Jeremiah 18

1 The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,

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

2 Rise, and thou hast gone down [to] the potter's house, and there I 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 and I go down [to] the potter's house, and lo, he is doing a work on the stones,

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

4 and marred is the vessel that he is making, as clay in the hand of the potter, and he hath turned and he maketh it another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make.

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 And there is a word of Jehovah to me, saying:

Then the LORD’s word came to me, saying,

6 As this potter am I not able to do to you? O house of Israel, an affirmation of Jehovah. Lo, as clay in the hand of the potter, So [are] ye in My hand, O house of Israel.

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

7 The moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, To pluck up and to break down, and to destroy,

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

8 And that nation hath turned from its evil, Because I have spoken against it, Then I have repented of the evil that I thought to do to it.

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 the moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant,

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

10 And it hath done the evil thing in Mine eyes, So as not to hearken to My voice, Then I have repented of the good That I have spoken of doing to it.

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 And now, speak, I pray thee, unto men of Judah, And against inhabitants of Jerusalem, Saying: Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am framing against you evil, And devising against you a device, Turn back, I pray you, each from his evil way And amen your ways and your doings.

“Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘The LORD 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 have said, It is incurable, For after our own devices we do go, And each the stubbornness of his evil heart we do.

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 said Jehovah: Ask, I pray you, among the nations, Who hath heard like these? A very horrible thing hath the virgin of Israel done.

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

14 Doth snow of Lebanon Cease from the rock of the field? Failed are the cold strange waters that flow?

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 But My people have forgotten Me, to a vain thing they make perfume, And they cause them to stumble in their ways — paths of old, To walk in paths — a way not raised 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 become a desolation, A hissing age-during, Every passer by it is astonished, And bemoaneth with 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 As an east wind I scatter them before an enemy, The neck, and not the face, I shew them, 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 And they say, Come, And we devise against Jeremiah devices, For law doth not perish from the priest, Nor counsel from the wise, Nor the word from the prophet, Come, and we smite him with the tongue, And we do not attend to any of his words.

Then they said, “Come! Let’s devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law will not 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 attention, O Jehovah, unto me, And hearken to the voice of those contending with me.

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

20 Is evil recompensed instead of good, That they have dug a pit for my soul? Remember my standing before Thee to speak good of them, To turn back 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, give up their sons to famine, And cause them to run on the sides of the sword, And their wives are bereaved and widows, And their men are slain by death, Their young men smitten by 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 A cry is heard from their houses, For Thou bringest against them suddenly a troop, For they dug a pit to capture me, And snares they have hidden 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 And Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known, All their counsel against me [is] for death, Thou dost not cover over their iniquity, Nor their sin from before Thee blottest out, And they are made to stumble before Thee, In the time of Thine anger work against them!

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