Jérémie 6
1 Fortifiez-vous, fils de Benjamin, au milieu de Jérusalem, et dans Thécua sonnez de la trompette, et sur Bethacarem levez l’étendard; parce qu’un mal a été vu du côté de l’aquilon, ainsi qu’une grande destruction.
“You people in Jerusalem who are from [the tribe of] Benjamin, flee from this city! Blow the trumpets in Tekoa [city south of Jerusalem]! Send up a [smoke] signal in Beth-Haccherem [town] [to warn the people of the coming danger]! A powerful [army] will come from the north, and they will cause great destruction.
2 À une femme belle et délicate j’ai comparé la fille de Sion.
Jerusalem is [like] a beautiful pasture [full of sheep], but it will soon be destroyed.
3 Vers elle viendront les pasteurs et leurs troupeaux; ils ont dressé leurs tentes à l’entour; chacun d’eux fera paître ceux qui sont sous sa main.
[Enemy kings, not] shepherds [MET], will come [with their armies] and set up their tents around the city, and each [king will choose a part of the city for his soldiers to destroy like] [MET] shepherds divide their pastures for their flocks of sheep.
4 Consacrez contre elle une guerre; levez-vous, et montons au milieu du jour; malheur à nous, parce que le jour décline, parce que les ombres du soir sont allongées.
[The kings will tell their troops], “Get ready for the battle. We should attack them before noontime. But [if we arrive there late in the afternoon] when the shadows are becoming long,
5 Levez-vous et montons pendant la nuit, et renversons ses maisons.
we will attack them at night and tear down their fortresses.”
6 Parce que voici ce que dit le Seigneur des armées: Coupez ses arbres, et faites autour de Jérusalem un rempart; c’est la cité de la Visitation; toute sorte de violence est au milieu d’elle.
Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, says this: “[I will command those soldiers to] cut down the trees [outside Jerusalem] and to build dirt ramps up to the top of the city walls [in order that they can enter the city]. This city must be punished because everyone there continually oppresses others.
7 Comme la citerne rend froide son eau, ainsi cette cité a commis froidement ses méchancetés; iniquité et ravage, c’est ce qui sera ouï en elle; devant moi elle est toujours infirmité et plaie.
[It is as though] the wicked things that the people do pour out of the city like [SIM] water flows out of a spring. [The noise from people doing] violent and destructive actions is heard everywhere. I continually see [people who are] suffering and wounded.
8 Instruis-toi, Jérusalem, de peur que mon âme ne se retire de toi, et que je ne fasse de toi un désert, une terre inhabitable.
Listen to what I am warning you, [you people of] [APO] Jerusalem, because if you do not listen, I will reject you and cause your land to become desolate, a land where no one lives.”
9 Voici ce que dit le Seigneur des armées: On rassemblera les restes d’Israël comme dans une vigne jusqu’à la dernière grappe; reporte ta main comme le vendangeur dans la corbeille.
Yahweh, the Commander of the armies of angels in heaven, also says this: “[I will tell your enemies] to cause your country to become as desolate [SIM] as a vineyard from which all the grapes have been completely stripped from the vines. [Their soldiers will seize the possessions of] those who remain in Israel [after the others have been exiled] like [SIM] farmers go to the vines again to pick any grapes [that were (left/not picked)].”
10 À qui parlerai-je? et qui prendrai-je à témoin pour qu’il entende? voici que leurs oreilles sont incirconcises, et qu’ils ne peuvent entendre. Voici que la parole du Seigneur leur est devenue un opprobre; et ils ne la recevront pas.
[Then I said, “If I speak to the Israeli people] to warn them, (who will listen to me?/No one will listen to me.) [RHQ] [It is as though] their ears are closed, [and as a result] they cannot hear [what I say]. They scorn Yahweh’s messages; they do not want to listen to them at all.
11 C’est pour cela que je suis plein de la fureur du Seigneur et que j’ai peine à la supporter; répandez-la sur le petit enfant au dehors, et sur le conseil des jeunes gens assemblés; car l’homme sera pris avec la femme, le vieillard avec celui qui est plein de jours.
So [now] I am extremely angry, like Yahweh is angry, and I cannot restrain it any longer.” [So] Yahweh said [to me], “Tell everyone that you are very angry with them. Tell the children in the streets and the young men who gather together. Tell the men and their wives; tell the very old people [DOU], also.
12 Et leurs maisons passeront à des étrangers, leurs champs, et leurs femmes également, parce que j’étendrai ma main sur ceux qui habitent la terre, dit le Seigneur.
[Tell the men that] I will give their houses to [their enemies], and I will give their property/fields and their wives to them, also, when I punish [IDM] the people who live in this land.
13 Depuis le plus petit jusqu’au plus grand, tous se livrent à l’avarice; et depuis le prophète jusqu’au prêtre, tous agissent avec tromperie.
Everyone is trying to get money by tricking others, from the most [important people] to the least [important people]; even the prophets and the priests are trying to deceive [people to get money].
14 Et ils guérissaient la plaie de la fille de mon peuple avec ignominie, disant: Paix, paix; et il n’y avait point de paix.
[They act as though the sins of my people are like] [MET] small wounds that they do not need to put bandages on. They continually [greet people by] saying ‘I hope things are going well with you,’ when things are not going well.
15 Ils ont été confus, parce qu’ils ont fait des abominations; et encore ne l’ont-ils pas été entièrement, et n’ont-ils pas su rougir; à cause de cela ils tomberont parmi ceux qui sont renversés; au temps de leur Visitation, ils seront renversés tous ensemble, dit le Seigneur.
