Jeremias 18

1 Det Ord, som kom til Jeremias fra Herren, saalydende:

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

2 Staa op og gaa ned til Pottemagerens Hus, og der vil jeg lade dig høre mine Ord.

Up! go down to the potter's house, and there I will let my words come to your ears.

3 Og jeg gik ned til Pottemagerens Hus, og se, han gjorde et Arbejde paa Skiven.

Then I went down to the potter's house, and he was doing his work on the stones.

4 Og naar det Kar, som han gjorde, mislykkedes, som det kan gaa med Leret i Pottemagerens Haand, saa begyndte han igen og gjorde et andet Kar deraf, saaledes som det var ret for Pottemagerens Øjne at gøre.

And when the vessel, which he was forming out of earth, got damaged in the hand of the potter, he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 Da kom Herrens Ord til mig saaledes:

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

6 Mon jeg ikke kan gøre ved eder, Israels Hus, ligesom denne Pottemager? siger Herren; se, ligesom Leret er i Pottemagerens Haand, saaledes ere I, Israels Hus, i min Haand.

O Israel, am I not able to do with you as this potter does? says the Lord. See, like earth in the potter's hand are you in my hands, O Israel.

7 I eet Øjeblik taler jeg imod et Folk og imod et Rige, til at oprykke og til at ødelægge det;

Whenever I say anything about uprooting a nation or a kingdom, and smashing it and sending destruction on it;

8 men naar dette Folk, imod hvilket jeg har talt, omvender sig fra sin Ondskab, da skal jeg angre det onde, som jeg havde tænkt at gøre ved det.

If, in that very minute, that nation of which I was talking is turned away from its evil, my purpose of doing evil to them will be changed.

9 Og i eet Øjeblik taler jeg om et Folk og om et Rige til at bygge og til at plante det;

And whenever I say anything about building up a nation or a kingdom, and planting it;

10 men naar det gør, hvad der er ondt for mine Øjne, saa at det ikke hører min Røst, da skal jeg angre det gode, med hvilket jeg havde sagt at ville gøre vel imod det.

If, in that very minute, it does evil in my eyes, going against my orders, then my good purpose, which I said I would do for them, will be changed.

11 Og nu, sig dog til Judas Mænd og til Jerusalems Indbyggere: Saa siger Herren: Se, jeg bereder Ulykke over eder og udtænker et Anslag imod eder; vender dog om, hver fra sin onde Vej, og bedrer eders Veje og eders Idrætter!

Now, then, say to the men of Judah and to the people of Jerusalem, This is what the Lord has said: See, I am forming an evil thing against you, and designing a design against you: let every man come back now from his evil way, and let your ways and your doings be changed for the better.

12 Men de sige: Det er forgæves! thi vi ville vandre efter vore egne Tanker og gøre hver efter sit onde Hjertes Stivhed.

But they will say, There is no hope: we will go on in our designs, and every one of us will do what he is moved by the pride of his evil heart to do.

13 Derfor, saa siger Herren: Spørger dog iblandt Hedningerne: „Hvo har hørt saadanne Ting?‟ Noget saare grueligt har Israels Jomfru begaaet.

So this is what the Lord has said: Make search among the nations and see who has had word of such things; the virgin of Israel has done a very shocking thing.

14 Mon Libanons Sne gaar bort fra Klippen paa Marken? eller mon de fremtrængende, friske, rindende Vande standse?

Will the white snow go away from the top of Sirion? will the cold waters flowing from the mountains become dry?

15 Dog mit Folk har glemt mig, de gøre Røgelse for, hvad der er Forfængelighed, og de bragtes til at snuble paa deres Veje og de evige Baner, saa at de gik ind paa Stier, paa en Vej, som ikke var banet,

For my people have put me out of their memory, burning perfumes to that which is nothing; and because of this, I will put a cause of falling in their ways, even in the old roads, and will make them go on side-roads, in a way not lifted up;

16 til at gøre deres Land til en Gru, til en evig Spot; hver som gaar derover, gruer og ryster med sit Hoved.

Making their land a thing of wonder, causing sounds of surprise for ever; everyone who goes by will be overcome with wonder, shaking his head.

17 Som Østenvejret vil jeg adsprede dem for Fjendens Ansigt; jeg vil vende Ryggen og ikke Ansigtet til dem paa deres Trængsels Dag.

I will send them in flight, as from an east wind, before the attacker; I will let them see my back and not my face on the day of their downfall.

18 Men de sagde: Kommer og lader os optænke Anslag imod Jeremias; thi Loven gaar ikke tabt for Præsten, eller Raadet for den vise, eller Ordet for Profeten; kommer og lader os slaa ham med Tungen, og lader os ikke give Agt paa noget af hans Ord!

Then they said, Come, let us make a design against Jeremiah; for teaching will never be cut off from the priest, or wisdom from the wise, or the word from the prophet. Come, let us make use of his words for an attack on him, and let us give attention with care to what he says.

19 Herre! giv Agt paa mig, og hør deres Røst, som trætte imod mig.

Give thought to me, O Lord, and give ear to the voice of those who put forward a cause against me.

20 Mon man skulde betale ondt for godt? thi de have gravet en Grav for min Sjæl; kom i Hu, hvorledes jeg har staaet for dit Ansigt for at tale godt for dem, for at bortvende din Vrede fra dem.

Is evil to be the reward of good? for they have made a deep hole for my soul. Keep in mind how I took my place before you, to say a good word for them so that your wrath might be turned away from them.

21 Derfor giv deres Børn hen til Hungeren, og overlad dem i Sværdets Vold, og lad deres Hustruer blive barnløse og Enker og deres Mænd ihjelslagne ved Døden; lad deres unge Karle blive dræbte med Sværd i Krigen!

For this cause, let their children be without food, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives be without children and become widows; let their men be overtaken by death, and their young men be put to the sword in the fight.

22 Lad der høres Skrig fra deres Huse, naar du lader en Trop pludselig komme over dem; thi de grove en Grav for at fange mig og skjulte Snarer for mine Fødder.

Let a cry for help go up from their houses, when you send an armed band on them suddenly: for they have made a hole in which to take me, and have put nets for my feet secretly.

23 Men du, Herre! du ved alt deres Raad imod mig til Døden, son ikke deres Misgerning, og udslet ikke deres Synd for dit Ansigt; lad dem være nedstyrtede for dit Ansigt, handle med dem i din Vredes Tid!

But you, Lord, have knowledge of all the designs which they have made against my life; let not their evil-doing be covered or their sin be washed away from before your eyes: but let it be a cause of falling before you: so do to them in the time of your wrath.