Jeremiah 20

1 Now Pashur, the son of Immer, the priest, who was also chief overseer in the house of Jehovah, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.

2 Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks, that were at the high gate of Benjamin, which was in the house of Jehovah.

3 And on the next day Pashur took Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah to him, Jehovah calleth thee, not Pashur, but Magor-missabib [[not Safety on every side, but Terror on every side]].

4 For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I am about to make thee a terror to thyself and to all thy friends; and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, thine eyes looking on; and all Judah will I give into the hand of the king of Babylon, who shall carry them captive to Babylon, and shall smite them with the sword.

5 And I will give all the wealth of this city, and all its possessions, and all its precious things, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give, into the hand of their enemies, and they shall spoil them, and take them and carry them to Babylon.

6 And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thy house, shall go into captivity; thou shalt go to Babylon, and there shalt thou die, and there shalt thou be buried, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied falsely.

7 Thou didst persuade me, O Jehovah, and I was persuaded; Thou wast stronger than I, and didst prevail. But I am in derision daily, Every one mocketh me.

8 For whenever I speak, I cry out on account of violence, And complain of oppression; For the word of Jehovah bringeth upon me reproach, And daily derision.

9 So I say, I will no more make mention of him, Nor speak any more in his name; But his word is in my heart like a burning fire, shut up in my bones, And I am weary with forbearing, And I cannot refrain.

10 For I hear the slander of many, terror on every side; “Tell us something against him, and we will denounce him.” All my familiar friends, they who leave not my side, [[say, ]] “Perhaps he will be enticed, So that we may prevail against him, And take our revenge on him.”

11 But Jehovah is on my side, like a mighty champion, Therefore shall my persecutors stumble, and not prevail; They shall be covered with shame, because they act not wisely, —With everlasting shame, that shall not be forgotten.

12 O Jehovah of hosts, thou that provest the righteous, That seest the reins and the heart, Let me see thy vengeance on them, For to thee have I laid open my cause!

13 Sing to Jehovah! Praise ye Jehovah! For he delivereth the oppressed From the hand of evil-doers.

14 Cursed be the day on which I was born; Let not the day on which my mother bore me be blessed!

15 Cursed be the man who brought the tidings to my father, Saying, “A son is born to thee,” making him very glad!

16 Let that man be like the cities which Jehovah overthrew, and relented not; Let him hear an outcry in the morning, And an alarm at noontide;

17 Because he slew me not before I saw the light, So that my mother might have been my grave, And her womb have been great with me forever!

18 Wherefore came I forth from the womb, to see weariness and sorrow, And that my days might be consumed in shame?