Jeremias 18

1 Det Ord, som kom til Jeremmas fra Herren

The word that came unto Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying:

2 "Gå ned til pottemagerens Hus! Der skal du få mine Ord at høre."

Arise and go down to the house of the potter, —and, there, will I cause thee to hear my words.

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

So I went down, to the house of the potter, —and there he was! making a piece of work on the wheels,

4 Og når et Kar, han arbejdede på, mislykkedes, som det kan gå med Leret i Pottemagerens Hånd, begyndte han igen og lavede det om til et andet, som han nu vilde have det gjort.

Then was marred, the vessel that he was making, while yet it was clay in the hand of the potter, —so he turned and made of it another vessel, as seemed right in the eyes of the potter to make it.

5 Da kom HERRENs Ord til mig:

Then came the word of Yahweh unto me, saying:

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

Like this potter, can I not deal with you O house of Israel? Demandeth Yahweh: Lo! as clay in the hand of the potter, So, are, ye, in my hand O house of Israel.

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

The moment I speak, concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, —to pull up and to break down, and to destroy;

8 men når det Folk, jeg har truet, omvender sig fra sin Ondskab, angrer jeg det onde, jeg tænkte at gøre det.

and that nation return from its wickedness against whom I have spoken, then will I repent concerning the calamity which I had devised to bring upon it.

9 Og snart lover jeg et Folk og et Rige at opbygge og planle det;

And, the moment I speak, concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom, —to build and to plant;

10 men gør det så, hvad der er ondt i mine Øjne, idet det ikke hører min Røst, angrer jeg det gode, jeg havde lovet at gøre det.

and it commit wickedness in mine eyes, in not hearkening unto my voice, then will I repent concerning the good wherewith I had said I would do it good.

11 Og sig nu til Judas Mænd og Jerusalems Borgere: Så siger HERREN: Se, jeg skaber eder en Ulykke og udtænker et Råd imod eder; vend derfor om, hver fra sin onde Vej, og bedrer eders Veje og eders Gerninger.

Now, therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the men of Judah and concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem saying, Thus, saith Yahweh, —Lo! I am fashioning against you calamity, and devising against you, a device, —Return I pray you every man from his wicked way, And amend your ways and your doings.

12 Men de svarer: "Nej! Vi vil følge vore egne Tanker og gøre hver efter sit onde Hjertes Stivsind."

And, since they will say, Hopeless! For after our own devices, will we walk, And, every one, the stubbornness of his own wicked heart, will we do!

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

Therefore, Thus saith Yahweh, Ask I pray you among the nations, —Who hath heard such things as these? A very horrible thing, hath, the virgin, Israel done!

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

Shall the snow of Lebanon, fail from the rock of the field? Or shall waters from afar, deep, overflowing, be dried up?

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

Yet my people have forgotten me, Unto vanity, have they been burning incense; And it hath caused them to stumble In their ways The roads of age-past times, To walk in by-paths—A way not cast up.

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

To make their land a desolation The hissings of age-abiding times, —Every one that passeth by her, shall be astonished and wag his head.

17 Som en Østenstorm splitter jeg dem for Fjendens Ansigt, jeg viser dem Ryg, ej Åsyn på Vanheldets Dag.

Like an east wind, will I scatter them before the enemy, —The back and not the face, will I let them see in the day of their distress.

18 De sagde: Kom, vi spinder Rænker imod Jeremias! Thi ej glipper Loven for Præsten, ej Rådet for den vise, ej Ordet for Profeten. Kom, lad os slå ham med Tungen og lure på alle hans Ord!"

Then said they, —Come ye and let us devise against Jeremiah devices, For the law shall not perish from the priest, Nor, counsel, from the wise, Nor, the word from the prophet: Come and let as smite him with the tongue, And let us not give ear to any of his words!

19 Lyt, o Herre, til mig og hør min Modparts Ord!

Give thou ear O Yahweh unto me, —And hearken unto the voice of mine accusers.

20 Skal godt gengældes med ondt? De grov jo min Sjæl en Grav. Kom i Hu, at jeg stod for dit Åsyn for at tale til Bedste for dem og vende din Vrede fra dem!

Shall, evil, be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my life, —Remember how I stood before thee To speak in their behalf what was good! To turn back thine indignation 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;

Therefore, give thou up their sons to the famine And deliver them into the hands of the sword, And let their, wives, become, childless and widows, And let, their men, be slain by death, Their young men be smitten by the sword in battle.

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

Let there be heard a cry out of their houses, When thou shalt bring in upon them a troop, suddenly, —Because they digged a pit to capture me, And snares, did they hide for my feet.

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

But, thou, O Yahweh, knowest all their counsels against me to put me to death, Put thou no propitiatory-covering over their iniquity, And their sin from before thee, do not thou blot out, —But let them be overthrown before thee, In the time of thine anger, deal thou effectively with them.