ירמיה 23

1 הוֹי רֹעִים מְאַבְּדִים וּמְפִצִים אֶת־צֹאן מַרְעִיתִי נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

Woe to the shepherds that destroy and scatter the sheep of their pasture!

2 לָכֵן כֹּֽה־אָמַר יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַֽל־הָרֹעִים הָרֹעִים אֶת־עַמִּי אַתֶּם הֲפִצֹתֶם אֶת־צֹאנִי וַתַּדִּחוּם וְלֹא פְקַדְתֶּם אֹתָם הִנְנִי פֹקֵד עֲלֵיכֶם אֶת־רֹעַ מַעַלְלֵיכֶם נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

Therefore thus says the Lord against them that tend my people; You have scattered my sheep, and driven them out, and you have not visited them: behold, I [will] take vengeance upon you according to your evil practices.

3 וַאֲנִי אֲקַבֵּץ אֶת־שְׁאֵרִית צֹאנִי מִכֹּל הָאֲרָצוֹת אֲשֶׁר־הִדַּחְתִּי אֹתָם שָׁם וַהֲשִׁבֹתִי אֶתְהֶן עַל־נְוֵהֶן וּפָרוּ וְרָבֽוּ׃

And I will gather in the remnant of my people in every land, whither I have driven them out, and will set them in their pasture; and they shall increase and be multiplied.

4 וַהֲקִמֹתִי עֲלֵיהֶם רֹעִים וְרָעוּם וְלֹא־יִֽירְאוּ עוֹד וְלֹא־יֵחַתּוּ וְלֹא יִפָּקֵדוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

And I will raise up shepherds to them, who shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be alarmed, says the Lord.

5 הִנֵּה יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם־יְהוָה וַהֲקִמֹתִי לְדָוִד צֶמַח צַדִּיק וּמָלַךְ מֶלֶךְ וְהִשְׂכִּיל וְעָשָׂה מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה בָּאָֽרֶץ׃

Behold, the days come, says the Lord, when I will raise up to David a righteous branch, and a king shall reign and understand, and shall execute judgment and righteousness on the earth.

6 בְּיָמָיו תִּוָּשַׁע יְהוּדָה וְיִשְׂרָאֵל יִשְׁכֹּן לָבֶטַח וְזֶה־שְּׁמוֹ אֲ‍ֽשֶׁר־יִקְרְאוֹ יְהוָה ׀ צִדְקֵֽנוּ׃

In his days both Juda shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell securely: and this is his name, which the Lord shall call him, Josedec among the prophets.

7 לָכֵן הִנֵּֽה־יָמִים בָּאִים נְאֻם־יְהוָה וְלֹא־יֹאמְרוּ עוֹד חַי־יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה אֶת־בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

Therefore, behold, the days come, says the Lord, when they shall no more say, The Lord lives, who brought up the house of Israel out of the land of Egypt;

8 כִּי אִם־חַי־יְהוָה אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלָה וַאֲשֶׁר הֵבִיא אֶת־זֶרַע בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאֶרֶץ צָפוֹנָה וּמִכֹּל הָֽאֲרָצוֹת אֲשֶׁר הִדַּחְתִּים שָׁם וְיָשְׁבוּ עַל־אַדְמָתָֽם׃

but The Lord lives, who has gathered the whole seed of Israel from the north land, and from all the countries whither he [had] driven them out, and has restored them into their own land.

9 לַנְּבִאִים נִשְׁבַּר לִבִּי בְקִרְבִּי רָֽחֲפוּ כָּל־עַצְמוֹתַי הָיִיתִי כְּאִישׁ שִׁכּוֹר וּכְגֶבֶר עֲבָרוֹ יָיִן מִפְּנֵי יְהוָה וּמִפְּנֵי דִּבְרֵי קָדְשֽׁוֹ׃

My heart is broken within me; all my bones are shaken: I am become as a broken-down man, and as a man overcome with wine, because of the Lord, and because of the excellence of his glory.

