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.
Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there will I let thee hear my words.
3 Og jeg gik ned til Pottemagerens Hus, og se, han gjorde et Arbejde paa Skiven.
Then went I down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was doing work on the wheels.
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 the vessel that he was making became spoiled as [happeneth] with the clay in the hand of the potter; and he made again thereof another vessel, as it seemed good in the eyes of the potter to make it.
5 Da kom Herrens Ord til mig saaledes:
Then came the word of the Lord 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.
Shall I not be able to do unto you as this potter, O house of Israel? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel.
7 I eet Øjeblik taler jeg imod et Folk og imod et Rige, til at oprykke og til at ødelægge det;
At one instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy 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.
But should that nation, against whom I have spoken, return from their wrong-doing: then will I bethink me of the evil that I had thought to do unto them.
9 Og i eet Øjeblik taler jeg om et Folk og om et Rige til at bygge og til at plante det;
And at one instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant 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.
But should it do what is evil in my eyes, so as not to hearken to my voice: then will I bethink me of the good, wherewith I had thought to benefit the same.
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!
And now do say to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as followeth, Thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I form against you evil, and devise against you a device: do but return now every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.
12 Men de sige: Det er forgæves! thi vi ville vandre efter vore egne Tanker og gøre hver efter sit onde Hjertes Stivhed.
And they said, It is useless: for after our own thoughts will we walk, and we will every one do after the stubbornness of his evil heart.
13 Derfor, saa siger Herren: Spørger dog iblandt Hedningerne: „Hvo har hørt saadanne Ting?‟ Noget saare grueligt har Israels Jomfru begaaet.
Therefore thus hath said the Lord, Only ask among the nations, Who hath heard the like things? a very horrible act hath the virgin of Israel committed.
14 Mon Libanons Sne gaar bort fra Klippen paa Marken? eller mon de fremtrængende, friske, rindende Vande standse?
Doth the snow of Lebanon ever quit the rock of the field? or do the far-coming, cold, flowing waters ever fail?
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,
That my people have forgotten me, that they have burnt incense to false gods, and are made to stumble on their ways, the ancient beaten tracks, to walk in paths, on a road which is not leveled?
16 til at gøre deres Land til en Gru, til en evig Spot; hver som gaar derover, gruer og ryster med sit Hoved.
To make their land desolate, a perpetual derision: every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake 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.
Like an east wind will I scatter them before the enemy; with the back, and not the face, will I regard them on the day of their calamity.
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!
And they said, Come, and let us contrive devices against Jeremiah; for the law will not be lost 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 listen to any of his words.
19 Herre! giv Agt paa mig, og hør deres Røst, som trætte imod mig.
Listen to me, O Lord, and hearken to the voice of those that contend with 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.
Shall evil be recompensed instead of good, that they have dug a pit for my life? Remember my standing before thee to speak good concerning them, to cause thy wrath to turn 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!
Therefore give up their children to the famine, and let their life ebb out by means of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and widows; and let their men be slain by death; their young men smitten by the sword in the battle.
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 be heard from their houses, when thou bringest a troop over them suddenly; for they have dug a pit to catch me, and laid concealed snares for my feet.
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!
Yet thou, Lord, knowest well all their counsel against me to [procure my] death: forgive not their iniquity, and let their sin not be blotted out from before thee; but let them be brought to stumbling before thee; in the time of thy anger deal thus with them.
