< Jeremias 18 >

1 Det Ord, som kom til Jeremias fra Herren, saalydende:
The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, 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 cause thee to hear my words.
3 Og jeg gik ned til Pottemagerens Hus, og se, han gjorde et Arbejde paa Skiven.
So I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he was at work at the wheel.
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 which he was making of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he began anew and made it another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
5 Da kom Herrens Ord til mig saaledes:
Then came the word of Jehovah 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.
Cannot I do after the manner of this potter With respect to you. O house of Israel, saith Jehovah? Behold, as the clay is in the hand of the potter, 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;
Whenever I speak concerning a nation or a kingdom, That I will pluck it up, cast it down, or 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.
If that nation shall turn from its wickedness On account of which I threatened it, Then will I repent of the evil which I purposed to do to it.
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 speak concerning a nation or a kingdom, That I will build it, or 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.
And it shall do that which is evil in my sight, And not hearken to my voice, Then will I repent of the good with which I promised to bless them.
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 speak to the men of Judah, And to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I am framing evil against you, And meditating a design against you; Return ye now every one from his evil way, And amend your ways and your doings.
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 say, “There is no remedy, For we will walk after our own devices, And we will practise every one the perverseness 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 saith Jehovah: Inquire ye now among the nations, Who hath heard such things as these? The virgin of Israel hath done a deed of horror.
14 Mon Libanons Sne gaar bort fra Klippen paa Marken? eller mon de fremtrængende, friske, rindende Vande standse?
Shall the snow from the rocks of Lebanon forsake my fields? Or shall the cold flowing waters, that come from afar, be dried up?
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,
Yet my people have forgotten me, And burned incense to vanity; They stumble in their paths, the old ways, And walk in ways that have not been thrown up,
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 a desolation, A perpetual hissing; Every one that passeth through it shall be amazed, 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.
I will scatter them before the enemy, as with the east wind; I will show them the back, and not the face, In 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!
But they say, “Come, let us devise measures against Jeremiah; For the law shall not perish from the priest, Nor counsel from the wise, Nor the word from the prophet; Come, let us smite him with the tongue, And not give heed to any of his words.”
19 Herre! giv Agt paa mig, og hør deres Røst, som trætte imod mig.
Give heed to me, O Jehovah, And hear the voice of my adversaries!
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 returned for good? For they have digged a pit for me. Remember how I have stood before thee, To announce good to them, And to turn away thy wrath 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 thou up their sons to famine, And deliver them to the edge of the sword! Let their wives be childless and widows, Let their men be slain by pestilence, And their young men fall by the sword in 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 shalt bring a troop upon them suddenly! For they have digged a pit to take me, And hidden 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!
Thou, O Jehovah, knowest all their plots against my life! Cover not their iniquity, And blot not out their sin from thy sight! But let them be overthrown before thee; Deal with them in the time of thy wrath!

< Jeremias 18 >