10 כִּי מְנָֽאֲפִים מָלְאָה הָאָרֶץ כִּֽי־מִפְּנֵי אָלָה אָבְלָה הָאָרֶץ יָבְשׁוּ נְאוֹת מִדְבָּר וַתְּהִי מְרֽוּצָתָם רָעָה וּגְבוּרָתָם לֹא־כֵֽן׃

For because of these things the land mourns; the pastures of the wilderness are dried up; and their course is become evil, and so [also] their strength.

11 כִּֽי־גַם־נָבִיא גַם־כֹּהֵן חָנֵפוּ גַּם־בְּבֵיתִי מָצָאתִי רָעָתָם נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

For priest and prophet are defiled; and I have seen their iniquities in my house.

12 לָכֵן יִֽהְיֶה דַרְכָּם לָהֶם כַּחֲלַקְלַקּוֹת בָּֽאֲפֵלָה יִדַּחוּ וְנָפְלוּ בָהּ כִּֽי־אָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם רָעָה שְׁנַת פְּקֻדָּתָם נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

Therefore let their way be to them slippery and dark: and they shall be tripped up and fall in it: for I will bring evils upon them, in the year of their visitation.

13 וּבִנְבִיאֵי שֹׁמְרוֹן רָאִיתִי תִפְלָה הִנַּבְּאוּ בַבַּעַל וַיַּתְעוּ אֶת־עַמִּי אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

And in the prophets of Samaria I have seen lawless deeds; they prophesied by Baal, and led my people Israel astray.

14 וּבִנְבִאֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם רָאִיתִי שַׁעֲרוּרָה נָאוֹף וְהָלֹךְ בַּשֶּׁקֶר וְחִזְּקוּ יְדֵי מְרֵעִים לְבִלְתִּי־שָׁבוּ אִישׁ מֵרָֽעָתוֹ הָֽיוּ־לִי כֻלָּם כִּסְדֹם וְיֹשְׁבֶיהָ כַּעֲמֹרָֽה׃

Also in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen horrible things: as they committed adultery, and walked in lies, and strengthened the hands of many, that they should not return each from his evil way: they are all become to me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrha.

15 לָכֵן כֹּֽה־אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת עַל־הַנְּבִאִים הִנְנִי מַאֲכִיל אוֹתָם לַֽעֲנָה וְהִשְׁקִתִים מֵי־רֹאשׁ כִּי מֵאֵת נְבִיאֵי יְרוּשָׁלִַם יָצְאָה חֲנֻפָּה לְכָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

Therefore thus says the Lord; Behold, I will feed them with pain, and give them bitter water to drink: for from the prophets of Jerusalem has defilement gone forth [into] all the land.

16 כֹּֽה־אָמַר יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אַֽל־תִּשְׁמְעוּ עַל־דִּבְרֵי הַנְּבִאִים הַנִּבְּאִים לָכֶם מַהְבִּלִים הֵמָּה אֶתְכֶם חֲזוֹן לִבָּם יְדַבֵּרוּ לֹא מִפִּי יְהוָֽה׃

Thus says the Lord Almighty, Listen not to the words of the prophets: for they frame a vain vision for themselves; they speak from their own heart, and not from the mouth of the Lord.

17 אֹמְרִים אָמוֹר לִֽמְנַאֲצַי דִּבֶּר יְהוָה שָׁלוֹם יִֽהְיֶה לָכֶם וְכֹל הֹלֵךְ בִּשְׁרִרוּת לִבּוֹ אָֽמְרוּ לֹֽא־תָבוֹא עֲלֵיכֶם רָעָֽה׃

They say to them that reject the word of the Lord, There shall be peace to you; and to all that walk after their own lusts, and to everyone that walks in the error of his heart, they have said, No evil shall come upon you.

18 כִּי מִי עָמַד בְּסוֹד יְהוָה וְיֵרֶא וְיִשְׁמַע אֶת־דְּבָרוֹ מִֽי־הִקְשִׁיב דברי דְּבָרוֹ וַיִּשְׁמָֽע׃

For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord, and seen his word? who has listened, and heard?

