Jeremiah 4

1 If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return to me: if thou wilt take away thy stumblingblocks out of my sight, thou shalt not be moved.

١ وَيَقُولُ الرَّبُّ: «إِنْ رَجَعْتَ إِلَيَّ يَا شَعْبَ إِسْرَائِيلَ، وَأَزَلْتَ أَصْنَامَكَ الْمَقِيتَةَ مِنْ أَمَامِي، وَكَفَفْتَ عَنِ الضَّلالِ،

2 And thou shalt swear: As the Lord liveth, in truth, and in judgement, and in justice: and the Gentiles shall bless him, and shall praise him.

٢ وَإِنْ حَلَفْتَ بِالْحَقِّ وَالْعَدْلِ وَالْبِرِّ قَائِلاً:’حَيٌّ هُوَ الرَّبُّ‘، عِنْدَئِذٍ تَتَبَارَكُ بِهِ الأُمَمُ، وَتَفْتَخِرُ.»

3 For thus saith the Lord to the men of Juda and Jerusalem: Break up anew your fallow ground, and sow not upon thorns:

٣ لأَنَّ هَذَا مَا يُعْلِنُهُ الرَّبُّ لِرِجَالِ يَهُوذَا وَلأَهْلِ أُورُشَلِيمَ: «احْرُثُوا لَكُمْ حَرْثاً، وَلا تَزْرَعُوا بَيْنَ الأَشْوَاكِ.

4 Be circumcised to the Lord, and take away the foreskins of your hearts, ye men of Juda, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my indignation come forth like fire, and burn, and there be none that can quench it: because of the wickedness of your thoughts.

٤ اخْتَتِنُوا لِلرَّبِّ، وَأَزِيلُوا قُلَفَ قُلُوبِكُمْ (أَيْ طَهِّرُوا عُقُولَكُمْ وَقُلُوبَكُمْ وَلَيْسَ أَجْسَادَكُمْ فَقَطْ) لِئَلَّا يَتَفَجَّرَ غَضَبِي كَنَارٍ فَتُحْرِقَ وَلَيْسَ مَنْ يُخْمِدُهَا، مِنْ جَرَّاءِ أَعْمَالِكُمُ الشِّرِّيرَةِ.

5 Declare ye in Juda, and make it heard in Jerusalem: speak, and sound with the trumpet in the land: cry aloud, and say: Assemble yourselves, and let us go into strong cities.

٥ أَذِيعُوا فِي يَهُوذَا، وَأَعْلِنُوا فِي أُورُشَلِيمَ قَائِلِينَ: انْفُخُوا بِالْبُوقِ فِي الْبِلادِ، وَنَادُوا بِصَوْتٍ مُرْتَفِعٍ، وَقُولُوا: احْتَشِدُوا وَلْنَدْخُلِ الْمُدُنَ الْمُحَصَّنَةَ،

6 Set up the standard in Sion. Strengthen yourselves, stay not: for I bring evil from the north, and great destruction.

٦ ارْفَعُوا الرَّايَةَ دَاعِينَ لِلُّجُوءِ إِلَى صِهْيَوْنَ. لُوذُوا بِمَأْمَنٍ. لَا تَتَقَاعَسُوا، لأَنِّي جَالِبٌ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الشِّمَالِ دَمَاراً وَخَرَاباً.

7 The lion is come up out of his den, and the robber of nations hath roused himself: he is come forth out of his place, to make thy land desolate: thy cities shall be laid waste, remaining without an inhabitant.

٧ قَدْ بَرَزَ أَسَدٌ مِنْ عَرِينِهِ، وَزَحَفَ مُدَمِّرُ الشُّعُوبِ. قَدْ أَقْبَلَ مِنْ مَكَانِهِ لِيَخْرِبَ أَرْضَكُمْ، فَتُصْبِحُ مُدُنُكُمْ أَطْلالاً مَهْجُورَةً مِنَ السُّكَّانِ.

