Jeremiah 18

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying:

2 “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words.”

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

3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making something on the wheels.

So I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he was at work at the wheel.

4 When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

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 Then the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

Then came the word of Jehovah to me, saying:

6 “House of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter?” says the LORD. “Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

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 At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it,

Whenever I speak concerning a nation or a kingdom, That I will pluck it up, cast it down, or destroy it,

8 if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.

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 At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,

And whenever I speak concerning a nation or a kingdom, That I will build it, or plant it,

10 if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would benefit them.

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 “Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘The LORD says: “Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a plan against you. Everyone return from his evil way now, and amend your ways and your doings.”’

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 But they say, ‘It is in vain; for we will walk after our own plans, and we will each follow the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”

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 Therefore the LORD says: “Ask now among the nations, ‘Who has heard such things?’ The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

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 Will the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Will the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?

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 For my people have forgotten me. They have burned incense to false gods. They have been made to stumble in their ways in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up,

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 to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and shake his head.

To make their land a desolation, A perpetual hissing; Every one that passeth through it shall be amazed, And shake his head.

17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy. I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.

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 Then they said, “Come! Let’s devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law will not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let’s strike him with the tongue, and let’s not give heed to any of his words.”

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 Give heed to me, LORD, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me.

Give heed to me, O Jehovah, And hear the voice of my adversaries!

20 Should evil be recompensed for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.

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 Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless and widows. Let their men be killed and their young men struck by the sword in battle.

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 Let a cry be heard from their houses when you bring a troop suddenly on them; for they have dug a pit to take me and hidden snares for my feet.

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 Yet, LORD, you know all their counsel against me to kill me. Do not forgive their iniquity. Do not blot out their sin from your sight, Let them be overthrown before you. Deal with them in the time of your anger.

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!