Jeremiah, 18

1. The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh as follows,

1. The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

2. 'Get up and make your way down to the potter's house, and there I shall tell you what I have to say.'

2. "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will let you hear my words."

3. So I went down to the potter's house; and there he was, working at the wheel.

3. So I went down to the potter's house, and there he was working at his wheel.

4. But the vessel he was making came out wrong, as may happen with clay when a potter is at work. So he began again and shaped it into another vessel, as he thought fit.

4. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter's hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

5. Then the word of Yahweh came to me as follows,

5. Then the word of the LORD came to me:

6. 'House of Israel, can I not do to you what this potter does? Yahweh demands. Yes, like clay in the potter's hand, so you are in mine, House of Israel.

6. "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? says the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

7. Sometimes I announce that I shall uproot, break down and destroy a certain nation or kingdom,

7. If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it,

8. but should the nation I have threatened abandon its wickedness, I then change my mind about the disaster which I had intended to inflict on it.

8. and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will repent of the evil that I intended to do to it.

9. Sometimes I announce that I shall build up and plant a certain nation or kingdom,

9. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it,

10. but should that nation do what displeases me and refuse to listen to my voice, I then change my mind about the good which I was intending to confer on it.

10. and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will repent of the good which I had intended to do to it.

11. So now, say this to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "Yahweh says this: Listen, I am preparing a disaster for you, I am working out a plan against you. So now, each one of you, turn back from your evil ways, amend your conduct and actions."

11. Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: `Thus says the LORD, Behold, I am shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.'

12. They, however, will say, "It is no use! We shall follow our own plans; each of us will act on his own wicked inclinations." '

12. "But they say, `That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.'

13. Therefore, Yahweh says this, 'Ask, please, among the nations if anyone has heard anything like this. The Virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

13. "Therefore thus says the LORD: Ask among the nations, who has heard the like of this? The virgin Israel has done a very horrible thing.

14. Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave the rocks of its slopes? Do the rivers of foreign lands, their cold flowing waters, ever run dry?

14. Does the snow of Lebanon leave the crags of Si'rion? Do the mountain waters run dry, the cold flowing streams?

15. And yet my people have forgotten me! They burn incense to a Nothing! They have been made to stumble in their ways, the ancient paths, to walk in paths, on an unmade road,

15. But my people have forgotten me, they burn incense to false gods; they have stumbled in their ways, in the ancient roads, and have gone into bypaths, not the highway,

16. to make their country an object of horror, everlastingly derided: every passer-by will be appalled at it and shake his head.

16. making their land a horror, a thing to be hissed at for ever. Every one who passes by it is horrified and shakes his head.

17. Like the east wind, I shall scatter them before the enemy. I shall show them my back, not my face, the day they are ruined.'

17. Like the east wind I will scatter them before the enemy. I will show them my back, not my face, in the day of their calamity."

18. 'Come on,' they said, 'let us concoct a plot against Jeremiah, for the Law will not perish for lack of priests, nor advice for lack of wise men, nor the word for lack of prophets. Come on, let us slander him and pay no attention to anything he says.'

18. Then they said, "Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not heed any of his words."

19. Pay attention to me, Yahweh, hear what my adversaries are saying.

19. Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to my plea.

20. Should evil be returned for good? Now they are digging a pit for me. Remember how I pleaded before you and spoke good of them, to turn your retribution away from them.

20. Is evil a recompense for good? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.

21. So, hand their sons over to famine, abandon them to the edge of the sword. Let their wives become childless and widowed. Let their husbands die of plague, their young men be cut down by the sword in battle.

21. Therefore deliver up their children to famine; give them over to the power of the sword, let their wives become childless and widowed. May their men meet death by pestilence, their youths be slain by the sword in battle.

22. Let cries re-echo from their houses as you bring raiders suddenly on them. For they have dug a pit to catch me, they have laid snares to trap my feet.

22. May a cry be heard from their houses, when thou bringest the marauder suddenly upon them! For they have dug a pit to take me, and laid snares for my feet.

23. But you, Yahweh, know all about their murderous plot against me. Do not forgive their guilt, do not efface their sin from your sight. Let them be hurled down before you, deal with them while you are angry!

23. Yet, thou, O LORD, knowest all their plotting to slay me. Forgive not their iniquity, nor blot out their sin from thy sight. Let them be overthrown before thee; deal with them in the time of thine anger.