Jeremias 20

1 Now Paschor the son of Emmer, the priest, who also had been appointed chief of the house of the Lord, heard Jeremias prophesying these words.

Pashhur son of Immer the priest—he was a leading officer—heard Jeremiah prophesying these words before Yahweh's house.

2 And he struck him, and cast him into the dungeon which was by the gate of the upper house that was set apart, which was by the house of the Lord.

So Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet and then placed him in the stocks that were at the Upper Gate of Benjamin in Yahweh's house.

3 And Paschor brought Jeremias out of the dungeon: and Jeremias said to him, [The Lord] has not called your name Paschor, but Exile.

It happened on the next day that Pashhur brought Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then Jeremiah said to him, “Yahweh has not called your name Pashhur, but you are Magor Missabib.

4 For thus says the Lord, Behold, I [will] give you up to captivity with all your friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and your eyes shall see [it]: and I will give you and all Juda into the hands of the king of Babylon, and they shall carry them captives, and cut them in pieces with swords.

For Yahweh says this, 'Look, I will make you an object of horror, you and all of your loved ones, for they will fall by the sword of their enemies and your eyes will see it. I will give all of Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon. He will make them captives in Babylon or attack them with the sword.

5 And I will give all the strength of this city, and all the labours of it, and all the treasures of the king of Juda, into the hands of his enemies, and they shall bring them to Babylon.

I will give him all the wealth of this city and all of its riches, all of its precious items and all the treasures of the kings of Judah. I will place these things in the hand of your enemies, and they will seize them. They will take them and bring them to Babylon.

6 And you and all the dwellers in your house shall go into captivity: and you shall die in Babylon, and there you and all your friends shall be buried, to whom you have prophesied lies.

But you, Pashhur, and all the inhabitants of your house will go into captivity. You will go to Babylon and die there. You and all of your loved ones to whom you prophesied deceitful things will be buried there.'”

7 You have deceived me, O Lord, and I have been deceived: you have been strong, and has prevailed: I am become a laughing stock, I am continually mocked every day.

“Yahweh, you deceived me, and I was deceived. You are stronger than I, and you overpowered me. I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me.

8 For I will laugh with my bitter speech, I will call upon rebellion and misery: for the word of the Lord is become a reproach to me and a mockery all my days.

For whenever I have spoken, I have called out and proclaimed, 'Violence and destruction.' Then Yahweh's word has become for me reproach and mocking every day.

9 Then I said, I will by no means name the name of the Lord, and I will no more at all speak in his name. But it was a burning fire flaming in my bones, and I am utterly weakened on all sides, and can’t bear [up].

If I say, 'I will not think about Yahweh anymore. I will not speak any longer in his name.' Then it is like a fire in my heart, held within my bones. So I struggle to contain it but I cannot.

10 For I have heard the reproach of many gathering round, [saying], Conspire you, and let us conspire together against him, [even] all his friends: watch his intentions, if perhaps he shall be deceived, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall be avenged on him.

I have heard rumors of terror from many people all around. 'Report! We must report it!' Those who are close to me watch to see if I will fall. 'Perhaps he can be tricked. If so, we can overpower him and take our revenge on him.'

11 But the Lord was with me as a mighty man of war: therefore they persecuted [me], but could not perceive [anything against me]; they were greatly confounded, for they perceived not their disgrace, which shall never be forgotten.

But Yahweh is with me like a powerful warrior, so the ones pursuing me will stagger. They will not defeat me. They will be greatly ashamed, because they will not succeed. They will have unending shame, it will never be forgotten.

12 O Lord, that prove just [deeds], understanding the reins and hearts, let me see your vengeance upon them: for to you I have revealed my cause.

But Yahweh of hosts, you examine the righteous and see the mind and the heart. Let me see your vengeance on them for I have committed my cause to you.

13 Sing you to the Lord, sing praise to him: for he has rescued the soul of the poor from the hand of evil-doers.

Sing to Yahweh! Praise Yahweh! For he has rescued the lives of those who are oppressed from the hand of evildoers.

14 Cursed be the day wherein I was born: the day wherein my mother brought me forth, let it not be blessed.

Let the day when I was born be cursed. Do not let the day that my mother bore me be blessed.

15 Cursed be the man who brought the glad tidings to my father, saying, A male child is born to you.

Let the man who informed my father be cursed, the one who said, 'A male child has been born to you,' causing great joy.

16 Let that man rejoice as the cities which the Lord overthrew in wrath, and repented not: let him hear crying in the morning, and loud lamentation at noon;

Let that man be like the cities that Yahweh overthrew and he did not have compassion on them. Let him hear a cry for help in the dawn, a battle cry at noontime,

17 because he killed me not in the womb, and my mother became not my tomb, and her womb always great with me.

because he did not kill me in the womb, making my mother to be my tomb, a womb that was pregnant forever.

18 Why is it that I came forth of the womb to see troubles and distresses, and my days are spent in shame?

Why is it that I came out from the womb to see troubles and agony, so that my days are filled with shame?”