Jeremiah 18

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

The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying:

2 Arise, and go downe into the potters house, and there shall I shewe thee my words.

'Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear My words.'

3 Then I went downe to the potters house, and behold, he wrought a worke on the wheeles.

Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was at his work on the wheels.

4 And the vessell that he made of clay, was broken in the hand of the potter. so he returned, and made it another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

And whensoever the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 Then the worde of the Lord came vnto me, saying,

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

6 O house of Israel, cannot I doe with you as this potter, sayth the Lord? beholde, as the clay is in the potters hande, so are you in mine hande, O house of Israel.

'O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in My hand, O house of Israel.

7 I will speake suddenly against a nation or against a kingdome to plucke it vp, and to roote it out and to destroy it.

At one instant I may speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;

8 But if this nation, against whom I haue pronounced, turne from their wickednesse, I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them.

but if that nation turn from their evil, because of which I have spoken against it, I repent of the evil that I thought to do unto it.

9 And I wil speake suddenly concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdome to builde it and to plant it.

And at one instant I may speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

10 But if it do euill in my sight and heare not my voyce, I will repent of ye good that I thought to do for them.

but if it do evil in My sight, that it hearken not to My voice, then I repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit it.

11 Speake thou nowe therefore vnto the men of Iudah, and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem, saying, Thus saith ye Lord, Behold, I prepare a plague for you, and purpose a thing against you: returne you therefore euery one from his euill way, and make your wayes and your workes good.

Now therefore do thou speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you; return ye now every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

12 But they sayde desperately, Surely wee will walke after our owne imaginations, and doe euery man after the stubburnnesse of his wicked heart.

But they say: There is no hope; but we will walk after our own devices, and we will do every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart.'

13 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Aske now among the heathen, who hath heard such thinges? the virgin of Israel hath done very filthily.

Therefore thus saith the LORD: Ask ye now among the nations, who hath heard such things; the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.

14 Will a man forsake the snowe of Lebanon, which commeth from the rocke of the fielde? or shall the colde flowing waters, that come from another place, be forsaken?

Doth the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? or are the strange cold flowing waters plucked up?

15 Because my people hath forgotten me, and haue burnt incense to vanitie, and their prophets haue caused them to stumble in their wayes from the auncient wayes, to walke in the pathes and way that is not troden,

For My people hath forgotten Me, they offer unto vanity; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, in a way not cast up;

16 To make their land desolate and a perpetual derision, so that euery one that passeth thereby, shalbe astonished and wagge his head,

To make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

17 I will scatter them with an East winde before the enemie: I will shewe them the backe, and not the face in the day of their destruction.

I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will look upon their back, and not their face, in the day of their calamity.

18 Then sayde they, Come, and let vs imagine some deuice against Ieremiah: for the Lawe shall not perish from the Priest, nor counsell from the wise, nor the worde from the Prophet: come, and let vs smite him with the tongue, and let vs not giue heede to any of his words.

Then said they: 'Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for instruction shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.'

19 Hearken vnto mee, O Lord, and heare the voyce of them that contend with me.

Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

20 Shall euill be recompensed for good? for they haue digged a pit for my soule: remember that I stood before thee, to speake good for the, and to turne away thy wrath from them.

Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before Thee to speak good for them, to turn away Thy wrath from them.

21 Therefore, deliuer vp their children to famine, and let them drop away by the force of the sworde, and let their wiues be robbed of their children, and be widowes: and let their husbands be put to death, and let their yong men be slayne by the sword in the battell.

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and hurl them to the power of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men smitten of the sword in battle.

22 Let the crye bee heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring an hoste suddenly vpon them: for they haue digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feete.

Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them; for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

23 Yet Lord thou knowest al their counsel against me tendeth to death: forgiue not their iniquitie, neither put out their sinne from thy sight, but let them be ouerthrowen before thee: deale thus with them in the time of thine anger.

Yet, LORD, Thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me; forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from Thy sight; but let them be made to stumble before Thee; Deal Thou with them in the time of Thine anger.