Jeremias 15

1 And the Lord said to me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before my face, my soul could not be toward them: dismiss this people, and let them go forth.

Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go.

2 And it shall be, if they say to you, Whither shall we go forth? then you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord; As many as are for death, to death; and as many as are for famine, to famine; and as many as are for the sword, to the sword; and as many as are for captivity, to captivity.

If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’

3 And I will punish them with four kinds [of death], says the Lord, the sword to kill, and the dogs to tear, and the wild beasts of the earth, and the birds of the sky to devour and destroy.

I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

4 And I will deliver them up for distress to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasses son of Ezekias king of Juda, for all that he did in Jerusalem.

I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.

5 Who will spare you, O Jerusalem? and who will fear for you? or who will turn back [to ask] for your welfare?

Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

6 You have turned away from me, says the Lord, you will go back: therefore I will stretch out my hand, and will destroy you, and will no more spare them.

You have forsaken Me, declares the LORD. You have turned your back. So I will stretch out My hand against you and I will destroy you; I am weary of showing compassion.

7 And I will completely scatter them; in the gates of my people they are bereaved of children: they have destroyed my people because of their iniquities.

I will scatter them with a winnowing fork at the gates of the land. I will bereave and destroy My people who have not turned from their ways.

8 Their widows have been multiplied more than the sand of the sea: I have brought young men against the mother, [even] distress at noon-day: I have suddenly cast upon her trembling and anxiety.

I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. I will bring a destroyer at noon against the mothers of young men. I will suddenly bring upon them anguish and dismay.

9 She that bore seven is spent; her soul has fainted under trouble; her sun is gone down while it is yet noon; she is ashamed and disgraced: I will give the remnant of them to the sword before their enemies.

The mother of seven will grow faint; she will breathe her last breath. Her sun will set while it is still day; she will be disgraced and humiliated. And the rest I will put to the sword in the presence of their enemies,”

10 Woe is me, [my] mother! you have born me as some man of strife, and at variance with the whole earth; I have not helped [others], nor has any one helped me; my strength has failed among them that curse me.

Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife and conflict in all the land. I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me.

11 Be it so, Lord, in their prosperity; surely I stood before you in the time of their calamities, and in the time of their affliction, for [their] good against the enemy.

The LORD said: “Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will intercede with your enemy in your time of trouble, in your time of distress.

12 Will iron be known? whereas your strength is a brazen covering.

Can anyone smash iron— iron from the north—or bronze?

13 Yes, I will give your treasures for a spoil as a recompence, because of all your sins and [that] in all your borders.

Your wealth and your treasures I will give up as plunder, without charge for all your sins within all your borders.

14 And I will enslave you to your enemies round about, in a land which you have not known; for a fire has been kindled out of my wrath; it shall burn upon you.

Then I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for My anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you.”

15 O Lord, remember me, and visit me, and vindicate me before them that persecute me; do not bear long with them; know how I have met with reproach for your sake, from those who set at nothing your words;

You understand, O LORD; remember me and attend to me. Avenge me against my persecutors. In Your patience, do not take me away. Know that I endure reproach for Your honor.

16 consume them; and your word shall be to me for the joy and gladness of my heart: for your name has been called upon me, O Lord Almighty.

Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.

17 I have not sat in the assembly of them as they mocked, but I feared because of your power: I sat alone, for I was filled with bitterness.

I never sat with the band of revelers, nor did I celebrate with them. Because Your hand was on me, I sat alone, for You have filled me with indignation.

18 Why do they that grieve me prevail against me? my wound is severe; whence shall I be healed? it is indeed become to me as deceitful water, that has no faithfulness.

Why is my pain unending, and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You have indeed become like a mirage to me— water that is not there.

19 Therefore thus says the Lord, If you will return, then will I restore you, and you shall stand before my face: and if you will bring forth the precious from the worthless, you shall be as my mouth: and they shall return to you; but you shall not return to them.

Therefore this is what the LORD says: “If you return, I will restore you; you will stand in My presence. And if you speak words that are noble instead of worthless, you will be My spokesman. It is they who must turn to you, but you must not turn to them.

20 And I will make you to this people as a strong brazen wall; and they shall fight against you, but they shall by no means prevail against you;

Then I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to save and deliver you, declares the LORD.

21 for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you out of the hand of wicked [men]; and I will ransom you out of the hand of pestilent [men].

I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”