Jeremiah 18

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

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

2 “Arise and go out to the potter's house, for I will have you hear my word there.”

'Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear My words.'

3 So I went out to the potter's house, and behold! The potter was working on the potter's wheel.

Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was at his work on the wheels.

4 But the object of clay that he was molding was ruined in his hand, so he changed his mind and made another object that seemed good in his eyes to do.

And whensoever 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.

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

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

6 “Should I not be able to act like this potter with you, house of Israel?—this is Yahweh's declaration. Behold! Like clay in a potter's hand—that is how you are in my hand, house of Israel.

'O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in My hand, O house of Israel.

7 At one moment, I may proclaim something about a nation or a kingdom, that I will drive it out, tear it down, or destroy it.

At one instant I may speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;

8 But if the nation about which I have made that proclamation turns from its evil, then I will relent from the disaster that I was planning to bring upon it.

but if that nation turn from their evil, because of which I have spoken against it, I repent of the evil that I thought to do unto it.

9 At another moment, I may proclaim something about a nation or a kingdom, that I will build it up or plant it.

And at one instant I may speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

10 But if it does evil in my eyes by not listening to my voice, then I will stop the good that I had said I would do for them.

but if it do evil in My sight, that it hearken not to My voice, then I repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit it.

11 So now, speak to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and say, 'Yahweh says this: See, I am about to form disaster against you. I am about to devise a plan against you. Repent, each person from his wicked way, so your ways and your practices will bring good to you.'

Now therefore do thou speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you; return ye now every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

12 But they will say, 'This is no use. We will act according to our own plans. Each one of us will do what his evil, stubborn heart desires.'

But they say: There is no hope; but we will walk after our own devices, and we will do every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart.'

13 Therefore Yahweh says this, 'Ask the nations, who has ever heard of such a thing as this? The virgin Israel has committed a horrible act.

Therefore thus saith the LORD: Ask ye now among the nations, who hath heard such things; the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.

14 Does the snow in Lebanon ever leave the rocky hills on its sides? Are the mountain streams coming from far away ever destroyed, those cold streams?

Doth the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? or are the strange cold flowing waters plucked up?

15 Yet my people have forgotten me. They have made offerings to useless idols and been made to stumble in their paths; they have left the ancient paths to walk lesser paths.

For My people hath forgotten Me, they offer unto vanity; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, in a way not cast up;

16 Their land will become a horror, an object of everlasting hissing. Everyone who passes by her will shudder and shake his head.

To make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

17 I will scatter them before their enemies like an eastern wind. I will show them my back, and not my face, on the day of their disaster.'”

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

18 So the people said, “Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, since the law will never perish from the priests, or advice from the wise men, or words from the prophets. Come, let us attack him with our words and no longer pay attention to anything he proclaims.”

Then said they: 'Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for instruction shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.'

19 Pay attention to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of my enemies.

Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

20 Will disaster from them really be my reward for being good to them? For they have dug a pit for me. Remember how I stood before you to speak for their welfare, to cause your fury to turn away from them.

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

21 Therefore give their children over to famine, and give them to the hands of those who use the sword. So let their women become bereaved and widows, and their men be killed, and their young men killed by the sword in battle.

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and hurl them to the power of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men smitten of the sword in battle.

22 Let a distressed shout be heard from their houses, as you suddenly bring raiders against them. For they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden traps for my feet.

Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them; for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

23 But you, Yahweh, you know all of their plans against me to kill me. Do not forgive their iniquities and sins. Do not wipe their sins away from you. Instead, let them be overthrown before you. Act against them in the time of your wrath.

Yet, LORD, Thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me; forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from Thy sight; but let them be made to stumble before Thee; Deal Thou with them in the time of Thine anger.