Jeremiah 6
1 “You people in Jerusalem who are from [the tribe of] Benjamin, flee from this city! Blow the trumpets in Tekoa [city south of Jerusalem]! Send up a [smoke] signal in Beth-Haccherem [town] [to warn the people of the coming danger]! A powerful [army] will come from the north, and they will cause great destruction.
Flee for refuge - O people of Benjamin from [the] midst of Jerusalem and in Tekoa blow a trumpet and at Beth Hakkerem raise a signal for calamity it has looked down from [the] north and destruction great.
2 Jerusalem is [like] a beautiful pasture [full of sheep], but it will soon be destroyed.
The beautiful [one] and the dainty [one] I resemble [the] daughter of Zion.
3 [Enemy kings, not] shepherds [MET], will come [with their armies] and set up their tents around the city, and each [king will choose a part of the city for his soldiers to destroy like] [MET] shepherds divide their pastures for their flocks of sheep.
To it they will come shepherds and flocks their they will pitch at it tents all around they will graze everyone hand his.
4 [The kings will tell their troops], “Get ready for the battle. We should attack them before noontime. But [if we arrive there late in the afternoon] when the shadows are becoming long,
Consecrate on it battle arise so we may go up at noon woe! to us for it has turned the day for they are stretched out [the] shadows of evening.
5 we will attack them at night and tear down their fortresses.”
Arise so we may go up in the night and let us destroy fortresses its.
6 Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, says this: “[I will command those soldiers to] cut down the trees [outside Jerusalem] and to build dirt ramps up to the top of the city walls [in order that they can enter the city]. This city must be punished because everyone there continually oppresses others.
For thus he says Yahweh of hosts cut down wood and pour out on Jerusalem a mound that city it will be visited all of it [is] oppression in midst its.
7 [It is as though] the wicked things that the people do pour out of the city like [SIM] water flows out of a spring. [The noise from people doing] violent and destructive actions is heard everywhere. I continually see [people who are] suffering and wounded.
As keeps cool (a well *Q(K)*) water its so it has kept cool evil its violence and havoc it is heard in it [are] on face my continually sickness and wound[s].
8 Listen to what I am warning you, [you people of] [APO] Jerusalem, because if you do not listen, I will reject you and cause your land to become desolate, a land where no one lives.”
Let yourself be instructed O Jerusalem lest it should be alienated self my from you lest I should make you a desolation a land [which] not it is inhabited.
9 Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, also says this: “[I will tell your enemies] to cause your country to become as desolate [SIM] as a vineyard from which all the grapes have been completely stripped from the vines. [Their soldiers will seize the possessions of] those who remain in Israel [after the others have been exiled] like [SIM] farmers go to the vines again to pick any grapes [that were (left/not picked)].”
Thus he says Yahweh of hosts thoroughly people will glean like vine [the] remnant of Israel return hand your like a grape gatherer over branches.
10 [Then I said, “If I speak to the Israeli people] to warn them, (who will listen to me?/No one will listen to me.) [RHQ] [It is as though] their ears are closed, [and as a result] they cannot hear [what I say]. They scorn Yahweh’s messages; they do not want to listen to them at all.
To whom? will I speak and will I warn? and they may listen there! [is] uncircumcised ear their and not they are able to pay attention there! [the] word of Yahweh it has become for them a reproach not they delight in it.
11 So [now] I am extremely angry, like Yahweh is angry, and I cannot restrain it any longer.” [So] Yahweh said [to me], “Tell everyone that you are very angry with them. Tell the children in the streets and the young men who gather together. Tell the men and their wives; tell the very old people [DOU], also.
And [the] rage of Yahweh - I am full I am weary to hold [it] in pour [it] out on child[ren] in the street and on [the] gathering of young men alike for also a husband with a wife they will be caught [the] old with [the] full of days.
12 [Tell the men that] I will give their houses to [their enemies], and I will give their property/fields and their wives to them, also, when I punish [IDM] the people who live in this land.
And they will be turned over houses their to others fields and wives alike for I will stretch out hand my on [the] inhabitants of the land [the] utterance of Yahweh.
13 Everyone is trying to get money by tricking others, from the most [important people] to the least [important people]; even the prophets and the priests are trying to deceive [people to get money].
That from little their and unto great their all of it [is] gaining unjust gain and from prophet and unto priest all of him [is] doing falsehood.
14 [They act as though the sins of my people are like] [MET] small wounds that they do not need to put bandages on. They continually [greet people by] saying ‘I hope things are going well with you,’ when things are not going well.
And they have healed [the] fracture of people my on a trifling [thing] saying peace - peace and there not [is] peace.
15 They should be [RHQ] ashamed about the disgusting things that they do, but they are not ashamed at all. They do not [even] know how to (blush/show on their faces that they are ashamed). So, they also will be among those who will be killed. They will be destroyed when I punish them.”
Are they ashamed? that an abomination they have done neither at all not they are ashamed nor to exhibit shame not they know therefore they will fall among [those who] fall at [the] time [when] I have visited them they will stumble he says Yahweh.