19 הִנֵּה ׀ סַעֲרַת יְהוָה חֵמָה יָֽצְאָה וְסַעַר מִתְחוֹלֵל עַל רֹאשׁ רְשָׁעִים יָחֽוּל׃

Behold, [there is] an earthquake from the Lord, and anger proceeds to a convulsion, it shall come violently upon the ungodly.

20 לֹא יָשׁוּב אַף־יְהוָה עַד־עֲשֹׂתוֹ וְעַד־הֲקִימוֹ מְזִמּוֹת לִבּוֹ בְּאַֽחֲרִית הַיָּמִים תִּתְבּוֹנְנוּ בָהּ בִּינָֽה׃

And the Lord's wrath shall return no more, until he have accomplished it, and until he have established it, according to the purpose of his heart: at the end of the days they shall understand it.

21 לֹא־שָׁלַחְתִּי אֶת־הַנְּבִאִים וְהֵם רָצוּ לֹא־דִבַּרְתִּי אֲלֵיהֶם וְהֵם נִבָּֽאוּ׃

I sent not the prophets, yet they ran: neither spoke I to them, yet they prophesied.

22 וְאִֽם־עָמְדוּ בְּסוֹדִי וְיַשְׁמִעוּ דְבָרַי אֶת־עַמִּי וִֽישִׁבוּם מִדַּרְכָּם הָרָע וּמֵרֹעַ מַֽעַלְלֵיהֶֽם׃

But if they had stood in my counsel, and if they had listened to my words, then would they have turned my people from their evil practices.

23 הַאֱלֹהֵי מִקָּרֹב אָנִי נְאֻם־יְהוָה וְלֹא אֱלֹהֵי מֵרָחֹֽק׃

I am a God near at hand, says the Lord, and not a God afar off.

24 אִם־יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִים וַאֲנִי לֹֽא־אֶרְאֶנּוּ נְאֻם־יְהוָה הֲלוֹא אֶת־הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת־הָאָרֶץ אֲנִי מָלֵא נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

Shall any one hide himself in secret places, and I not see him? Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the Lord.

25 שָׁמַעְתִּי אֵת אֲשֶׁר־אָֽמְרוּ הַנְּבִאִים הַֽנִּבְּאִים בִּשְׁמִי שֶׁקֶר לֵאמֹר חָלַמְתִּי חָלָֽמְתִּי׃

I have heard what the prophets say, what they prophesy in my name, saying falsely, I have seen a night vision.

26 עַד־מָתַי הֲיֵשׁ בְּלֵב הַנְּבִאִים נִבְּאֵי הַשָּׁקֶר וּנְבִיאֵי תַּרְמִת לִבָּֽם׃

How long shall [these things] be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies, when they prophesy the purposes of their own heart?

27 הַחֹשְׁבִים לְהַשְׁכִּיחַ אֶת־עַמִּי שְׁמִי בַּחֲלוֹמֹתָם אֲשֶׁר יְסַפְּרוּ אִישׁ לְרֵעֵהוּ כַּאֲשֶׁר שָׁכְחוּ אֲבוֹתָם אֶת־שְׁמִי בַּבָּֽעַל׃

who devise that [men] may forget my law by their dreams, which they have told every one to his neighbor, as their fathers forgot my name in [the worship of] Baal.

28 הַנָּבִיא אֲשֶׁר־אִתּוֹ חֲלוֹם יְסַפֵּר חֲלוֹם וַאֲשֶׁר דְּבָרִי אִתּוֹ יְדַבֵּר דְּבָרִי אֱמֶת מַה־לַתֶּבֶן אֶת־הַבָּר נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

The prophet who has a dream, let him tell his dream; and [he] in whom is my word [spoken] to him, let him tell my word truly: what is the chaff to the corn? so are my words, says the Lord.

29 הֲלוֹא כֹה דְבָרִי כָּאֵשׁ נְאֻם־יְהוָה וּכְפַטִּישׁ יְפֹצֵֽץ סָֽלַע׃

Behold, are not my words as fire? says the Lord; and as an axe cutting the rock?

