Jeremiah 10
1 Hear ye the word which the Lord hath spoken concerning you, O house of Israel:
“Hear the word that Yahweh is announcing to you, house of Israel.
2 Thus hath said the Lord, Do not habituate yourselves on the way of the nations, and at the signs of the heavens be ye not dismayed; although the nations should be dismayed at them.
Yahweh says this, 'Do not learn the ways of the nations, and do not be dismayed by the signs in the heavens, for the nations are dismayed by these.
3 For the statutes of these people concern what is vanity; for it is but a tree which a man hath cut out of a forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
For the religious customs of these people are worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and the craftsman carves the wood.
4 With silver and with gold do they ornament it; with nails and with hammers do they fasten it, that it move not from its place.
Then they decorate it with silver and gold. They strengthen it with hammer and nails so it will not fall over.
5 As a wrought-out palm-like column are they, and cannot speak; they must needs be borne, because they cannot step along. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do any harm, so also to do any good is not in them.
What they make with their hands is like scarecrows in a cucumber field, because they, too, can say nothing, and they have to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they cannot bring about evil, nor are they able to do anything good.'”
6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord: thou [alone] art great, and great is thy name in might.
There is no one like you, Yahweh. You are great, and your name is great in power.
7 Who would not fear thee, O King of the nations? for to thee doth it appertain; because among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, [they say] there is none like unto thee.
Who does not fear you, king of the nations? For this is what you deserve, for there is no one like you among all the wise men of the nations or all their royal kingdoms.
8 But at once shall they be shown to be brutish and foolish: it is a doctrine of vanities, it concerneth but wood.
They are all the same, they are brutish and stupid, disciples of idols that are nothing but wood.
9 The beaten out silver is brought from Tharshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the goldsmith: blue and purple is their clothing; the work of skilful men are they all.
They bring hammered silver from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz made by artificers, the hands of refiners. Their clothes are blue and purple cloth. Their skillful men made all of these things.
10 But the Lord God is the truth, he is the living God, and the everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall quake, and nations cannot endure his indignation.
But Yahweh is the true God. He is the living God and eternal king. The earth quakes at his anger, and the nations cannot endure his anger.
11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, shall perish away from the earth, and from under these heavens.
You will speak to them like this, “The gods that did not make the heavens and earth will perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”
12 He made the earth by his power, he established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he stretched out the heavens.
But it was he who made the earth by his power, and he established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he stretched out the heavens.
13 At the sound when he giveth a multitude of waters in the heavens, and causeth clouds to ascend from the ends of the earth; when he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures:
His voice makes the roar of waters in the heavens, and he brings up the mists from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and sends out wind from his storehouse.
14 Then standeth every man as brutish without knowledge; ashamed is every goldsmith because of the graven image; for falsehood is his molten work, and there is no breath therein.
Every man has become ignorant, without knowledge. Every metalworker is put to shame by his idols. For his cast images are frauds; there is no life in them.
15 They are vanity, the work of deception; in the time of their punishment shall they vanish.
They are useless, the work of mockers; they will perish at the time of their punishment.
16 Not like these is the portion of Jacob; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: The Lord of hosts is his name.
But God, the portion of Jacob, is not like these, for he is the molder of all things. Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; Yahweh of hosts is his name.
17 Gather up thy wares from the ground, O inhabitress of the beleaguered city.
Gather your bundle and leave the land, you people who have been living under the siege.
18 For thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I will cast forth as with a sling the inhabitants of the land at this time, and I will enclose them, in order that they may find them.
For Yahweh says this, “See, I am about to throw the inhabitants of the land out this time. I will cause them distress, and they will find it to be so.”
19 Woe is me for my breach! my wound is painful; but I thought, This is but pain, and I shall be able to bear it.
Woe to me! Because of my broken bones, my wound is infected. So I said, “Surely this is agony, but I must bear it.”
20 [But now] my tent is laid waste, and all my cords are torn asunder; my children are gone away from me, and they are not [here]; there is no one to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.
My tent is devastated, and all of my tent cords are cut in two. They have taken my children away from me, so they no longer exist. There is no longer anyone to spread out my tent or to raise up my tent curtains.
21 For the shepherds were brutish, and the Lord had they not sought; therefore have they not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered.
For the shepherds are stupid and they do not seek Yahweh; so they have not prospered, and all their flock has been scattered.
22 Behold, the noise of the report is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to render the cities of Judah desolate, a dwelling for monsters.
The report of news has arrived, “See! It is coming, a great earthquake is coming from the land of the north To make the cities of Judah into ruins, hideouts for jackals.”
23 I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in his own power: it is not in man that passeth away to direct his own steps.
I know, Yahweh, that the way of a man does not come from himself. No person walking directs his own steps.
24 Correct me, O Lord, but with justice; not in thy anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
Discipline me, Yahweh, with justice, not in your anger or you would destroy me.
25 Pour out thy fury over the nations that know thee not, and over the families that have not called on thy name; for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his dwelling desolate.
Pour your fury on the nations that do not know you and on the families that do not call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob and consumed him so as to completely destroy him and demolish his habitation.
