Jeremiah, 18

1. The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

1. This is the word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah:

2. Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

2. "Go down to the potter's house and there you will hear what I have to say."

3. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

3. So I went to the potter's house and found him working at the wheel.

4. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make [it].

4. But the pot he was working on was spoiled in his hands, so he reworked it all over again into another pot that suits his desire.

5. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

5. Meanwhile Yahweh sent me his word,

6. O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay [is] in the potter's hand, so [are] ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

6. "People of Israel, can I not do with you what this potter does? As clay in the potter's hand so are you in my hands.

7. [At what] instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy [it];

7. At times I warn a nation or a kingdom that I will uproot or destroy it.

8. If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

8. But if they change their ways, I then relent and refrain from doing the harm I had intended to do.

9. And [at what] instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant [it];

9. At other times I declare that a nation or kingdom will be built up and planted

10. If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

10. but then they do what displeases me and do not listen to me, so I decide to reverse the good deeds that I intend to do."

11. Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.

11. And Yahweh added, "Now tell the people of Judah and to those who live in Jerusalem: Yahweh says to you, 'Listen, I am planning to destroy you; I am hatching a devastating plot against you! Turn from your evil ways; rectify your conduct and your deeds.'

12. And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

12. But you reply: 'It's no use! We shall follow our own plans'; and each one goes on obeying his stubborn heart."

13. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.

13. Because of this Yahweh has to say: Ask among the nations, 'Has anyone heard the like of this? The Virgin Israel has done a most abominable thing.

14. Will [a man] leave the snow of Lebanon [which cometh] from the rock of the field? [or] shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?

14. Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave the rocky heights of the field? Do the fresh waters of great rivers ever dry up?

15. Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways [from] the ancient paths, to walk in paths, [in] a way not cast up;

15. Yet my people have forgotten me, offering incense to empty idols that made them stumble on their way as they left the ancient paths. Now they have taken the wrong way, the crooked way that leads nowhere.

16. To make their land desolate, [and] a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

16. Their land will be left desolate, and an object of lasting derision. All who pass by will be astonished and shake their heads.

17. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.

17. Like the wind that blows from the east I will scatter them before their enemies; I will turn my back to them, not my face, in the day of their disaster!

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

18. Then, they said, "Come, let us plot against Jeremiah, for even without him, there will be priests to interpret the Teachings of the Law; there will always be wisemen to impart counsel and prophets to proclaim the word. Come, let us accuse him and strike him down instead of listening to what he says."

19. Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

19. Hear me, O Yahweh! Listen to what my accusers say.

20. Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, [and] to turn away thy wrath from them.

20. Is evil the reward for good? Why do they dig a grave for me? Remember how I stood before you to speak well on their behalf so that your anger might subside.

21. Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their [blood] by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and [be] widows; and let their men be put to death; [let] their young men [be] slain by the sword in battle.

21. Now let their children starve; hand them over to the sword! Let their wives become childless and widows! Let their men be victims of plague and their young men be slain in battle!

22. Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

22. Let cries be heard in their houses when you suddenly bring bandits against them, for they have dug a pit to trap me and hidden snares to catch my feet.

23. Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay [me]: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal [thus] with them in the time of thine anger.

23. O Yahweh, you know all of their plots to take my life! Forgive not their crime; forget not their sin; crush them on the day of your anger.