Jeremias 4
1 Omvender du dig, Israel, lyder det fra Herren, så vend dig til mig; hvis du fjerner dine væmmelige Guder, skal du ikke fly for mit Åsyn.
Israel, if you want to come back, then come back to me, declares the Lord. If you get rid of these disgusting idols I see, and don't wander away,
2 Sværger du: "Så sandt HERREN lever," redeligt, ærligt og sandt, skal Folkeslag velsigne sig ved ham og rose sig af ham.
and if when you make your vows, you do so only to me, sincerely, truly, and honestly, then the nations will be blessed by me, and they will praise me.
3 Thi så siger HERREN til Judas Mænd og Jerusalems Borgere: Bryd eder Nyjord og så dog ikke blandt, Torne!
This is what the Lord is saying to the people of Judah and Jerusalem: Plow your unplowed ground, and don't sow among the thorns.
4 Omskær jer for HERREN og fjern eders Hjertes Forhud, Judas Mænd og Jerusalems Borgere, at min Vrede ikke slår ud som Ild og hrænder uslukket for eders onde Gerningers Skyld.
Dedicate yourselves to the Lord; be totally committed to him, people of Judah and Jerusalem. Otherwise, my anger will blaze like fire, burning so hard that no one can put it out because of the evil you've done.
5 Forkynd i Juda og Jerusalem, kundgør og tal, lad Hornet gjalde i Landet, råb, hvad I kan, og sig: Flok jer sammen! Vi går ind i de faste Stæder!
Announce this warning throughout Judah and Jerusalem! Tell them: Blow the trumpet everywhere in the country! Shout out, “Hurry! Let's run to the fortified towns for protection!”
6 Rejs Banner hen imod Zion, fly uden Standsning! Thi Ulykke sender jeg fra Nord, et vældigt Sammenbrud.
Raise the danger flag; go to Zion! Find somewhere safe! Don't hesitate! I'm bringing enemies from the north who will cause terrible destruction.
7 En Løve steg op fra sit Krat, en Folkehærger brød op, gik bort fra sin Hjemstavn for at gøre dit Land til en Ørk; dine Byer skal hærges, så ingen bor der.
A lion has left his hiding place; a destroyer of nations has started out. He has left his den to come and turn your country into a wasteland. Your towns will be demolished, and no one will live there.
8 Derfor skal I klæde jer i Sæk og klage og jamre, thi ej vender HERRENs glødende Vrede sig fra os.
Wear clothes made of sackcloth, weep and wail, crying out, “The Lord's furious anger against us hasn't stopped.”
9 På hin Dag, lyder det fra HERREN, skal Kongen og Fyrsterne tabe Modet, Præsterne stivne af Skræk og Profeterne slås af Rædsel;
When that happens declares the Lord, the king and officials will lose heart, the priests will be devastated, and the prophets will be shocked.
10 og de skal sige: "Ak, Herre, HERRE! Sandelig, du førte dette Folk og Jerusalem bag Lyset, da du sagde: I skal have Fred! Nu har Sværdet nået Sjælen."
Then I said, “Oh, Lord God, you have completely fooled the people of Jerusalem by telling them, ‘You will have peace,’ while holding a sword to our throats.”
11 På hin Tid skal der siges til dette Folk og Jerusalem: Et glødende Vejr fra Ørkenens nøgne Høje trækker op mod mit Folks Datter, ej til Kastning og Rensning af Korn,
At that time the people of Jerusalem will be told, “A burning wind from the bare hills of the desert is blowing toward the Jerusalem, but not to blow away the chaff or the dust.
12 et Vejer for vældigt dertil kommer mod mig. Derfor vil jeg også nu tale Domsord imod dem.
No, this wind is too strong for that, and it comes from me. Now I'm also going to tell them how I will punish them.”
13 Se, det kommer som Skyer, dets Vogne som Stormvejr, dets Heste er hurtigere end Ørne; ve, vi lægges øde!
Look, he's rushing in like stormclouds; his chariots are like a whirlwind. His horses fly faster than eagles. “What a disaster! We're ruined!”
14 Rens dit Hjerte for ondt, Jerusalem, at du må frelses! Hvor længe skal dit Indre huse de syndige Tanker?
Clean the evil from your heart, Jerusalem, so that you can be saved. How long will you hold onto your evil thoughts?
