Jeremiah 23

1 Woe be vnto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheepe of my pasture, saith the Lord.

"Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture." says Jehovah.

2 Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Israel vnto the pastors that feede my people, Yee haue scattered my flock and thrust them out, and haue not visited them: beholde, I will visite you for the wickednesse of your works, saith the Lord.

Therefore thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel, against the shepherds who feed my people: "You have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them; look, I will visit on you the evil of your doings," says Jehovah.

3 And I will gather the remnant of my sheepe out of all countreyes, whither I had driuen them, and will bring them againe to their foldes, and they shall growe and encrease.

"I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and multiply.

4 And I will set vp shepheardes ouer them, which shall feede them: and they shall dread no more nor be afraide, neither shall any of them be lacking, saith the Lord.

I will set up shepherds over them, who shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be lacking," says Jehovah.

5 Behold, The dayes come, saith the Lord, that I will raise vnto Dauid a righteous branche, and a King shall reigne, and prosper, and shall execute iudgement, and iustice in the earth.

"Look, the days come," says Jehovah, "that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.

6 In his dayes Iudah shalbe saued, and Israel shall dwell safely, and this is the Name wherby they shall call him, The Lord our righteousnesse.

In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this is his name by which he shall be called: 'Jehovah our righteousness.'

7 Therefore behold, the dayes come, sayth the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liueth, which brought vp the children of Israel out of the lande of Egypt,

Therefore look, the days come," says Jehovah, "that they shall no more say, 'As Jehovah lives, who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt';

8 But the Lord liueth, which brought vp and led the seede of the house of Israel out of the North countrey and from all countryes where I had scattered them, and they shall dwell in their owne lande.

but, 'As Jehovah lives, who brought up and who led the descendants of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all the countries where he had driven them.' They shall dwell in their own land."'

9 Mine heart breaketh within mee, because of the prophets, all my bones shake: I am like a drunken man (and like a man whome wine hath ouercome) for the presence of the Lord and for his holie wordes.

Concerning the prophets: My heart within me is broken, all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine has overcome, because of Jehovah, and because of his holy words.

10 For the lande is full of adulterers, and because of othes the lande mourneth, the pleasant places of the wildernesse are dried vp, and their course is euill, and their force is not right.

For the land is full of adulterers; for because of swearing the land mourns; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. "Their course is evil, and their might is not right;

11 For both the prophet and the Priest doe wickedly: and their wickednesse haue I found in mine House, saith the Lord.

for both prophet and priest are profane; yes, in my house have I found their wickedness," says Jehovah.

12 Wherefore their way shalbe vnto them as slipperie wayes in the darknesse: they shalbe driuen foorth and fall therein: for I will bring a plague vpon them, euen the yeere of their visitation, saith the Lord.

"Therefore their way shall be to them as slippery places in the darkness: they shall be driven on, and fall in it; for I will bring evil on them, even the year of their visitation," says Jehovah.

13 And I haue seene foolishnesse in the prophets of Samaria, that prophecied in Baal, and caused my people Israel to erre.

"I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal, and caused my people Israel to err.

14 I haue seene also in the prophets of Ierusalem filthines: they commit adulterie and walke in lies: they strengthen also the hands of the wicked that none can returne from his wickednesse: they are all vnto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorah.

In the prophets of Jerusalem also I have seen a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies; and they strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that none does return from his wickedness: they are all of them become to me as Sodom, and its inhabitants as Gomorrah.

15 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hostes concerning the prophets, Beholde, I will feede them with wormewood, and make them drinke the water of gall: for from the prophets of Ierusalem is wickednesse gone forth into all the lande.

Therefore thus says Jehovah of hosts concerning the prophets: 'Look, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall; for from the prophets of Jerusalem is ungodliness gone forth into all the land.'

16 Thus sayth ye Lord of hosts, Heare not the wordes of the prophets that prophecie vnto you, and teach you vanitie: they speake the vision of their owne heart, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.

Thus says Jehovah of hosts, 'Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you: they teach you vanity; they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Jehovah.

17 They say still vnto them that despise mee, The Lord hath sayde, Ye shall haue peace: and they say vnto euery one that walketh after the stubbernesse of his owne heart, No euill shall come vpon you.

They say continually to those who despise me, "Jehovah has said, 'You shall have peace'"; and to everyone who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart they say, "No evil shall come on you."

18 For who hath stand in the counsel of the Lord that he hath perceiued and heard his word? Who hath marked his worde and heard it?

For who has stood in the council of Jehovah, that he should perceive and hear his word? Who has marked my word, and heard it?

19 Beholde, the tempest of the Lord goeth forth in his wrath, and a violent whirlewinde shall fall downe vpon the head of the wicked.

Look, the storm of Jehovah, his wrath, has gone forth. Yes, a whirling storm. It shall burst on the head of the wicked.

