Jeremiah 18
1 Yahweh gave another message to me. [He said],
| הדבר אשר היה אל ירמיהו מאת יהוה לאמר׃ |
2 “Go to the shop of the man who makes clay pots. I will give you a message there.”
| קום וירדת בית היוצר ושמה אשמיעך את דברי׃ |
3 So I went to that shop, and I saw the man who makes pots. He was working at the wheel [that he uses to form pots].
| וארד בית היוצר והנהו עשה מלאכה על האבנים׃ |
4 But when he finished making one jar, it was not as good as he hoped/wanted it to be. [So], he took that clay and formed it into another jar, shaping it as he desired.
| ונשחת הכלי אשר הוא עשה בחמר ביד היוצר ושב ויעשהו כלי אחר כאשר ישר בעיני היוצר לעשות׃ |
5 Then Yahweh gave me this message:
| ויהי דבר יהוה אלי לאמור׃ |
6 “Perhaps the people of Israel [think that] I cannot do to them like this man who makes pots has done [RHQ]. [But what they think is wrong]. I [can control what happens to them like] this man [controls what he does with the clay] in his hands.
| הכיוצר הזה לא אוכל לעשות לכם בית ישראל נאם יהוה הנה כחמר ביד היוצר כן אתם בידי בית ישראל׃ |
7 There may be a time when I proclaim that I will get rid of a nation or kingdom, [like someone] pulls up [a plant with its roots], and smashes it, and destroys it.
| רגע אדבר על גוי ועל ממלכה לנתוש ולנתוץ ולהאביד׃ |
8 But if [the people of] that nation repent of doing evil things, I will not send to them the disasters that I planned to send.
| ושב הגוי ההוא מרעתו אשר דברתי עליו ונחמתי על הרעה אשר חשבתי לעשות לו׃ |
9 And there may be a time when I proclaim that I will establish a nation or kingdom and cause it to be strong [MET].
| ורגע אדבר על גוי ועל ממלכה לבנת ולנטע׃ |
10 But if [the people of] that nation [start to] do evil things and refuse to obey me, then I will not bless them as I said that I would do.
| ועשה הרעה בעיני לבלתי שמע בקולי ונחמתי על הטובה אשר אמרתי להיטיב אותו׃ |
11 Therefore, [Jeremiah, go and warn all] the people in Jerusalem and [in other places] in Judah. Say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh says: “I am planning to cause you to experience a disaster [DOU]. [So], each of you should turn from your evil behavior and start doing what is right, [in order that you will not experience that disaster].”’’”
| ועתה אמר נא אל איש יהודה ועל יושבי ירושלם לאמר כה אמר יהוה הנה אנכי יוצר עליכם רעה וחשב עליכם מחשבה שובו נא איש מדרכו הרעה והיטיבו דרכיכם ומעלליכם׃ |
12 [So I told that message to the people], but they replied, “It is useless [for you to tell us that]. We will [continue to] be stubborn and behave as we want to.”
| ואמרו נואש כי אחרי מחשבותינו נלך ואיש שררות לבו הרע נעשה׃ |
13 So, this is what Yahweh says: “Ask the [people who live in other] nations if they have [RHQ] ever heard of such a thing. My Israeli people, who [have been pure like] [MET] virgins, have done a terrible thing!
| לכן כה אמר יהוה שאלו נא בגוים מי שמע כאלה שעררת עשתה מאד בתולת ישראל׃ |
14 The snow certainly never [RHQ] completely disappears/melts from the rocky slopes of the mountains in Lebanon. The cold streams that flow down from those distant mountains never [RHQ] cease flowing.
| היעזב מצור שדי שלג לבנון אם ינתשו מים זרים קרים נוזלים׃ |
15 But my people [are not as reliable as those streams: ] They have abandoned me. They burn incense to [honor/worship] worthless idols. [It is as though] they have stumbled as they walked along very old roads that are good roads, and now, instead, they are walking on dirt paths.
| כי שכחני עמי לשוא יקטרו ויכשלום בדרכיהם שבילי עולם ללכת נתיבות דרך לא סלולה׃ |
16 Therefore, their land will become desolate, and people who see it will hiss [to ridicule it]. Everyone who passes by will be appalled; they will shake their heads [to show that they are shocked].
| לשום ארצם לשמה שרוקת עולם כל עובר עליה ישם ויניד בראשו׃ |
17 I will scatter the people when their enemies [attack them] like dust is scattered by an east wind. And when they experience all those difficulties/disasters, I will turn my back on them [and refuse] to help them.”
| כרוח קדים אפיצם לפני אויב ערף ולא פנים אראם ביום אידם׃ |
18 Then some of the people said, “Come, let’s plan to attack Jeremiah. We have [many] priests who teach us God’s laws, and wise men who give us good advice, and prophets who tell us [what will happen. We do not need Jeremiah!] So, let’s slander him and not pay attention to anything that he says.”
| ויאמרו לכו ונחשבה על ירמיהו מחשבות כי לא תאבד תורה מכהן ועצה מחכם ודבר מנביא לכו ונכהו בלשון ואל נקשיבה אל כל דבריו׃ |
19 [Then I prayed], “Yahweh, [please] listen to me! And listen to what my enemies are saying about me.
| הקשיבה יהוה אלי ושמע לקול יריבי׃ |
20 I am doing things that are good, so it is disgusting that [RHQ] they are paying me back by doing evil [things to me]. [It is as though] they have dug a pit for me [to fall into] and die. Do not forget that [one time] I stood in front of you and pleaded for you [to help them], and I tried to prevent you from [punishing them] [MTY], even though you were very angry with them.
| הישלם תחת טובה רעה כי כרו שוחה לנפשי זכר עמדי לפניך לדבר עליהם טובה להשיב את חמתך מהם׃ |
21 So [now], allow their children to die from hunger! Or cause them to be killed by [their enemies’] swords! Cause their wives to become widows, whose children are all dead! Cause their [old] men to die in a plague, and cause their young men to be killed in battles!
| לכן תן את בניהם לרעב והגרם על ידי חרב ותהינה נשיהם שכלות ואלמנות ואנשיהם יהיו הרגי מות בחוריהם מכי חרב במלחמה׃ |
22 Cause people to scream in their homes when enemy soldiers suddenly come into their houses! [Cause all those things to happen to them] because they [want to kill me]. [It is as though] they have dug a pit for me [to fall into], and they have hidden traps along my path.
| תשמע זעקה מבתיהם כי תביא עליהם גדוד פתאם כי כרו שיחה ללכדני ופחים טמנו לרגלי׃ |
23 Yahweh, you know all the things that they are planning to do to kill me. Do not forgive them for their crimes or blot out [the record of] their sins. Cause them to be destroyed; punish them because of your being angry [with them]!”
| ואתה יהוה ידעת את כל עצתם עלי למות אל תכפר על עונם וחטאתם מלפניך אל תמחי והיו מכשלים לפניך בעת אפך עשה בהם׃ |
