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.

And the Lord said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my soul would not be toward this people. Cast them away from my face, and let them depart!

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 if they say to you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord: Those who go to death, shall go to death. And those who go to the sword, shall go to the sword, and those go to famine, shall go to famine, and those who go to captivity, shall go to captivity.

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 visit against them in four ways, says the Lord: by the sword, to kill; and by dogs, to tear apart; and by the birds of the air and by the beasts of the earth, to devour and to scatter.

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 give them over to the fervor of all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, because of all that 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 take pity on you, O Jerusalem? Or who will feel sorrow for you? Or who will go to prayer for the sake of your peace?

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 abandoned me, says the Lord. You have gone backwards. And so, I will extend my hand over you, and I will destroy you. I have labored to plead with you.

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 will scatter them with a winnowing fan at the gates of the land. I have killed and dispersed my people, and yet they have not turned back 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.

Their widows have been multiplied by me, more so than the sand of the sea. I have led them against the mother of a youth like an attacker at midday. I have sent a terror suddenly against the cities.

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.

She who gave birth to seven has become weak. Her life has faded away. Her sun has set while it was still daytime. She has been confounded and shamed. And the remainder of them I will give over to the sword in the sight of their enemies, 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.

“O my mother, woe to me! Why did you conceive me, a man of strife, a man of discord to all the earth? I have not lent money at interest, nor has anyone lent money at interest to me. Yet everyone 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.

The Lord says: “Certainly, it will be well with your remnant. Certainly, I will run to meet you, in the time of affliction and in the time of tribulation, against the enemy.

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

But how can iron be joined with the iron from the north or with 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.

Your riches and your treasures I will give over to be freely despoiled, because of all your sins, even throughout all your borders.

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.

And I will lead in your enemies from a land that you do not know. For a fire has been kindled in my fury; it will burn upon 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.

“You know me, O Lord. Remember me, and visit me, and watch over me, because of those who persecute me. In your patience, do not choose to let me endure. You know I have suffered reproach because of you.

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.

I discovered your words and I consumed them. And your word became to me as the gladness and joy of my heart. For your name has been invoked over me, O Lord, the God of hosts.

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 sit in the company of mockers, nor did I glorify myself before the presence of your hand. I sat alone, because you filled me with threats.

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 has my sorrow become never-ending, and why has my wound become so dire that it refuses to be cured? It has become for me like the deception of untrustworthy waters.”

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.

Because of this, thus says the Lord: “If you will be converted, I will convert you. And you will stand before my face. And you will separate what is precious from what is vile. You will be my mouthpiece. They will be converted to you, but you will not be converted 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 present you to this people as a strong wall of brass. And they will fight against you, and they will not prevail. For I am with you, so as to save you and to rescue you, 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.

And I will free you from hand of those who are most wicked, and I will redeem you from the hand of the powerful.”