Jeremias 18

1 The word that came from the Lord to

The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying:

2 Jeremias, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there you shall hear my words.

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

3 So I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he was making a vessel on the stones.

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

4 And the vessel which he was making with his hands fell: so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to him 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 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Then came the word of Jehovah to me, saying:

6 Shall I not be able, O house of Israel, to do to you as this potter? behold, as the clay of the potter are you in my hands.

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 [If] I shall pronounce a decree upon a nation, or upon a kingdom, to cut them off, and to destroy [them];

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

8 and that nation turn from all their sins, then will I repent of the evils which I purposed 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 And [if] I shall pronounce a decree upon a nation and kingdom, to rebuild and to plant [it];

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

10 and they do evil before me, so as not to listen to my voice, then will I repent of the good which I spoke of, to do it to 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 And now say to the men of Juda, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Behold, I prepare evils against you, and devise a device against you: let every one turn now from his evil way, and amend your practices.

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 And they said, We will quit ourselves like men, for we will pursue our perverse ways, and we will perform each the lusts 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 thus says the Lord; Enquire now amongst the nations, who has heard such very horrible things as the virgin of Israel has done?

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 fertilising streams fail [to flow] from a rock, or snow [fail] from Libanus? will water violently impelled by the wind turn aside?

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 offered incense in vain, and they fail in their ways, [leaving] the ancient tracks, to enter upon impassable paths;

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 a desolation, and a perpetual hissing; all that go through it shall be amazed, and shall shake their heads.

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 before their enemies like an east wind; I will show them the day of their destruction.

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, and let us devise a device against Jeremias; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and we will hear all 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 Hear me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my pleading.

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

20 Forasmuch as evil is rewarded for good; for they have spoken words against my soul, and they have hidden the punishment they [meant] for me; remember that I stood before your face, 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 do you deliver their sons to famine, and gather them to the power of the sword: let their women be childless and widows; and let their men be cut off by death, and their young men fall by the sword in war.

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 there be a cry in their houses: you shall bring upon them robbers suddenly: for they have formed a plan to take me, and have hidden snares for me.

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 And you, Lord, know all their deadly counsel against me: account not their iniquities guiltless, and blot not out their sins from before you: let their weakness come before you; deal with them in the time of your wrath.

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!