They should be [RHQ] ashamed about the disgusting things that they do, but they are not ashamed at all. They do not [even] know how to (blush/show on their faces that they are ashamed). So, they also will be among those who will be killed. They will be destroyed when I punish them.”
16 Voici ce que dit le Seigneur: Tenez-vous sur les voies et voyez; demandez, touchant les sentiers anciens, quelle est la bonne voie, et marchez-y; et vous trouverez un rafraîchissement pour vos âmes. Et ils ont dit: Nous n’y marcherons pas.
This is [also] what Yahweh said [to the Israeli people]: “Stand at the crossroads and look [at the people who pass by]. Ask them what was the good behavior [that their ancestors had] long ago. [And when they tell you], behave that way. If you do that, you will find rest for your souls.” But you replied, ‘We do not want to do that!’
17 Et j’ai établi sur vous des sentinelles. Ecoutez la voix de la trompette. Et ils ont dit: Nous ne l’écouterons pas.
I sent [my prophets who were like] [MET] watchmen. They said, ‘Listen carefully when we blow the trumpets [to warn you that your enemies are approaching],’ but you said, ‘[No], we do not want to listen.’
18 C’est pourquoi, écoutez, nations, et apprenez, assemblée des peuples, les grandes choses que je ferai contre eux.
Therefore, you people in the other nations, listen to this: Pay attention to what is going to happen to the [Israeli people].
19 Ecoute, terre: Voilà que moi j’amènerai sur ce peuple des maux, fruit de ses pensées, parce qu’ils n’ont point écouté mes paroles et qu’ils ont rejeté ma loi.
Listen, all of you! I am going to cause the [Israeli] people to experience disasters. That is what will happen to them because they have refused to listen to what I told them. They have refused to obey my laws.
20 Pourquoi m’apportez-vous de l’encens de Saba, et la canne à l’odeur suave d’une terre éloignée? Vos holocaustes ne me sont pas agréables, et vos victimes ne m’ont pas plu.
[You Israeli people], when you burn frankincense that came from [far away in] Sheba, and [when you offer to me] sweet-smelling anointing oil that came from far away, I will not [RHQ] be pleased with your sacrifices. I will not accept the sacrifices that are completely burned on the altar; I am not pleased with [any of] your sacrifices.
21 À cause de cela, voici ce que dit le Seigneur: Voilà que je ferai fondre sur ce peuple des ruines; les pères y tomberont et les fils en même temps; les voisins et les proches y périront.
Therefore, I will put obstacles on the roads on which my people will travel. Men and their sons and people’s neighbors and friends will stumble over those obstacles and fall down; everyone will die.”
22 Voici ce que dit le Seigneur: Voilà qu’un peuple vient de la terre de l’aquilon, et une grande nation s’élèvera des confins de la terre.
Yahweh [also] says this: “You will see a [huge] army marching [towards you] from the north. [An army of] a great nation very far away is preparing [to attack you].
23 Elle saisira la flèche et le bouclier; elle est cruelle et elle n’aura pas de pitié; sa voix comme la mer retentira; et ils monteront sur leurs chevaux, et préparés comme un homme qui va au combat, ils marcheront contre toi, fille de Sion.
They have bows [and arrows] and spears; they are [very] cruel, and do not act mercifully [to anyone]. As they ride along on their horses, the horses’ feet sound like the roaring of the ocean [waves]; they are riding in battle formation to attack you people of Jerusalem.”
24 Nous avons ouï la nouvelle de son dessein, nos mains ont défailli; la tribulation nous a saisis, et les douleurs comme la femme en travail.
[The people of Jerusalem say], “We have heard reports about the enemy; [so] we are very frightened, with the result that we feel weak. We are very afraid, and worried, like [SIM] women who are about to give birth to babies.
25 Ne sortez point dans les champs, et dans la voie ne marchez point, parce que le glaive de l’ennemi et l’épouvante sont à l’entour.
[So one person says to another], ‘Do not go out into the fields! Do not go on the roads, because the enemy [soldiers] have swords [and they are everywhere]; they are coming from all directions, and we are extremely afraid.’”
26 Fille de mon peuple, ceins-toi d’un cilice, couvre-toi de cendre; sois en deuil comme d’un fils unique, pousse des plaintes amères, parce que tout d’un coup viendra le dévastateur sur nous.
[So I say], “My dear people, put on (sackcloth/rough clothes) and sit in ashes [to show that you are sorry for your sins]. Mourn and cry very much, like [SIM] [a woman would cry] if her only son had died, because your enemies are very near, and they are going to destroy [everything].”
27 Je t’ai établi au milieu de mon peuple comme un fondeur robuste; tu sauras, et tu éprouveras leur voie.
[Then Yahweh said to me], “[Jeremiah], I have caused you to become [like] [MET] someone who heats metal very hot [to completely burn the impurities]. You will examine my people’s behavior.
28 Tous ses princes ont dévié, marchant frauduleusement; c’est de l’airain et du fer; tous se sont corrompus.
You will find out that they are very stubborn rebels, they are always slandering others. [Their inner beings] are as hard as bronze or iron; they all [continually] deceive others.
29 Le soufflet a manqué, dans le feu s’est consumé le plomb; en vain le fondeur les a mis dans le fourneau; car leurs méchancetés n’ont pas été consumées.
[A metalworker causes] the bellows to blow very hard to [make the fire very hot to] completely burn up the impurities [MET]. [But just as] a fire does not cause all the waste material to run off, it is impossible to separate [the righteous people from the wicked people, and punish only] the wicked people.
30 Appelez-les un argent réprouvé, parce que le Seigneur les a rejetés.
[I], Yahweh, have rejected them; I say that they are [like] [MET] worthless silver.”
