Jeremiah 10

1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh to you, O house of Israel:

Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, house of Israel!

2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

The LORD says, “Don’t learn the way of the nations, and don’t be dismayed at the signs of the sky; for the nations are dismayed at them.

3 For the customs of the people [are] vain: for [one] cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax.

For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.

4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it may not move.

They deck it with silver and with gold. They fasten it with nails and with hammers, so that it can’t move.

5 They [are] upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also [is it] in them to do good.

They are like a palm tree, of turned work, and don’t speak. They must be carried, because they can’t move. Don’t be afraid of them; for they can’t do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”

6 Forasmuch as [there is] none like to thee, O LORD; thou [art] great, and thy name [is] great in might.

There is no one like you, LORD. You are great, and your name is great in might.

7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise [men] of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, [there is] none like to thee.

Who shouldn’t fear you, King of the nations? For it belongs to you. Because amongst all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is no one like you.

8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock [is] a doctrine of vanities.

But they are together brutish and foolish, instructed by idols! It is just wood.

9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple [is] their clothing: they [are] all the work of skillful [men].

There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the engraver and of the hands of the goldsmith. Their clothing is blue and purple. They are all the work of skilful men.

10 But the LORD [is] the true God, he [is] the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

But the LORD is the true God. He is the living God, and an everlasting King. At his wrath, the earth trembles. The nations aren’t able to withstand his indignation.

11 Thus shall ye say to them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, [even] they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

“You shall say this to them: ‘The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.’”

12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

God has made the earth by his power. He has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens.

13 When he uttereth his voice, [there is] a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

When he utters his voice, the waters in the heavens roar, and he causes the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain, and brings the wind out of his treasuries.

14 Every man is brutish in [his] knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image [is] falsehood, and [there is] no breath in them.

Every man has become brutish and without knowledge. Every goldsmith is disappointed by his engraved image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

15 They [are] vanity, [and] the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

They are vanity, a work of delusion. In the time of their visitation they will perish.

16 The portion of Jacob [is] not like them: for he [is] the former of all [things]; and Israel [is] the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts [is] his name.

The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the maker of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance. The LORD of Hosts is his name.

17 Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.

Gather up your wares out of the land, you who live under siege.

18 For thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them that they may find [it so].

For the LORD says, “Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.”

19 Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this [is] a grief, and I must bear it.

Woe is me because of my injury! My wound is serious; but I said, “Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.”

20 My tabernacle is laid waste, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone from me, and they [are] not: [there is] none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

My tent has been destroyed, and all my cords are broken. My children have gone away from me, and they are no more. There is no one to spread my tent any more, to set up my curtains.

21 For the pastors have become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

For the shepherds have become brutish, and have not enquired of the LORD. Therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks have scattered.

22 Behold, the sound of the noise is come, and a great commotion from the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, [and] a den of dragons.

The voice of news, behold, it comes, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling place of jackals.

23 O LORD, I know that the way of man [is] not in himself: [it is] not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself. It is not in man who walks to direct his steps.

24 O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thy anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

LORD, correct me, but gently; not in your anger, lest you reduce me to nothing.

25 Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.

Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you, and on the families that don’t call on your name; for they have devoured Jacob. Yes, they have devoured him, consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.