< Jeremiah 18 >

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
Verbum, quod factum est ad Ieremiam a Domino, dicens:
2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there will I let thee hear my words.
Surge, et descende in domum figuli, et ibi audies verba mea.
3 Then went I down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was doing work on the wheels.
Et descendi in domum figuli, et ecce ipse faciebat opus super rotam.
4 And the vessel that he was making became spoiled as [happeneth] with the clay in the hand of the potter; and he made again thereof another vessel, as it seemed good in the eyes of the potter to make it.
Et dissipatum est vas, quod ipse faciebat e luto manibus suis: conversusque fecit illud vas alterum, sicut placuerat in oculis eius ut faceret.
5 Then came the word of the Lord to me, saying,
Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens:
6 Shall I not be able to do unto you as this potter, O house of Israel? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel.
Numquid sicut figulus iste, non potero vobis facere, domus Israel, ait Dominus? ecce sicut lutum in manu figuli, sic vos in manu mea, domus Israel.
7 At one instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
Repente loquar adversum gentem et adversus regnum, ut eradicem, et destruam, et disperdam illud.
8 But should that nation, against whom I have spoken, return from their wrong-doing: then will I bethink me of the evil that I had thought to do unto them.
Si poenitentiam egerit gens illa a malo suo, quod locutus sum adversus eam: agam et ego poenitentiam super malo, quod cogitavi ut facerem ei.
9 And at one instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
Et subito loquar de gente et de regno, ut aedificem et plantem illud.
10 But should it do what is evil in my eyes, so as not to hearken to my voice: then will I bethink me of the good, wherewith I had thought to benefit the same.
Si fecerit malum in oculis meis, ut non audiat vocem meam: poenitentiam agam super bono, quod locutus sum ut facerem ei.
11 And now do say to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, as followeth, Thus hath said the Lord, Behold, I form against you evil, and devise against you a device: do but return now every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.
Nunc ergo dic viro Iuda, et habitatoribus Ierusalem, dicens: Haec dicit Dominus: Ecce ego fingo contra vos malum, et cogito contra vos cogitationem: revertatur unusquisque a via sua mala, et dirigite vias vestras et studia vestra.
12 And they said, It is useless: for after our own thoughts will we walk, and we will every one do after the stubbornness of his evil heart.
Qui dixerunt: Desperavimus: post cogitationes enim nostras ibimus, et unusquisque pravitatem cordis sui mali faciemus.
13 Therefore thus hath said the Lord, Only ask among the nations, Who hath heard the like things? a very horrible act hath the virgin of Israel committed.
Ideo haec dicit Dominus: Interrogate Gentes: Quis audivit talia horribilia, quae fecit nimis virgo Israel?
14 Doth the snow of Lebanon ever quit the rock of the field? or do the far-coming, cold, flowing waters ever fail?
Numquid deficiet de petra agri nix Libani? aut evelli possunt aquae erumpentes frigidae, et defluentes?
15 That my people have forgotten me, that they have burnt incense to false gods, and are made to stumble on their ways, the ancient beaten tracks, to walk in paths, on a road which is not leveled?
Quia oblitus est mei populus meus, frustra libantes, et impingentes in viis suis, in semitis saeculi, ut ambularent per eas in itinere non trito:
16 To make their land desolate, a perpetual derision: every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.
ut fieret terra eorum in desolationem, et in sibilum sempiternum: omnis qui praeterierit per eam obstupescet, et movebit caput suum.
17 Like an east wind will I scatter them before the enemy; with the back, and not the face, will I regard them on the day of their calamity.
Sicut ventus urens dispergam eos coram inimico: dorsum, et non faciem ostendam eis in die perditionis eorum.
18 And they said, Come, and let us contrive devices against Jeremiah; for the law will not be lost 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 listen to any of his words.
Et dixerunt: Venite, et cogitemus contra Ieremiam cogitationes: non enim peribit lex a sacerdote, neque consilium a sapiente, nec sermo a propheta: venite, et percutiamus eum lingua, et non attendamus ad universos sermones eius.
19 Listen to me, O Lord, and hearken to the voice of those that contend with me.
Attende Domine ad me, et audi vocem adversariorum meorum.
20 Shall evil be recompensed instead of good, that they have dug a pit for my life? Remember my standing before thee to speak good concerning them, to cause thy wrath to turn away from them.
Numquid redditur pro bono malum, quia foderunt foveam animae meae? Recordare quod steterim in conspectu tuo, ut loquerer pro eis bonum, et averterem indignationem tuam ab eis.
21 Therefore give up their children to the famine, and let their life ebb out by means of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and widows; and let their men be slain by death; their young men smitten by the sword in the battle.
Propterea da filios eorum in famem, et deduc eos in manus gladii: fiant uxores eorum absque liberis, et viduae: et viri earum interficiantur morte: iuvenes eorum confodiantur gladio in praelio.
22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou bringest a troop over them suddenly; for they have dug a pit to catch me, and laid concealed snares for my feet.
Audiatur clamor de domibus eorum: adduces enim super eos latronem repente: quia foderunt foveam ut caperent me, et laqueos absconderunt pedibus meis.
23 Yet thou, Lord, knowest well all their counsel against me to [procure my] death: forgive not their iniquity, and let their sin not be blotted out from before thee; but let them be brought to stumbling before thee; in the time of thy anger deal thus with them.
Tu autem Domine scis omne consilium eorum adversum me in mortem: ne propitieris iniquitati eorum, et peccatum eorum a facie tua non deleatur: fiant corruentes in conspectu tuo, in tempore furoris tui abutere eis.

< Jeremiah 18 >