8 For this gird yourselves with haircloth, lament and howl: for the fierce anger of the Lord is not turned away from us.

٨ لِذَلِكَ تَمَنْطَقُوا بِالْمُسُوحِ، وَنُوحُوا وَوَلْوِلُوا، لأَنَّ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ الْمُحْتَدِمَ لَمْ يَرْتَدَّ عَنَّا»

9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord: That the heart of the king shall perish, and the heart of the princes: and the priests shall be astonished, and the prophets shall be amazed.

٩ وَيَقُولُ الرَّبُّ: «فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ يَنْهَارُ قَلْبُ الْمَلِكِ وَقُلُوبُ رِجَالِ دَوْلَتِهِ خَوْفاً. وَيَعْتَرِي الْكَهَنَةَ الْفَزَعُ، وَيَسْتَوْلِي الذُّهُولُ عَلَى الأَنْبِيَاءِ».

10 And I said: Alas, alas, alas, O Lord God, hast thou then deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying: You shall have peace: and behold the sword reacheth even to the soul?

١٠ عِنْدَئِذٍ قُلْتُ: «آهِ أَيُّهَا السَّيِّدُ الرَّبُّ، حَقّاً إِنَّكَ خَدَعْتَ هَذَا الشَّعْبَ، وَأَوْهَمْتَ أَهْلَ أُورُشَلِيمَ قَائِلاً: سَيَكُونُ لَكُمْ سَلامٌ، وَهَا السَّيْفُ قَدْ بَلَغَ حَدَّ النَّفْسِ.

11 At that time it shall be said to this people, and to Jerusalem: A burning wind is in the ways that are in the desert of the way of the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse.

١١ وَيُقَالُ فِي ذَلِكَ الْحِينِ لِهَذَا الشَّعْبِ وَلأَهْلِ أُورُشَلِيمَ: سَتَهُبُّ رِيحٌ لافِحَةٌ مِنْ هِضَابِ الصَّحْرَاءِ نَحْوَ بِنْتِ شَعْبِي، لَا تَسْتَهْدِفُ التَّذْرِيَةَ وَلا التَّنْقِيَةَ،

12 A full wind from these places shall come to me: and now I will speak my judgments with them.

١٢ إِنَّمَا هِيَ رِيحٌ أَشَدُّ عُتُوّاً مِنْهَا، تَهُبُّ بِأَمْرِي، فَأُصْدِرُ أَنَا أَيْضاً أَحْكَامِي عَلَيْهِمْ».

13 Behold he shall come up as a cloud, and his chariots as a tempest: his horses are swifter than eagles: woe unto us, for we are laid waste.

١٣ انْظُرُوا، هَا هُوَ مُقْبِلٌ كَسَحَابٍ، وَمَرْكَبَاتُهُ كَزَوْبَعَةٍ، وَجِيَادُهُ أَسْرَعُ مِنَ النُّسُورِ. وَيْلٌ لَنَا لأَنَّنَا قَدْ هَلَكْنَا.

14 Wash thy heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that thou mayst be saved: how long shall hurtful thoughts abide in thee?

١٤ يَا أُورُشَلِيمُ، اغْسِلِي مِنَ الشَّرِّ قَلْبَكِ فَتَخْلُصِي. إِلَى مَتَى تَظَلُّ أَفْكَارُكِ الْبَاطِلَةُ مُتَرَعْرِعَةً فِي وَسَطِكِ؟

15 For a voice of one declaring from Dan, and giving notice of the idol from mount Ephraim.

١٥ هَا صَوْتٌ يُنَادِي مِنْ أَرْضِ ذُرِّيَّةِ دَانٍ، يُعْلِنُ عَنْ وُقُوعِ كَارِثَةٍ مِنْ جَبَلِ أَفْرَايِمَ.

16 Say ye to the nations: Behold it is heard in Jerusalem, that guards are coming from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Juda.