20 The anger of the Lord shall not returne vntill he haue executed, and till he haue perfourmed the thoughts of his heart: in the latter dayes ye shall vnderstande it plainely.

The anger of Jehovah shall not return, until he has executed, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days you shall understand it perfectly.

21 I haue not sent these prophets, sayth the Lord, yet they ranne; I haue not spoken to them, and yet they prophecied.

I sent not these prophets, yet they ran: I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.

22 But if they had stande in my counsell, and had declared my words to my people, then they should haue turned them from their euill way, and from the wickednesse of their inuentions.

But if they had stood in my council, then had they caused my people to hear my words, and had turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

23 Am I a God at hande, saith the Lord, and not a God farre off?

Am I a God at hand,' says Jehovah, 'and not a God afar off?

24 Can any hide him selfe in secrete places, that I shall not see him, sayth the Lord? Do not I fill heauen and earth, saieth the Lord?

Can any hide himself in secret places so that I shall not see him?' says Jehovah. 'Do I not fill heaven and earth?' says Jehovah.

25 I haue heard what the prophets said, that prophecie lies in my Name, saying, I haue dreamed, I haue dreamed.

'I have heard what the prophets have said, who prophesy lies in my name, saying, "I have dreamed, I have dreamed."

26 Howe long? Doe the prophets delite to prophecie lies, euen prophecying the deceit of their owne heart?

How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart,

27 Thinke they to cause my people to forget my Name by their dreames, which they tell euery man to his neyghbour, as their forefathers haue forgotten my Name for Baal?

who think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name for Baal.

28 The prophet that hath a dreame, let him tell a dreame, and hee that hath my worde, let him speake my worde faithfully: what is the chaffe to the wheate, sayth the Lord?

The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; and he who has my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat?' says Jehovah.

29 Is not my word euen like a fire, sayeth the Lord? and like an hammer, that breaketh the stone?

'Isn't my word like fire?' says Jehovah; 'and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

30 Therefore beholde, I will come against the prophets, saieth the Lord, that steale my word euerie one from his neighbour.

Therefore look, I am against the prophets,' says Jehovah, 'who steal my words everyone from his neighbor.

31 Beholde, I will come against the prophets, saith the Lord, which haue sweete tongues, and say, He saith.

Look, I am against the prophets,' says Jehovah, 'who use their tongues, and say, "He says."

32 Beholde, I will come against them that prophecie false dreames, saith the Lord, and doe tell them, and cause my people to erre by their lies, and by their flatteries, and I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they bring no profite vnto this people, saith the Lord.

Look, I am against the prophets who prophesy lying dreams,' says Jehovah, 'and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting: yet I did not send them, nor commanded them; neither do they profit this people at all,' says Jehovah.

33 And when this people, or the prophet, or a Priest shall aske thee, saying, What is the burden of the Lord? thou shalt then say vnto them, What burden? I will euen forsake you, saith the Lord.

'When this people, or the prophet, or a priest, shall ask you, saying, "What is the burden of Jehovah?" Then you shall tell them, "You are the burden, and I will cast you off," says Jehovah.

34 And the prophet, or the Priest, or the people that shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will euen visite euerie such one, and his house.

As for the prophet, and the priest, and the people, who shall say, "The burden of Jehovah," I will even punish that man and his house.

35 Thus shall yee say euery one to his neighbour, and euerie one to his brother, What hath the Lord answered? and what hath the Lord spoken?

You shall say everyone to his neighbor, and everyone to his brother, "What has Jehovah answered?" and, "What has Jehovah spoken?"

36 And the burden of the Lord shall yee mention no more: for euery mans worde shall bee his burden: for ye haue peruerted the words of the liuing God, the Lord of hostes our God.

You shall mention the burden of Jehovah no more: for every man's own word shall be his burden; for you have perverted the words of the living God, of Jehovah of hosts our God.

37 Thus shalt thou say to the Prophet, What hath the Lord answered thee? and what hath the Lord spoken?

You shall say to the prophet, "What has Jehovah answered you?" and, "What has Jehovah spoken?"

38 And if you say, The burden of the Lord, Then thus saith the Lord, Because yee say this word, The burden of the Lord, and I haue sent vnto you, saying, Ye shall not say, The burden of the Lord,

But if you say, "The burden of Jehovah"; therefore thus says Jehovah: Because you say this word, "The burden of Jehovah," and I have sent to you, saying, "You shall not say, 'The burden of Jehovah'";

39 Therefore beholde, I, euen I will vtterly forget you, and I will forsake you, and the citie that I gaue you and your fathers, and cast you out of my presence,

therefore, look, I will surely lift you up and I will cast you off, and the city that I gave to you and to your fathers, away from my presence:

40 And will bring an euerlasting reproche vpon you, and a perpetual shame which shall neuer be forgotten.

and I will bring an everlasting reproach on you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.'"