16 This is [also] what Yahweh said [to the Israeli people]: “Stand at the crossroads and look [at the people who pass by]. Ask them what was the good behavior [that their ancestors had] long ago. [And when they tell you], behave that way. If you do that, you will find rest for your souls.” But you replied, ‘We do not want to do that!’
Thus he says Yahweh stand at [the] roads and look and ask - of paths of ancient time where? this [is] [the] way of the good and walk in it and find rest for self your and they said not we will walk.
17 I sent [my prophets who were like] [MET] watchmen. They said, ‘Listen carefully when we blow the trumpets [to warn you that your enemies are approaching],’ but you said, ‘[No], we do not want to listen.’
And I raised up over you watchmen pay attention to [the] sound of a trumpet and they said not we will pay attention.
18 Therefore, you people in the other nations, listen to this: Pay attention to what is going to happen to the [Israeli people].
Therefore listen O nations and know O congregation [that] which [is] in them.
19 Listen, all of you! I am going to cause the [Israeli] people to experience disasters. That is what will happen to them because they have refused to listen to what I told them. They have refused to obey my laws.
Hear O earth here! I [am] about to bring calamity to the people this [the] fruit of own schemes their for on words my not they have paid attention and law my and they have rejected it.
20 [You Israeli people], when you burn frankincense that came from [far away in] Sheba, and [when you offer to me] sweet-smelling anointing oil that came from far away, I will not [RHQ] be pleased with your sacrifices. I will not accept the sacrifices that are completely burned on the altar; I am not pleased with [any of] your sacrifices.
Why? this to me frankincense [which] from Sheba it comes and [the] cane good from a land of distance burnt offerings your not [are] for acceptance and sacrifices your not they are pleasing to me.
21 Therefore, I will put obstacles on the roads on which my people will travel. Men and their sons and people’s neighbors and friends will stumble over those obstacles and fall down; everyone will die.”
Therefore thus he says Yahweh here I [am] about to give to the people this stumbling blocks and they will stumble over them fathers and sons alike a neighbor and friend his (and they will perish. *Q(K)*)
22 Yahweh [also] says this: “You will see a [huge] army marching [towards you] from the north. [An army of] a great nation very far away is preparing [to attack you].
Thus he says Yahweh there! a people [is] about to come from a land of [the] north and a nation great it will be roused from [the] remotest parts of [the] earth.
23 They have bows [and arrows] and spears; they are [very] cruel, and do not act mercifully [to anyone]. As they ride along on their horses, the horses’ feet sound like the roaring of the ocean [waves]; they are riding in battle formation to attack you people of Jerusalem.”
Bow and javelin they take hold of [is] cruel it and not they have mercy sound their [is] like the sea [which] it roars and on horses they ride arranged like a man for battle on you O daughter of Zion.
24 [The people of Jerusalem say], “We have heard reports about the enemy; [so] we are very frightened, with the result that we feel weak. We are very afraid, and worried, like [SIM] women who are about to give birth to babies.
We heard [the] report of it they hung limp hands our distress it took hold of us anguish like [woman] giving birth.
25 [So one person says to another], ‘Do not go out into the fields! Do not go on the roads, because the enemy [soldiers] have swords [and they are everywhere]; they are coming from all directions, and we are extremely afraid.’”
May not (you go out *Q(K)*) the field and on the road mau not (you walk *Q(K)*) for a sword [belongs] to [the] enemy terror [is] from round about.
26 [So I say], “My dear people, put on (sackcloth/rough clothes) and sit in ashes [to show that you are sorry for your sins]. Mourn and cry very much, like [SIM] [a woman would cry] if her only son had died, because your enemies are very near, and they are going to destroy [everything].”
O daughter of people my gird yourself sackcloth and roll in ash[es] [the] mourning of an only [child] observe for yourself wailing of bitterness for suddenly it will come the destroyer on us.
27 [Then Yahweh said to me], “[Jeremiah], I have caused you to become [like] [MET] someone who heats metal very hot [to completely burn the impurities]. You will examine my people’s behavior.
An assayer I have made you among people my fortification so you may observe and you will test conduct their.
28 You will find out that they are very stubborn rebels, they are always slandering others. [Their inner beings] are as hard as bronze or iron; they all [continually] deceive others.
All of them [are those who] turn aside of rebels [those who] go about of slander bronze and iron all of them [are] destroyers they.
29 [A metalworker causes] the bellows to blow very hard to [make the fire very hot to] completely burn up the impurities [MET]. [But just as] a fire does not cause all the waste material to run off, it is impossible to separate [the righteous people from the wicked people, and punish only] the wicked people.
It puffs [the] bellow[s] (from a fire it is complete *Q(K)*) lead for vanity someone has refined steadfastly and evil [people] not they have been separated.
30 [I], Yahweh, have rejected them; I say that they are [like] [MET] worthless silver.”
Silver rejected people called them for he has rejected Yahweh them.
