< Jeremiah 18 >

1 Jeremiah khaeah angzo Angraeng ih lok loe hae tiah oh;
Yahweh gave another message to me. [He said],
2 angthawk ah loe, laom sahkung im ah caeh tathuk ah, to ah ka lok to kang thaisak han, tiah ang naa.
“Go to the shop of the man who makes clay pots. I will give you a message there.”
3 To pongah laom sahkung im ah ka caeh tathuk, laom sah kami mah sak ih tok to ka hnuk.
So I went to that shop, and I saw the man who makes pots. He was working at the wheel [that he uses to form pots].
4 Amlai long hoiah a sak ih long laom loe, laom sah kami ih ban ah koih pae ving, to pongah anih mah hae tiah ka sak nahaeloe hoih tih, tiah a poek ih baktih toengah anih mah kalah laom to sak let.
But when he finished making one jar, it was not as good as he hoped/wanted it to be. [So], he took that clay and formed it into another jar, shaping it as he desired.
5 To naah Angraeng ih lok kai khaeah angzoh,
Then Yahweh gave me this message:
6 Aw Israel imthung takoh, hae laom sah kami baktiah nangcae to ka sah thai mak ai maw? tiah Angraeng mah thuih. Khenah, Aw Israel imthung takoh, laom sah kami ih ban ah amlai long oh baktih toengah, nangcae doeh ka ban ah ni na oh o.
“Perhaps the people of Israel [think that] I cannot do to them like this man who makes pots has done [RHQ]. [But what they think is wrong]. I [can control what happens to them like] this man [controls what he does with the clay] in his hands.
7 Kawbaktih atue ah doeh prae maeto maw, siangpahrang ukkhaih prae maw aphong ving moe, amtimsak pacoengah, amrosak hanah ka thuih naah,
There may be a time when I proclaim that I will get rid of a nation or kingdom, [like someone] pulls up [a plant with its roots], and smashes it, and destroys it.
8 acoehaih ka paek ih prae kaminawk mah a sak o ih kasae hmuen hoiah amlaem o let nahaeloe, nihcae nuiah sak han ka poek ih amrohaih to ka zuh let han.
But if [the people of] that nation repent of doing evil things, I will not send to them the disasters that I planned to send.
9 Kalah atue ah, prae maeto maw, siangpahrang ukhaih prae maw ka sak moe, kang doetsak han, tiah ka thuih,
And there may be a time when I proclaim that I will establish a nation or kingdom and cause it to be strong [MET].
10 toe prae mah ka mikhnuk ah sethaih to sah moe, ka lok tahngai ai nahaeloe, nihcae atho ohhaih ka sak pae han, tiah ka thuih ih lok to ka zuh let han.
But if [the people of] that nation [start to] do evil things and refuse to obey me, then I will not bless them as I said that I would do.
11 To pongah khenah, vaihi Angraeng mah, nang hanah sethaih ka sak moe, nang hanah misa ah ohhaih ahmuen to ka suek boeh; to pongah kami boih kasae sakhaih loklam hoiah amlaem oh, na caeh o haih loklam hoiah na sak o ih hmuennawk to pakhrai oh, tiah Judah kaminawk hoi Jerusalem ah kaom kaminawk khaeah thui paeh, tiah ang naa.
Therefore, [Jeremiah, go and warn all] the people in Jerusalem and [in other places] in Judah. Say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh says: “I am planning to cause you to experience a disaster [DOU]. [So], each of you should turn from your evil behavior and start doing what is right, [in order that you will not experience that disaster].”’’”
12 Toe nihcae mah, Oep han koi om ai; kaicae loe kaimacae poekhaih baktiah ni ka caeh o han, kasae poekhaih palung mah thuih ih lok baktiah ni kami boih mah ka sak o han, tiah thuih o.
[So I told that message to the people], but they replied, “It is useless [for you to tell us that]. We will [continue to] be stubborn and behave as we want to.”
13 To pongah Angraeng mah, Kacuem Israel tangla mah panuet thok hmuen to sak boeh. To baktih kahoih ai hmuennawk to na thaih o vaih maw? tiah Sithaw panoek ai kaminawk khaeah vaihi dueng o noek ah.
So, this is what Yahweh says: “Ask the [people who live in other] nations if they have [RHQ] ever heard of such a thing. My Israeli people, who [have been pure like] [MET] virgins, have done a terrible thing!
14 Lebanon mae nui ih dantui loe amkaw vai maw? Kangthla ahmuen hoiah kalong angqai parai tuinawk loe kang o tih maw?
The snow certainly never [RHQ] completely disappears/melts from the rocky slopes of the mountains in Lebanon. The cold streams that flow down from those distant mountains never [RHQ] cease flowing.
