Jeremiah 10

1 Hear you the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel:

Listen to the message the Lord is sending to you, people of Israel.

2 Thus says the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

This is what the Lord says: Don't adopt the practices of other nations. Don't be terrified as they are by signs in the heavens that they interpret as predicting disaster.

3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.

The religious beliefs of the peoples are pointless. They chop down a tree in the forest and a craftsman carves the wood with a tool to make an idol.

4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

They decorate it with silver and gold, and nail it down with a hammer so it won't fall over.

5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

Just like a scarecrow in a field of cucumbers, their idols can't speak. They have to be carried around because they can't walk. You don't have to be afraid of them because they can't hurt you—and they can't do you any good either.

6 For as much as there is none like to you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might.

There's no one like you, Lord! You are so great! You are incredibly powerful!

7 Who would not fear you, O King of nations? for to you does it appertain: for as much as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like to you.

Everyone should respect you, King of the nations. This is how you should be treated. There's no one like you among all the wise men of every nation and kingdom.

8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

Yet these “wise men” are completely foolish and stupid, because they think they can be taught by useless idols made of wood!

9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.

Sheets of hammered silver are shipped in from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, to be used by craftsmen and metalworkers. These idols are dressed in clothes of blue and purple made by experts.

10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

But the Lord is the only true God. He is the living God and eternal King. The earth shakes when he is angry; the nations can't withstand his fury.

11 Thus shall you say to them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

This is what you are to tell the nations: “These gods, who didn't make either the heavens or the earth, will be wiped out from this earth and from under these heavens.”

12 He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

It was God who made the earth by his power. He created the world by his wisdom and by his understanding he put the heavens in place.

13 When he utters his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightning with rain, and brings forth the wind out of his treasures.

The waters of the heavens rain down with a roar at his command. He makes the clouds to rise all over the earth. He makes lightning to accompany rain, and sends the wind from his storehouses.

14 Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

Everyone is stupid; they don't know anything. Every metalworker is embarrassed by the idols they make. For their images made of molten metal are fraudulent—they're not alive!

15 They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

They are useless, an object to be laughed at. They will be destroyed at the time of their punishment.

16 The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts is his name.

The God of Jacob is not like these idols, for he is the Creator of everything, and Israel is the tribe that belongs to him. The Lord Almighty is his name.

17 Gather up your wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.

You people living in Jerusalem under siege, get all your things together ready to leave,

18 For thus says the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.

because this is what the Lord says: Look! Right now I'm about to throw out the people living in this country, bringing them trouble they will really feel.

19 Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous; but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.

The people of Jerusalem responded, “We're suffering terribly because we've been badly hurt—our injuries are really serious. We thought it wouldn't be that bad and that we could bear it.

20 My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

Our tents have been destroyed; all our ropes have been broken. Our children have been taken from us and are no more. We don't have anyone left to put up our tents or hang our curtains.”

21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

The “shepherds” have become stupid—they don't ask the Lord for advice. That's why they have failed, and all their flock has been scattered.

22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.

Listen to the news that an noisy army is invading from a country to the north. The towns of Judah will be knocked down, they will be places where only jackals live.

23 O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walks to direct his steps.

I realize, Lord, that people don't control their own lives—no one really knows how to choose their way.

24 O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.

Please discipline me fairly, Lord—not while you're angry, otherwise you'll kill me!

25 Pour out your fury on the heathen that know you not, and on the families that call not on your name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.

Pour out your fury on the nations that don't recognize you as God, and on their families that don't worship you. For they have completely destroyed the Israelites, wiping us out. They have devastated our country.