Jeremiah 15

1 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.

Then the Lord said to me, Even if Moses and Samuel came before me, I would have no desire for this people: send them away from before me, and let them go.

2 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.

And it will be, when they say to you, Where are we to go? then you are to say to them, The Lord has said, Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are to be in need of food, to need of food; and such as are to be taken away prisoners, to be taken away.

3 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.

And I will put over them four divisions, says the Lord: the sword causing death, dogs pulling the dead bodies about, and the birds of heaven, and the beasts of the earth to take their bodies for food and put an end to them.

4 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.

And I will make them a cause of fear to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and what he did in Jerusalem.

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

For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? and who will have sorrow for you? or who will go out of his way to see how you are?

6 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.

You have given me up, says the Lord, you have gone back: so my hand is stretched out against you for your destruction; I am tired of changing my purpose.

7 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.

And I have sent a cleaning wind on them in the public places of the land; I have taken their children from them; I have given my people to destruction; they have not been turned from their ways.

8 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.

I have let their widows be increased in number more than the sand of the seas: I have sent against them, against the mother and the young men, one who makes waste in the heat of the day, causing pain and fears to come on her suddenly.

9 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.

The mother of seven is without strength; her spirit is gone from her, her sun has gone down while it is still day: she has been shamed and overcome: and the rest of them I will give up to the sword before their haters, says the Lord.

10 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.

Sorrow is mine, my mother, because you have given birth to me, a cause of fighting and argument in all the earth! I have not made men my creditors and I am not in debt to any, but every one of them is cursing me.

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

Is it possible for iron to be broken; even iron from the north, and brass?

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

I will give your wealth and your stores to your attackers, without a price, because of all your sins, even in every part of your land.

14 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.

They will go away with your haters into a land which is strange to you: for my wrath is on fire with a flame which will be burning on you.

15 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.

O Lord, you have knowledge: keep me in mind and come to my help, and give their right reward to those who are attacking me; take me not away, for you are slow to be angry: see how I have undergone shame because of you from all those who make little of your word;

16 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.

But to me your word is a joy, making my heart glad; for I am named by your name, O Lord God of armies.

17 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.

I did not take my seat among the band of those who are glad, and I had no joy; I kept by myself because of your hand; for you have made me full of wrath.

18 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?

Why is my pain unending and my wound without hope of being made well? Sorrow is mine, for you are to me as a stream offering false hope and as waters which are not certain.

19 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.

For this cause the Lord has said, If you will come back, then I will again let you take your place before me; and if you give out what is of value and not that which has no value, you will be as my mouth: let them come back to you, but do not go back to them.

20 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.

And I will make you a strong wall of brass to this people; they will be fighting against you, but they will not overcome you: for I am with you to keep you safe, says the Lord.

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

I will keep you safe from the hands of the evil-doers, and I will give you salvation from the hands of the cruel ones.