Jeremiah 11

1 The worde that came to Ieremiah from the Lord, saying,

The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

2 Heare ye the wordes of this couenant, and speake vnto the men of Iudah, and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem,

“Listen to the words of this covenant, and declare them to each man in Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

3 And say thou vnto them, Thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel, Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the wordes of this couenant,

Say to them, 'Yahweh, God of Israel says this: Cursed is anyone who does not listen to the words of this covenant.

4 Which I commanded vnto your fathers, when I brought them out of the lande of Egypt, from the yron fornace, saying, Obey my voyce, and doe according to all these things, which I commande you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God,

This is the covenant that I commanded your ancestors to keep the day I brought them out from the land of Egypt, from the furnace for smelting iron. I said, “Listen to my voice and do all of these things just as I have commanded you, for you will be my people and I will be your God.”

5 That I may confirme the othe, that I haue sworne vnto your fathers, to giue them a lande, which floweth with milke and hony, as appeareth this day. Then answered I and sayde, So be it, O Lord.

Obey me so that I may confirm the oath that I swore to your ancestors, the oath that I would give them the land flowing with milk and honey, where you live today.'” Then I, Jeremiah, answered and said, “Yes, Yahweh!”

6 Then the Lord saide vnto me, Cry all these words in the cities of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem, saying, Heare yee the words of this couenant, and doe them.

Yahweh said to me, “Proclaim all these things in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Say, 'Listen to the words of this covenant and carry them out.

7 For I haue protested vnto your fathers, whe I brought them vp out of the land of Egypt vnto this day, rising earely and protesting, saying, Obey my voyce.

For I have been giving solemn commands to your ancestors from the day I brought them up from the land of Egypt until this present time, persistently warning them and saying, “Listen to my voice.”'

8 Neuerthelesse they would not obey, nor encline their eare: but euery one walked in the stubbernesse of his wicked heart: therefore I will bring vpon them all the wordes of this couenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did it not.

But they did not listen or pay attention. Each person has been walking in the stubbornness of his wicked heart. So I brought all the curses in this covenant that I commanded to come against them. But the people still did not obey.”

9 And the Lord sayd vnto me, A conspiracie is found among the men of Iudah, and among the inhabitants of Ierusalem.

Next Yahweh said to me, “A conspiracy has been discovered among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 They are turned backe to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to heare my wordes: and they went after other gods to serue them: thus the house of Israel, and the house of Iudah haue broken my couenant, which I made with their fathers.

They have turned to the iniquities of their earliest ancestors, who refused to listen to my word, who instead walked after other gods to worship them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah broke my covenant that I established with their ancestors.

11 Therefore thus sayth the Lord, Beholde, I will bring a plague vpon them, which they shall not be able to escape, and though they crye vnto me, I will not heare them.

Therefore Yahweh says this, 'See, I am about to bring disaster on them, disaster from which they will not be able to escape. Then they will call out to me, but I will not listen to them.

12 Then shall the cities of Iudah, and the inhabitants of Ierusalem goe, and crie vnto the gods vnto whome they offer incense, but they shall not bee able to helpe them in time of their trouble.

The cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and call out to the gods to which they had given offerings, but they will certainly not be saved by them at the time of their disaster.

13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Iudah, and according to the number of the streetes of Ierusalem haue yee set vp altars of confusion, euen altars to burne incense vnto Baal.

For you Judah, the number of your gods has increased to equal the number of your cities. You have made the number of shameful altars in Jerusalem, incense altars for Baal, equal to the number of her streets.

14 Therfore thou shalt not pray for this people, neither lift vp a crie, or prayer for them: for when they cry vnto mee in their trouble, I will not heare them.

So you yourself, Jeremiah, must not pray for this people. You must not wail or pray on their behalf. For I will not be listening when they call on me in their disaster.

15 What shoulde my beloued tarie in mine house, seeing they haue committed abomination with manie? and the holy flesh goeth away from thee: yet when thou doest euill, thou reioycest.

Why is my beloved one, the one who has had so many wicked intentions, in my house? The meat of your sacrifices cannot help you. You rejoice because of your evil actions.

16 The Lord called thy name, A greene oliue tree, faire, and of goodly fruite: but with noyse and great tumult he hath set fyre vpon it, and the branches of it are broken.

In the past Yahweh called you a leafy olive tree, beautiful with lovely fruit. But he will light a fire on it that will sound like the roar of a storm; its branches will be broken.

17 For the Lord of hostes that planted thee, hath pronounced a plague against thee, for the wickednes of the house of Israel, and of the house of Iudah, which they haue done against themselues to prouoke me to anger in offering incense vnto Baal.

For Yahweh of hosts, the one who planted you, has decreed disaster against you because of the wicked acts that the house of Israel and the house of Judah have committed—they have angered me by giving offerings to Baal.'”

18 And the Lord hath taught me, and I knowe it, euen then thou shewedst mee their practises.

Yahweh made me know these things, so I know them. You, Yahweh, made me see their deeds.

19 But I was like a lambe, or a bullocke, that is brought to the slaughter, and I knewe not that they had deuised thus against me, saying, Let vs destroy the tree with the fruite thereof, and cut him out of the lande of the liuing, that his name may be no more in memory.

I was like a gentle lamb being led to a butcher. I did not know that they had formed plans against me, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit! Let us cut him off from the land of the living so his name will be no longer remembered.”

20 But O Lord of hostes, that iudgest righteously, and triest the reines and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for vnto thee haue I opened my cause.

Yet Yahweh of hosts is the righteous judge who examines the heart and the mind. I will witness your vengeance against them, for I have presented my case to you.

21 The Lord therefore speaketh thus of the men of Anathoth, (that seeke thy life, and say, Prophecie not in the Name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hands)

Therefore Yahweh says this concerning the people of Anathoth who are seeking your life, “They say, 'You must not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, or you will die by our hand.'

22 Thus therefore sayth the Lord of hostes, Beholde, I will visite them: the yong men shall die by the sword: their sonnes and their daughters shall die by famine,

Therefore Yahweh of hosts says this, 'See, I am about to punish them. Their vigorous young men will die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters will die by famine.

23 And none of them shall remaine: for I will bring a plague vpon the men of Anathoth, euen the yeere of their visitation.

None of them will be left, because I am bringing disaster against the people of Anathoth, a year of their punishment.'”