Jeremiah 15

1 The Lord told me: Even if Moses and Samuel were standing before me pleading with me on behalf of these people, I wouldn't feel sorry for them. Send them away from me. Have them leave.

Then sayde the Lord vnto me, Though Moses and Samuel stoode before mee, yet mine affection coulde not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them depart.

2 If they ask you, “Where shall we go?” tell them that this is what the Lord says: Those to be killed by the plague, to the plague; those to be killed by the sword, to the sword; those to be killed by famine, to famine; and those to be killed in captivity, to captivity.

And if they say vnto thee, Whither shall we depart? then tell them, Thus saith the Lord, Such as are appointed to death, vnto death: and such as are for the sworde, to the sworde: and such as are for the famine, to the famine: and such as are for the captiuitie, to the captiuitie.

3 I will put four kinds of destroyers in charge of them, declares the Lord: swords to kill, dogs to drag their bodies away, and the birds of prey and wild animals to eat them and destroy them.

And I wil appoint ouer them foure kindes, sayth the Lord, the sworde to slay, and the dogs to teare in pieces, and the soules of the heauen, and the beastes of the earth to deuoure, and to destroy.

4 I will make all the kingdoms of the world horrified by them, because of the evil things Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, king of Judah did in Jerusalem.

I will scatter them also in all kingdomes of the earth, because of Manasseh the sonne of Hezekiah King of Iudah, for that which he did in Ierusalem.

5 Who will be sorry for you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will stop to ask you how you are?

Who shall then haue pitie vpon thee, O Ierusalem? or who shalbe sorie for thee? or who shall go to pray for thy peace?

6 You have deserted me, declares the Lord. You have turned your back on me. So I will take action against you and destroy you; I am tired of showing you mercy.

Thou hast forsaken me, sayth the Lord, and gone backward: therefore wil I stretch out mine hand against thee, and destroy thee: for I am weary with repenting.

7 I will scatter you with a winnowing fork from every town in the country. I will destroy my people and take away their children because they refuse to give up their evil ways.

And I wil scatter them with the fanne in the gates of the earth I haue wasted, and destroyed my people, yet they would not returne from their wayes.

8 There will be more widows than the sand of the sea. I will bring a destroyer at noon and mothers will lose their young sons. They will suddenly experience agony and shock.

Their widdowes are increased by mee aboue the sande of the sea: I haue brought vpon them, and against the assembly of the yong men a destroyer at noone day: I haue caused him to fal vpon them, and the citie suddenly, and speedily.

9 A mother of seven children will collapse; she will gasp for breath. Her sun will set while it's still daytime; she will be ashamed and humiliated. I will let the enemies kill the rest of them, declares the Lord.

Shee that hath borne seuen, hath bene made weake: her heart hath failed: the sunne hath failed her, whiles it was day: she hath bene confounded, and ashamed, and the residue of them will I deliuer vnto the sworde before their enemies, sayth the Lord.

10 How sad I am, my mother, that you gave birth to me! I'm a victim of argument and conflict wherever I go in the country. I have never lent anyone anything, or borrowed anything, but still everyone curses me.

Wo is mee, my mother, that thou hast borne mee, a contentious man, and a man that striueth with the whole earth I haue neither lent on vsury, nor men haue lent vnto me on vsurie: yet euery one doeth curse me.

11 But the Lord told me: Don't worry, I'm going to take away your problems so you can do good. I will make your enemies plead with you whenever they're in trouble or suffering.

The Lord sayd, Surely thy remnant shall haue wealth: surely I will cause thine enemie to intreate thee in the time of trouble, and in the time of affliction.

12 Can anyone break iron, iron from the north, or bronze?

Shall the yron breake the yron, and the brasse that commeth from the North?

13 I will give away your wealth and valuable possessions for free. They will become plunder for your enemies because of all the sins you committed throughout your country.

Thy substance and thy treasures wil I giue to be spoyled without gaine, and that for all thy sinnes euen in all thy borders.

14 Then I will have your enemies make you their slaves in an unfamiliar country, because I will so angry it will be like lighting a fire that will burn you up.

And I wil make thee to go with thine enemies into a land that thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burne you.

15 You know what's happening to me, Lord. Please remember me and look after me. Punish my persecutors! Please be patient—don't let me die! You know I put up with criticism because I want to honor you.

O Lord, thou knowest, remember me, and visite me, and reuenge me of my persecuters: take mee not away in the continuance of thine anger: know that for thy sake I haue suffered rebuke.

16 When I received your messages, I ate them up! What you said made me really happy—I was delighted. I belong to you, Lord God Almighty!

Thy wordes were founde by me, and I did eate them, and thy worde was vnto me the ioy and reioycing of mine heart: for thy Name is called vpon me, O Lord God of hostes.

17 I didn't join in with a bunch of jokers as they had fun. I stayed by myself because you have called me, and you have filled me with outrage.

I sate not in the assembly of the mockers, neither did I reioyce, but sate alone because of thy plague: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

18 Why doesn't my pain ever stop? Why is my wound incurable? Why can't it be healed? You've really become like a seasonal stream to me, an unreliable source of water.

Why is mine heauines continuall? and my plague desperate and cannot be healed? why art thou vnto me as a lyar, and as waters that faile?

19 So this is what the Lord says: If you come back to me, I will take you back and you will serve me again. If what you talk about are worthwhile subjects and not nonsense, you will be my spokesman, Jeremiah. They must be the ones who follow you; you must not follow them.

Therefore thus saith the Lord, If thou returne, then wil I bring thee againe, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take away the precious from the vile, thou shalt be according to my worde: let them returne vnto thee, but returne not thou vnto them.

20 Then I will make you a wall to these people, a strong wall of bronze. They will fight against you but they won't defeat you. I am with you to save you and rescue you, declares the Lord.

And I will make thee vnto this people a strong brasen wall, and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not preuaile against thee: for I am with thee to saue thee and to deliuer thee, saith ye Lord.

21 I will liberate you from the power of the wicked, and free you from clutches of the cruel.

And I will deliuer thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeeme thee out of the hand of the tyrants.