Jeremias 18

1 Det Ord, som kom til Jeremias fra HERREN:

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

2 »Gaa ned til Pottemagerens Hus! Der skal du faa mine Ord at høre.«

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

3 Saa gik jeg ned til Pottemagerens Hus, og se, han var i Arbejde ved Drejeskiven.

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

4 Og naar et Kar, han arbejdede paa, mislykkedes, som det kan gaa med Leret i Pottemagerens Haand, begyndte han igen og lavede det om til et andet, som han nu vilde have det gjort.

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:

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

6 Skulde jeg ikke kunne gøre med eder, Israels Hus, som denne Pottemager? lyder det fra HERREN. Se, som Leret i Pottemagerens Haand er I i min Haand, Israels Hus.

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 Snart truer jeg et Folk og et Rige med at rykke det op, nedbryde og ødelægge det;

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

8 men naar det Folk, jeg har truet, omvender sig fra sin Ondskab, angrer jeg det onde, jeg tænkte at gøre 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 snart lover jeg et Folk og et Rige at opbygge og plante det;

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

10 men gør det saa, hvad der er ondt i mine Øjne, idet det ikke hører min Røst, angrer jeg det gode, jeg havde lovet at gøre 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 sig nu til Judas Mænd og Jerusalems Borgere: Saa siger HERREN: Se, jeg skaber eder en Ulykke og udtænker et Raad imod eder; vend derfor om, hver fra sin onde Vej, og bedrer eders Veje og eders Gerninger.

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 svarer: »Nej! Vi vil følge vore egne Tanker og gøre hver efter sit onde Hjertes Stivsind.«

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: Spørg dog rundt blandt Folkene: Hvo hørte mon sligt? Grufulde Ting har hun øvet, Israels Jomfru.

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 Forlader Libanons Sne den Almægtiges Klippe, eller udtørres Bjergenes kølige, rislende Vande,

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

15 siden mit Folk har glemt mig og ofrer til Løgn? De snubler paa deres Veje, de ældgamle Spor, og vandrer ad Stier, en Vej, der ikke er højnet,

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 for at gøre deres Land til Gru, til evig Spot; hver farende Mand skal grue og ryste paa Hovedet.

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 en Østenstorm splitter jeg dem for Fjendens Ansigt, jeg viser dem Ryg, ej Aasyn paa Vanheldets 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 De sagde: »Kom, vi spinder Rænker imod Jeremias! Thi ej glipper Loven for Præsten, ej Raadet for den vise, ej Ordet for Profeten. Kom, lad os slaa ham med Tungen og lure paa alle 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 Lyt, o Herre, til mig og hør min Modparts Ord!

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

20 Skal godt gengældes med ondt? De grov jo min Sjæl en Grav. Kom i Hu, at jeg stod for dit Aasyn for at tale til Bedste for dem og vende 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 Giv derfor deres Sønner til Hunger, styrt dem i Sværdets Vold; Barnløshed og Enkestand ramme deres Kvinder, deres Mænd vorde slagne af Døden, deres ungdom sværdslagne i Krig;

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 et Skrig fra Husene, naar du lader en Mordbande brat komme over dem. Thi de grov en Grav for at fange mig og lagde Snarer for min Fod.

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 Ja du, o HERRE, du kender alle deres Dødsraad imod mig. Tilgiv ikke deres Brøde, slet ikke deres Synd for dit Aasyn, lad dem komme til Fald for dit Aasyn, faa med dig at gøre i din Vredes Stund!

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.