15 Thi hør, en Råber fra Dan, et Ulykkesbud fra Efraims Bjerge:
News is shouted out from Dan, announcing disaster from the hills of Ephraim.
16 Kundgør Folkene: Se! Lad det høres i Jerusalem! Belejrere kommer fra et Land i det fjerne, de opløfter Røsten mod Byerne i Juda.
“Let the nations know! Look what's happening! Announce this to Jerusalem: An army is coming to besiege you from a distant country; shouting war-cries against the towns of Judah.
17 Som Markens Vogtere stiller de sig rundt omkring det, thi genstridigt var det imod mig, lyder det fra HERREN.
They encircle her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against me, declares the Lord.
18 Det kan du takke din Færd, dine Gerninger for; det skyldes din Ondskab; hvor bittert! Det gælder Livet.
You've brought this on yourself by your own attitudes and actions. This is your punishment, and it's so painful, it's like being stabbed in the heart!”
19 Mit indre, mit Indre! Jeg skælver! Mit Hjertes Vægge! Mit Hjerte vånder sig i mig, ej kan jeg tie. Thi Hornets klang må jeg høre, Skrig fra Kampen;
“I'm in agony, absolute agony! My heart is breaking! It's beating wildly in my chest! My heart pounds within me; I can't keep quiet because I've heard the trumpet, the signal for battle.
20 der meldes om Fald på Fald, thi alt Landet er hærget. Mine Telte hærges brat, i et Nu mine Forhæng.
News of one disaster after another comes flooding in, for the whole country is in ruins. My own home is destroyed in a moment, and everything inside.
21 Hvor længe skal jeg skue Banneret, høre Hornet?
How long do I have to see the flags of war and hear the trumpets of battle?”
22 Thi mit Folk er tåbeligt, kender ej mig, de er dumme Sønner og uden Indsigt; de er vise til at gøre det onde, men Tåber til det gode.
“My people are stupid; they don't know me. They are foolish children who just don't understand. They're experts at doing evil, but they don't know how to do good.”
23 Jeg så på Jorden, og se, den var øde og tom, på Himlen, dens Lys var borte;
I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; I looked to the heavens, and its light was gone.
24 Bjergene så jeg, og se, de skjalv, og alle Højene bæved;
I looked at the mountains, and saw that they were shaking; all the hills were swaying to and fro.
25 jeg så, og se, der var mennesketomt, og alle Himlens Fugle var fløjet;
I looked, and nobody was left; all the birds had flown away.
26 jeg så, og se, Frugthaven var Ørken, alle dens Byer lagt øde for HERREN, for hans glødende Vrede.
I looked, and the productive fields were a desert. All the towns were demolished because of the Lord's furious anger.
27 Thi så siger HERREN: Al Jorden bliver Ørk, men helt ødelægger jeg ikke.
This is what the Lord says: “The whole country will be devastated, but I won't do so completely.
28 Derfor sørger Jorden, og Himlen deroppe er sort; thi jeg talede og angrer det ikke, tænkte og går ikke fra det.
The earth will mourn and the heavens above will go dark. I have spoken; this is what I have ordered. I'm not going to stop or change my mind.”
29 For Larmen af Ryttere og Bueskytter flyr alt Landet, de tyr ind i Krat, stiger op på Klipper; hver By er forladt, og ikke et Menneske bor der.
People from every town: run away when they hear the enemy horsemen and archers coming. They hide in the forest and among the rocks. All the towns are abandoned; no one lives in them.
30 Og du, hvad vil du mon gøre? Om end du klæder dig i Skarlagen, smykker dig med Guld og gør Øjnene store med Sminke det er spildt, du gør dig smuk. Elskerne agter dig ringe, dit Liv vil de have.
You, Jerusalem, now desolate, what are you going to do? Even though you dress in scarlet clothes, and put on gold jewelry, and paint your eyes with make-up, all your dressing-up is pointless! Your lovers hate you; they want to kill you!
31 Thi jeg hører Råb som ved Barnsnød, Skrig som ved Førstefødsel. Hør, hvor Zions Datter stønner med udrakte Hænder: "Ve mig, min Sjæl bukker under for dem, som myrder."
I hear the cries like a woman in labor, the agonizing moans of a woman giving birth to her first child. These are the cries of the Daughter of Zion gasping for air, holding out her hands, saying, “Please help me, I'm being murdered!”
