Liber Ieremiae, 21

1. verbum quod factum est ad Hieremiam a Domino quando misit ad eum rex Sedecias Phassur filium Melchiæ et Sophoniam filium Maasiæ sacerdotem dicens

1. The word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, when king Sedecias sent unto him Phassur, the son of Melchias, and Sophonias, the son of Maasias the priest, saying:

2. interroga pro nobis Dominum quia Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis prœliatur adversum nos si forte faciat Dominus nobiscum secundum omnia mirabilia sua et recedat a nobis

2. Inquire of the Lord for us, for Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon maketh war against us: if so be the Lord will deal with us according to all his wonderful works, that he may depart from us.

3. et dixit Hieremias ad eos sic dicetis Sedeciæ

3. And Jeremias said to them: Thus shall you say to Sedecias:

4. hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël ecce ego convertam vasa belli quæ in manibus vestris sunt et quibus vos pugnatis adversum regem Babylonis et Chaldeos qui obsident vos in circuitu murorum et congregabo ea in medio civitatis hujus

4. Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and the Chaldeans, that besiege you round about the walls: and I will gather them together in the midst of this city.

5. et debellabo ego vos in manu extenta et brachio forti et in furore et in indignatione et in ira grandi

5. And I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand, and with a strong arm, and in fury, and in indignation, and in great wrath.

6. et percutiam habitatores civitatis hujus homines et bestiæ pestilentia magna morientur

6. And I will strike the inhabitants of this city, men and beasts shall die of a great pestilence.

7. et post hæc ait Dominus dabo Sedeciam regem Juda et servos ejus et populum ejus et qui derelicti sunt in civitate hac a peste et gladio et fame in manu Nabuchodonosor regis Babylonis et in manu inimicorum eorum et in manu quærentium animam eorum et percutiet eos in ore gladii et non movebitur neque parcet nec miserebitur

7. And after this, saith the Lord, I will give Sedecias the king of Juda, and his servants, and his people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, and the sword , and the famine, into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and he shall strike them with the edge of the sword, and he shall not be moved to pity, nor spare them, nor shew mercy on them.

8. et ad populum hunc dices hæc dicit Dominus ecce ego do coram vobis viam vitæ et viam mortis

8. And to this people thou shalt say: Thus saith the Lord: Behold I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

9. qui habitaverit in urbe hac morietur gladio et fame et peste qui autem egressus fuerit et transfugerit ad Chaldeos qui obsident vos vivet et erit ei anima sua quasi spolium

9. He that shall abide in this city, shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that shall go out and flee over to the Chaldeans, that besiege you, shall live, and his life shall be to him as a spoil.

10. posui enim faciem meam super civitatem hanc in malum et non in bonum ait Dominus in manu regis Babylonis dabitur et exuret eam igni

10. For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the Lord: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

11. et domui regis Juda audite verbum Domini

11. And to the house of the king of Juda: Hear ye the word of the Lord,

12. domus David hæc dicit Dominus judicate mane judicium et eruite vi oppressum de manu calumniantis ne forte egrediatur ut ignis indignatio mea et succendatur et non sit qui extinguat propter malitiam studiorum vestrorum

12. O house of David, this saith the Lord: Judge ye judgement in the morning, and deliver him that is oppressed by violence out of the hand of the oppressor: lest my indignation go forth like a fire, and be kindled, and there be none to quench it, because of the evil of your ways.

13. ecce ego ad te habitatricem vallis solidæ atque campestris ait Dominus qui dicitis quis percutiet nos et quis ingredietur domos nostras

13.

14. et visitabo super vos juxta fructum studiorum vestrorum dicit Dominus et succendam ignem in saltu ejus et devorabit omnia in circuitu ejus

14. Behold I come to thee that dwelleth in a valley upon a rock above a plain, saith the Lord: and you say: Who shall strike us? and who shall enter into our houses?

15.

15. But I will visit upon you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord: and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof: and it shall devour all things round about it.