١٦ «خَبِّرُوا الأُمَمَ وَأَعْلِنُوهُ لأَهْلِ أُورُشَلِيمَ: إنَّ جَيْشَ الْمُحَاصِرِينَ مُقْبِلٌ مِنْ أَرْضٍ بَعِيدَةٍ، وَقَدْ أَطْلَقَ هُتَافَاتِ الْحَرْبِ عَلَى مُدُنِ يَهُوذَا.

17 They are set round about her, as keepers of fields: because she hath provoked me to wrath, saith the Lord.

١٧ أَحَاطُوا بِها كَحُرَّاسِ الْحُقُولِ لأَنَّهَا تَمَرَّدَتْ عَلَيَّ» يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ.

18 They ways, and thy devices have brought these things upon thee: this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it hath touched thy heart.

١٨ «طُرُقُكِ وَأَعْمَالُكِ جَرَّتْ عَلَيْكِ هَذَا الْعِقَابَ، هَذَا قَصَاصُكِ وَمَا أَمَرَّهُ مِنْ قَصَاصٍ، لأَنَّهُ يَخْتَرِقُ ذَاتَ قَلْبِكِ».

19 My bowels, my bowels are in pain, the senses of my heart are troubled within me, I will not hold my peace, for my soul hath heard the sound of the trumpet, the cry of battle.

١٩ لَشَدَّ مَا أَتَعَذَّبُ! لَشَدَّ مَا أَتَعَذَّبُ! قَلْبِي يَتَلَوَّى أَلَماً. فُؤَادِي يَئِنُّ فِي دَاخِلِي فَلا أَسْتَطِيعُ الصَّمْتَ، لأَنِّي سَمِعْتُ دَوِيَّ الْبُوقِ وَصَيْحَاتِ الْقِتَالِ.

20 Destruction upon destruction is called for, and all the earth is laid waste: my tents are destroyed on a sudden, and my pavilions in a moment.

٢٠ كَارِثَةٌ فِي أَعْقَابِ كَارِثَةٍ، وَالأَرْضُ قَاطِبَةً قَدِ اسْتَحَالَتْ خَرَاباً، فَتَهَدَّمَتْ فِي لَحْظَةٍ خِيَامِي، وَبُيُوتِي تَدَمَّرَتْ بَغْتَةً.

21 How long shall I see men fleeing away, how long shall I hear the sound of the trumpet?

٢١ إِلَى مَتَى أَظَلُّ أَرَى رَايَةَ الْمَعْرَكَةِ، وَأَسْمَعُ دَوِيَّ الْبُوقِ؟

22 For my foolish people have not known me: they are foolish and senseless children: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge.

٢٢ «إِنَّ قَوْمِي حَمْقَى لَا يَعْرِفُونَنِي. هُمْ أَبْنَاءٌ أَغْبِيَاءُ مُجَرَّدُونَ مِنَ الْفَهْمِ، حَاذِقُونَ فِي ارْتِكَابِ الشَّرِّ، وَجُهَلاءُ فِي صُنْعِ الْخَيْرِ».

23 I beheld the earth, and lo it was void, and nothing: and the heavens, and there was no light in them.

٢٣ تَأَمَّلْتُ الأَرْضَ فَإِذَا هِيَ خَرِبَةٌ خَاوِيَةٌ، وَتَطَلَّعْتُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَإِذَا هِيَ مُظْلِمَةٌ.

24 I looked upon the mountains, and behold they trembled: and all the hills were troubled.

٢٤ نَظَرْتُ إِلَى الْجِبَالِ وَإذَا بِها تَرْتَجِفُ، وَإِلَى الآكَامِ وَإذَا بِها تَتَقَلْقَلُ.

25 I beheld, and lo there was no man: and all the birds of the air were gone.

٢٥ تَلَفَّتُّ حَوْلِي فَلَمْ أَجِدْ إِنْسَاناً، وَإذَا كُلُّ الطُّيُورِ قَدْ هَرَبَتْ.

