Jeremiah 18

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,

2 "Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear my words."

Rise, and thou hast gone down [to] the potter's house, and there I cause thee to hear My words;

3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and look, he was making a work on the wheels.

and I go down [to] the potter's house, and lo, he is doing a work on the stones,

4 When the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

and marred is the vessel that he is making, as clay in the hand of the potter, and he hath turned and he maketh it another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make.

5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

And there is a word of Jehovah to me, saying:

6 "'House of Israel, can't I do with you as this potter?' says the LORD. 'Look, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.'

As this potter am I not able to do to you? O house of Israel, an affirmation of Jehovah. Lo, as clay in the hand of the potter, So [are] ye in My hand, O house of Israel.

7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;

The moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, To pluck up and to break down, and to destroy,

8 if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I thought to do to them.

And that nation hath turned from its evil, Because I have spoken against it, Then I have repented of the evil that I thought to do to it.

9 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

And the moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant,

10 if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them.

And it hath done the evil thing in Mine eyes, So as not to hearken to My voice, Then I have repented of the good That I have spoken of doing to it.

11 Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD: Look, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return now everyone from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.'

And now, speak, I pray thee, unto men of Judah, And against inhabitants of Jerusalem, Saying: Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am framing against you evil, And devising against you a device, Turn back, I pray you, each from his evil way And amen your ways and your doings.

12 But they say, 'It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do everyone after the stubbornness of his evil heart.'"

And they have said, It is incurable, For after our own devices we do go, And each the stubbornness of his evil heart we do.

13 Therefore thus says the LORD: "Ask now among the nations, who has heard such things; the virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

Therefore, thus said Jehovah: Ask, I pray you, among the nations, Who hath heard like these? A very horrible thing hath the virgin of Israel done.

14 Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?

Doth snow of Lebanon Cease from the rock of the field? Failed are the cold strange waters that flow?

15 For my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to false gods; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up;

But My people have forgotten Me, to a vain thing they make perfume, And they cause them to stumble in their ways — paths of old, To walk in paths — a way not raised up,

16 to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; everyone who passes thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

To make their land become a desolation, A hissing age-during, Every passer by it is astonished, And bemoaneth with his head.

17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity."

As an east wind I scatter them before an enemy, The neck, and not the face, I shew them, In the day of their calamity.'

18 Then they said, "Come, and let us make plans against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words."

And they say, Come, And we devise against Jeremiah devices, For law doth not perish from the priest, Nor counsel from the wise, Nor the word from the prophet, Come, and we smite him with the tongue, And we do not attend to any of his words.

19 "Give heed to me, LORD, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me.

Give attention, O Jehovah, unto me, And hearken to the voice of those contending with me.

20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.

Is evil recompensed instead of good, That they have dug a pit for my soul? Remember my standing before Thee to speak good of them, To turn back Thy wrath from them.

21 Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men struck of the sword in battle.

Therefore, give up their sons to famine, And cause them to run on the sides of the sword, And their wives are bereaved and widows, And their men are slain by death, Their young men smitten by sword in battle,

22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when you shall bring a troop suddenly on them; for they have dug a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

A cry is heard from their houses, For Thou bringest against them suddenly a troop, For they dug a pit to capture me, And snares they have hidden for my feet.

23 Yet, LORD, you know all their counsel against me to kill me; do not forgive their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from your sight; but let them be overthrown before you; deal you with them in the time of your anger."

And Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known, All their counsel against me [is] for death, Thou dost not cover over their iniquity, Nor their sin from before Thee blottest out, And they are made to stumble before Thee, In the time of Thine anger work against them!