15 Toe kai ih kaminawk mah loe kai to pahnet o, tidoeh athum ai sakcop ih krangnawk khaeah hmuihoih to a thlaek o, krangnawk mah nihcae to canghnii ah pazui o ih loklam kangquem ah caeh haih moe, amthaeksak, kahoih loklam ah caehsak ai, tuk ai ih kasae loklam ah ni a caehsak.
But my people [are not as reliable as those streams: ] They have abandoned me. They burn incense to [honor/worship] worthless idols. [It is as though] they have stumbled as they walked along very old roads that are good roads, and now, instead, they are walking on dirt paths.
16 To tiah nihcae mah angmacae ih prae to amro o sak moe, minawk mah kasae thuihaih ah oh poe; to lam taengah kacaeh kaminawk loe dawnrai o moe, lu haek o.
Therefore, their land will become desolate, and people who see it will hiss [to ridicule it]. Everyone who passes by will be appalled; they will shake their heads [to show that they are shocked].
17 Ni angyae bang ih takhi baktiah, nihcae to misanawk hmaa ah kam hetsak han; raihaih a tongh o na niah, nihcae han mikhmai patuek ai ah, ka hnukbang ih kaeng to ka patuek lat han, tiah thuih.
I will scatter the people when their enemies [attack them] like dust is scattered by an east wind. And when they experience all those difficulties/disasters, I will turn my back on them [and refuse] to help them.”
18 To naah nihcae mah, Sithaw lok patuk qaimanawk, poekhaih kahoih paek palungha kaminawk hoi lok taphong tahmaanawk a tawnh o boeh pongah, Angzo oh, Jeremiah hae hum hanah pacaeng o si. Angzo oh, Jeremiah to zaehaih net o si, a thuih ih loknawk doeh tahngai pae o hma si, tiah thuih o.
Then some of the people said, “Come, let’s plan to attack Jeremiah. We have [many] priests who teach us God’s laws, and wise men who give us good advice, and prophets who tell us [what will happen. We do not need Jeremiah!] So, let’s slander him and not pay attention to anything that he says.”
19 Aw Angraeng, tahngai ah, kai zaehaih net kaminawk ih lok to tahngai ah.
[Then I prayed], “Yahweh, [please] listen to me! And listen to what my enemies are saying about me.
20 Kahoih hmuen to kasae hmuen hoiah na pathok han maw? Nihcae loe ka hinghaih aphum hanah tangqom takaeh o boeh. Nihcae hoihhaih kawng to thuih moe, nihcae khae hoi palung na phuihaih paqoi let hanah, na hmaa ah kang doet, tito panoek ah.
I am doing things that are good, so it is disgusting that [RHQ] they are paying me back by doing evil [things to me]. [It is as though] they have dug a pit for me [to fall into] and die. Do not forget that [one time] I stood in front of you and pleaded for you [to help them], and I tried to prevent you from [punishing them] [MTY], even though you were very angry with them.
21 Toe nihcae to sumsen hoiah athii longsak ah loe, a caanawk to khokhahaih tongsak ah; a caanawk duek o pongah, nihcae ih zu loe lamhmai ah om o nasoe; saning coeh kaminawk to hum o nasoe loe, thendoengnawk to misatukhaih ahmuen ah sumsen hoiah hum o nasoe.
So [now], allow their children to die from hunger! Or cause them to be killed by [their enemies’] swords! Cause their wives to become widows, whose children are all dead! Cause their [old] men to die in a plague, and cause their young men to be killed in battles!
22 Nihcae tuk hanah misa na kawk naah, nihcae imthung hoiah hanghaih lok to angthaih nasoe; nihcae loe kai kraksak hanah tangqom takaeh o, ka khok aman hanah thaang ang patung pae o.
Cause people to scream in their homes when enemy soldiers suddenly come into their houses! [Cause all those things to happen to them] because they [want to kill me]. [It is as though] they have dug a pit for me [to fall into], and they have hidden traps along my path.
23 Toe, Angraeng, nihcae mah kai hum han thuih ih loknawk to na panoek; nihcae zaehaih to tahmen hmah, na mikhnuk ah nihcae zaehaih to takhoe pae hmah, na hmaa ah nihcae to va o nasoe loe, palung na phuihaih atue phak naah, nihcae to lokcaek ah.
Yahweh, you know all the things that they are planning to do to kill me. Do not forgive them for their crimes or blot out [the record of] their sins. Cause them to be destroyed; punish them because of your being angry [with them]!”

< Jeremiah 18 >