26 I looked, and behold Carmel was a wilderness: and all its cities were destroyed at the presence of the Lord, and at the presence of the wrath of his indignation.

٢٦ نَظَرْتُ وَإذَا بِالأَرْضِ الْخَصِيبَةِ قَدْ تَحَوَّلَتْ إِلَى بَرِّيَّةٍ، وَأَصْبَحَتْ جَمِيعُ مُدُنِهَا أَطْلالاً أَمَامَ الرَّبِّ وَأَمَامَ غَضَبِهِ الْمُحْتَدِمِ.

27 For thus saith the Lord: All the land shall be desolate, but yet I will not utterly destroy.

٢٧ وَهَذَا مَا يَقُولُهُ الرَّبُّ: «سَتَحِيقُ الْوَحْشَةُ بِكُلِّ الأَرْضِ، وَلَكِنِّي لَنْ أُفْنِيَهَا.

28 The earth shall mourn, and the heavens shall lament from above: because I have spoken, I have purposed, and I have not repented, neither am I turned away from it.

٢٨ فَمِنْ أَجْلِ هَذَا تَنُوحُ الأَرْضُ وَتُظْلِمُ السَّمَاوَاتُ مِنْ فَوْقُ، لأَنِّي قَدْ نَطَقْتُ بِقَضَائِي. وَهَكَذَا قَرَّرْتُ، لِذَلِكَ لَا أَنْدَمُ وَلا أَرْجِعُ عَنْ عَزْمِي.»

29 At the voice of the horsemen, and the archers, all the city is fled away; they have entered into thickets and have climbed up the rocks: all the cities are forsaken, and there dwelleth not a man in them.

٢٩ مِنْ جَلَبَةِ الْفَارِسِ وَرَامِي السِّهَامِ يَهْرُبُ أَهْلُ الْمُدُنِ، وَيُوْغِلُونَ فِي الْغَابَاتِ وَيَتَسَلَّقُونَ الصُّخُورَ. قَدْ أَصْبَحَتِ الْمُدُنُ جَمِيعُهَا مَهْجُورَةً لَا يُقِيمُ فِيهَا إِنْسَانٌ.

30 But when thou art spoiled what wilt thou do? though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, and paintest thy eyes with stibic stone, thou shalt dress thyself out in vain: thy lovers have despised thee, they will seek thy life.

٣٠ وَأَنْتِ أَيَّتُهَا الْمَدِينَةُ الْمُوْحِشَةُ، مَاذَا تَصْنَعِينَ؟ مَهْمَا لَبِسْتِ الثِّيَابَ الْقِرْمِزِيَّةَ، وَتَحَلَّيْتِ بِزِينَةٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، مَهْمَا كَحَّلْتِ عَيْنَيْكِ، فَبَاطِلاً تُجَمِّلِينَ ذَاتَكِ، فَقَدْ نَبَذَكِ عُشَّاقُكِ وَسَعَوْا لِلْقَضَاءِ عَلَيْكِ.

31 For I have heard the voice as of a woman in travail, anguishes as of a woman in labor of a child. The voice of the daughter of Sion, dying away, spreading her hands: Woe is me, for my soul hath fainted because of them that are slain.

٣١ لأَنِّي سَمِعْتُ صَرْخَةً كَصَرْخَةِ امْرَأَةٍ فِي مَخَاضٍ، وَأَنَّةَ عَذَابٍ كَعَذَابِ مَنْ تُقَاسِي فِي وِلادَةِ بِكْرِهَا. إِنَّهَا صَرْخَةُ ابْنَةِ صِهْيَوْنَ الَّتِي تَزْفِرُ لاهِثَةً وَتَبْسُطُ يَدَيْهَا قَائِلَةً: وَيْلٌ لِي! قَدْ غُشِيَ عَلَيَّ أَمَامَ الْقَتَلَةِ.