, 'Up, and back to our own people, to the country where we were born, away from the devastating sword!'

16. Your multitude stumbled and fell, and they said one to another, `Arise, and let us go back to our own people and to the land of our birth, because of the sword of the oppressor.'

17. They have given Pharaoh king of Egypt the nickname, 'Much-noise-but-he-lets-the-chance-slip-by'!

17. Call the name of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, `Noisy one who lets the hour go by.'

18. As I live, the King declares, whose name is Yahweh Sabaoth, he is coming, a very Tabor among mountains, a Carmel high above the sea!

18. "As I live, says the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts, like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, shall one come.

19. Get your bundle ready for exile, fair inhabitant of Egypt! Noph will be reduced to a desert, desolate, uninhabited.

19. Prepare yourselves baggage for exile, O inhabitants of Egypt! For Memphis shall become a waste, a ruin, without inhabitant.

20. Egypt was a splendid heifer, but a gadfly from the north has settled on her.

20. "A beautiful heifer is Egypt, but a gadfly from the north has come upon her.

21. The mercenaries she had with her, these too were like fattened calves: but they too have taken to their heels, have all run away, not held their ground, for their day of disaster has overtaken them, their time for being punished.

21. Even her hired soldiers in her midst are like fatted calves; yea, they have turned and fled together, they did not stand; for the day of their calamity has come upon them, the time of their punishment.

22. Hear her hissing like a snake as they advance in force to fall on her with their axes, like woodcutters,

22. "She makes a sound like a serpent gliding away; for her enemies march in force, and come against her with axes, like those who fell trees.

23. they will fell her forest, Yahweh declares, however impenetrable it was for they are more numerous than locusts, there is no counting them.

23. They shall cut down her forest, says the LORD, though it is impenetrable, because they are more numerous than locusts; they are without number.

24. The daughter of Egypt is put to shame, handed over to a people from the north.

24. The daughter of Egypt shall be put to shame, she shall be delivered into the hand of a people from the north."

25. Yahweh Sabaoth, God of Israel, has said, 'Look, I shall punish Amon of No, Pharaoh, Egypt, its gods, its kings, Pharaoh and those who put their trust in him.

25. The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, said: "Behold, I am bringing punishment upon Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt and her gods and her kings, upon Pharaoh and those who trust in him.

26. I shall hand him over to those who are determined to kill him, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, to his generals. But afterwards, Egypt will be inhabited again as in the past, Yahweh declares.

26. I will deliver them into the hand of those who seek their life, into the hand of Nebuchadrez'zar king of Babylon and his officers. Afterward Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, says the LORD.

27. But do not be afraid, my servant Jacob, Israel, do not be alarmed: for look, I shall rescue you from afar and your descendants from the country where they are captive. Jacob will return and be at peace, secure, with no one to trouble him.

27. "But fear not, O Jacob my servant, nor be dismayed, O Israel; for lo, I will save you from afar, and your offspring from the land of their captivity. Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease, and none shall make him afraid.

28. Do not be afraid, my servant Jacob, Yahweh declares, for I am with you: I shall make an end of all the nations where I have driven you, but I shall not make an end of you, I shall discipline you only as you deserve, not leaving you quite unpunished.

28. Fear not, O Jacob my servant, says the LORD, for I am with you. I will make a full end of all the nations to which I have driven you, but of you I will not make a full end. I will chasten you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished."