Jeremias 10
1 Hear you the word of the Lord, which he has spoken to you, O house of Israel.
“Hear the word that Yahweh is announcing to you, house of Israel.
2 Thus says the Lord, Learn you not the ways of the heathen, and be not alarmed at the signs of the sky; for they are alarmed at them, [falling] on their faces.
Yahweh says this, 'Do not learn the ways of the nations, and do not be dismayed by the signs in the heavens, for the nations are dismayed by these.
3 For the customs of the nations are vain; it is a tree cut out of the forest, the work of the carpenter, or a molten image.
For the religious customs of these people are worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and the craftsman carves the wood.
4 [They are] beautified with silver and gold, they fix them with hammers and nails;
Then they decorate it with silver and gold. They strengthen it with hammer and nails so it will not fall over.
5 they will set them up that they may not move; it is wrought silver, they will not walk, it is forged silver They must certainly be borne, for they can’t ride [of themselves]. Fear them not; for they can’t do any evil, and there is no good in them.
What they make with their hands is like scarecrows in a cucumber field, because they, too, can say nothing, and they have to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they cannot bring about evil, nor are they able to do anything good.'”
There is no one like you, Yahweh. You are great, and your name is great in power.
Who does not fear you, king of the nations? For this is what you deserve, for there is no one like you among all the wise men of the nations or all their royal kingdoms.
They are all the same, they are brutish and stupid, disciples of idols that are nothing but wood.
They bring hammered silver from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz made by artificers, the hands of refiners. Their clothes are blue and purple cloth. Their skillful men made all of these things.
But Yahweh is the true God. He is the living God and eternal king. The earth quakes at his anger, and the nations cannot endure his anger.
11 Thus shall you say to them, Let the gods which have not made heaven and earth perish from off the earth, and from under this sky.
You will speak to them like this, “The gods that did not make the heavens and earth will perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”
12 It is the Lord that made the earth by his strength, who set up the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the sky,
But it was he who made the earth by his power, and he established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he stretched out the heavens.
13 and set abundance of waters in the sky, and brought up clouds from the ends of the earth; he made lightnings for the rain, and brought forth light out of his treasures.
His voice makes the roar of waters in the heavens, and he brings up the mists from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and sends out wind from his storehouse.
14 Every man is deprived of knowledge, every goldsmith is confounded because of his graven images; for he has cast false gods, there is no breath in them.
Every man has become ignorant, without knowledge. Every metalworker is put to shame by his idols. For his cast images are frauds; there is no life in them.
15 They are vain works, wrought in mockery; in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
They are useless, the work of mockers; they will perish at the time of their punishment.
16 Such is not the portion of Jacob; for he that formed all things, he is his inheritance; the Lord is his name.
But God, the portion of Jacob, is not like these, for he is the molder of all things. Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; Yahweh of hosts is his name.
17 He has gathered your substance from without the lodged in choice [vessels].
Gather your bundle and leave the land, you people who have been living under the siege.
18 For thus says the Lord, Behold, I [will] overthrow the inhabitants of this land with affliction, that your plague may be discovered.
For Yahweh says this, “See, I am about to throw the inhabitants of the land out this time. I will cause them distress, and they will find it to be so.”
19 Alas for your ruin! your plague is grievous: and I said, Surely this is your wound, and it has overtaken you.
Woe to me! Because of my broken bones, my wound is infected. So I said, “Surely this is agony, but I must bear it.”
20 Your tabernacle is in a ruinous state, it has perished; and all your curtains have been torn asunder: my children and my cattle are no more: there is no more any place for my tabernacle, [nor] place for my curtains.
My tent is devastated, and all of my tent cords are cut in two. They have taken my children away from me, so they no longer exist. There is no longer anyone to spread out my tent or to raise up my tent curtains.
21 For the shepherds have become foolish, and have not sought the Lord; therefore the whole pasture has failed, and [the sheep] have been scattered.
For the shepherds are stupid and they do not seek Yahweh; so they have not prospered, and all their flock has been scattered.
22 Behold, there comes a sound of a noise, and a great earthquake from the land of the north, to make the cities of Juda a desolation, and a resting-place for ostriches.
The report of news has arrived, “See! It is coming, a great earthquake is coming from the land of the north To make the cities of Judah into ruins, hideouts for jackals.”
23 I know, O Lord, that man's way is not his own; neither shall a man go, and direct his going.
I know, Yahweh, that the way of a man does not come from himself. No person walking directs his own steps.
24 Chasten us, O Lord, but with judgement; and not in wrath, lest you make us few.
Discipline me, Yahweh, with justice, not in your anger or you would destroy me.
25 Pour out your wrath upon the nations that have not known you, and upon the families that have not called upon your name: for they have devoured Jacob, and consumed him, and have made his pasture desolate.
Pour your fury on the nations that do not know you and on the families that do not call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob and consumed him so as to completely destroy him and demolish his habitation.
