Jeremiah 18

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

The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

“Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear my words.”

3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was making something on the wheels.

4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make it.

When 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 the LORD came to me, saying,

Then Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

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

“House of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter?” says Yahweh. “Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;

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

8 If that nation, against which I have pronounced, shall turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.

if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.

9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

At the instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,

10 If it shall do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them.

if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would benefit them.

11 Now therefore come, 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 plot against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.

“Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Yahweh says: “Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a plan against you. Everyone return from his evil way now, and amend your ways and your doings.”’

12 And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

But they say, ‘It is in vain; for we will walk after our own plans, and we will each follow the stubbornness of his evil heart.’”

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

Therefore Yahweh says: “Ask now among the nations, ‘Who has heard such things?’ The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

14 Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?

Will the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Will the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?

15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

For my people have forgotten me. They have burned incense to false gods. They have been made to stumble in their ways in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up,

16 To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shake his head.

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and shake his head.

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

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

18 Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law 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.

Then they said, “Come! Let’s devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law won’t perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let’s strike him with the tongue, and let’s not give heed to any of his words.”

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

Give heed to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me.

20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.

Should evil be recompensed for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.

21 Therefore deliver their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless and widows. Let their men be killed and their young men struck by the sword in battle.

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

Let a cry be heard from their houses when you bring a troop suddenly on them; for they have dug a pit to take me and hidden snares for my feet.

23 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 overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thy anger.

Yet, Yahweh, you know all their counsel against me to kill me. Don’t forgive their iniquity. Don’t blot out their sin from your sight, Let them be overthrown before you. Deal with them in the time of your anger.