Jeremiah 10
1 “Hear the word that Yahweh is announcing to you, house of Israel.
Hear the word that Jehovah speaketh unto you, house of Israel.
2 Yahweh says this, 'Do not learn the ways of the nations, and do not be dismayed by the signs in the heavens, for the nations are dismayed by these.
Thus saith Jehovah: Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of the heavens; for the nations are dismayed at them.
3 For the religious customs of these people are worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and the craftsman carves the wood.
For the statutes of the peoples are vanity; for [it is] a tree cut out of the forest, worked with a chisel by the hands of the artizan;
4 Then they decorate it with silver and gold. They strengthen it with hammer and nails so it will not fall over.
they deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 What they make with their hands is like scarecrows in a cucumber field, because they, too, can say nothing, and they have to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they cannot bring about evil, nor are they able to do anything good.'”
They are as a palm-column of turned work, and they speak not; they are carried, for they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
6 There is no one like you, Yahweh. You are great, and your name is great in power.
There is none like unto thee, Jehovah; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
7 Who does not fear you, king of the nations? For this is what you deserve, for there is no one like you among all the wise men of the nations or all their royal kingdoms.
Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? For to thee doth it appertain; for among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
8 They are all the same, they are brutish and stupid, disciples of idols that are nothing but wood.
But they are one and all senseless and foolish; the teaching of vanities is a stock.
9 They bring hammered silver from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz made by artificers, the hands of refiners. Their clothes are blue and purple cloth. Their skillful men made all of these things.
Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artizan and of the hands of the founder; blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of skilful [men].
10 But Yahweh is the true God. He is the living God and eternal king. The earth quakes at his anger, and the nations cannot endure his anger.
But Jehovah Elohim is truth; he is the living God, and the King of eternity. At his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations cannot abide his indignation.
11 You will speak to them like this, “The gods that did not make the heavens and earth will perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”
Thus shall ye say unto them: The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.
12 But it was he who made the earth by his power, and he established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he stretched out the heavens.
He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his understanding.
13 His voice makes the roar of waters in the heavens, and he brings up the mists from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and sends out wind from his storehouse.
When he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the end of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries.
14 Every man has become ignorant, without knowledge. Every metalworker is put to shame by his idols. For his cast images are frauds; there is no life in them.
Every man is become brutish, bereft of knowledge; every founder is put to shame by the graven image, for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
15 They are useless, the work of mockers; they will perish at the time of their punishment.
They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
16 But God, the portion of Jacob, is not like these, for he is the molder of all things. Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; Yahweh of hosts is his name.
The portion of Jacob is not like them; for it is he that hath formed all [things], and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.
17 Gather your bundle and leave the land, you people who have been living under the siege.
Gather up thy baggage out of the land, O inhabitress of the fortress.
18 For Yahweh says this, “See, I am about to throw the inhabitants of the land out this time. I will cause them distress, and they will find it to be so.”
For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will this time sling out the inhabitants of the land, and will distress them, that they may be found.
19 Woe to me! Because of my broken bones, my wound is infected. So I said, “Surely this is agony, but I must bear it.”
Woe is me, for my wound! My stroke is hard to heal, and I had said, Yea, this is [my] grief, and I will bear it.
20 My tent is devastated, and all of my tent cords are cut in two. They have taken my children away from me, so they no longer exist. There is no longer anyone to spread out my tent or to raise up my tent curtains.
My tent is despoiled, and all my cords are broken; my children are gone forth from me, and they are not; there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds are stupid and they do not seek Yahweh; so they have not prospered, and all their flock has been scattered.
For the shepherds are become brutish, and have not sought Jehovah; therefore have they not acted wisely, and all their flock is scattered.
22 The report of news has arrived, “See! It is coming, a great earthquake is coming from the land of the north To make the cities of Judah into ruins, hideouts for jackals.”
The voice of a rumour! Behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling-place of jackals.
23 I know, Yahweh, that the way of a man does not come from himself. No person walking directs his own steps.
I know, Jehovah, that the way of man is not his own; it is not in a man that walketh to direct his steps.
24 Discipline me, Yahweh, with justice, not in your anger or you would destroy me.
Jehovah, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
25 Pour your fury on the nations that do not know you and on the families that do not call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob and consumed him so as to completely destroy him and demolish his habitation.
Pour out thy fury upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name; for they have eaten up Jacob, yea, they have eaten him up and consumed him, and have laid waste his dwelling-place.