30 לָכֵן הִנְנִי עַל־הַנְּבִאִים נְאֻם־יְהוָה מְגַנְּבֵי דְבָרַי אִישׁ מֵאֵת רֵעֵֽהוּ׃

Behold, I am therefore against the prophets, says the Lord God, that steal my words every one from his neighbor.

31 הִנְנִי עַל־הַנְּבִיאִם נְאֻם־יְהוָה הַלֹּקְחִים לְשׁוֹנָם וַֽיִּנְאֲמוּ נְאֻֽם׃

Behold, I am against the prophets that put forth prophecies of mere words, and slumber their sleep.

32 הִנְנִי עַֽל־נִבְּאֵי חֲלֹמוֹת שֶׁקֶר נְאֻם־יְהוָה וַֽיְסַפְּרוּם וַיַּתְעוּ אֶת־עַמִּי בְּשִׁקְרֵיהֶם וּבְפַחֲזוּתָם וְאָנֹכִי לֹֽא־שְׁלַחְתִּים וְלֹא צִוִּיתִים וְהוֹעֵיל לֹֽא־יוֹעִילוּ לָֽעָם־הַזֶּה נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets that prophesy false dreams, and have not told them [truly], and have caused my people to err by their lies, and by their errors; yet I sent them not, and commanded them not; therefore, they shall not profit this people at all.

33 וְכִי־יִשְׁאָלְךָ הָעָם הַזֶּה אֽוֹ־הַנָּבִיא אֽוֹ־כֹהֵן לֵאמֹר מַה־מַשָּׂא יְהוָה וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם אֶת־מַה־מַשָּׂא וְנָטַשְׁתִּי אֶתְכֶם נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

And if this people, or the priest, or the prophet, should ask, What is the burden of the Lord? then you shall say to them, You are the burden, and I will dash you down, says the Lord.

34 וְהַנָּבִיא וְהַכֹּהֵן וְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר מַשָּׂא יְהוָה וּפָקַדְתִּי עַל־הָאִישׁ הַהוּא וְעַל־בֵּיתֽוֹ׃

[As for] the prophet, and the priests, and the people, who shall say, The burden of the Lord, I will even take vengeance on that man, and on his house.

35 כֹּה תֹאמְרוּ אִישׁ עַל־רֵעֵהוּ וְאִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו מֶה־עָנָה יְהוָה וּמַה־דִּבֶּר יְהוָֽה׃

Thus shall you say every one to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, What has the Lord answered? and, what has the Lord said?

36 וּמַשָּׂא יְהוָה לֹא תִזְכְּרוּ־עוֹד כִּי הַמַּשָּׂא יִֽהְיֶה לְאִישׁ דְּבָרוֹ וַהֲפַכְתֶּם אֶת־דִּבְרֵי אֱלֹהִים חַיִּים יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃

And do you name no more the burden of the Lord; for his own word shall be a man's burden.

37 כֹּה תֹאמַר אֶל־הַנָּבִיא מֶה־עָנָךְ יְהוָה וּמַה־דִּבֶּר יְהוָֽה׃

But therefore, [say you], has the Lord our God spoken?

38 וְאִם־מַשָּׂא יְהוָה תֹּאמֵרוּ לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה יַעַן אֲמָרְכֶם אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה מַשָּׂא יְהוָה וָאֶשְׁלַח אֲלֵיכֶם לֵאמֹר לֹא תֹאמְרוּ מַשָּׂא יְהוָֽה׃

Therefore thus says the Lord our God; Because you have spoken this word, The burden of the Lord, and I sent to you, saying, you shall not say, The burden of the Lord;

39 לָכֵן הִנְנִי וְנָשִׁיתִי אֶתְכֶם נָשֹׁא וְנָטַשְׁתִּי אֶתְכֶם וְאֶת־הָעִיר אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי לָכֶם וְלַאֲבוֹתֵיכֶם מֵעַל פָּנָֽי׃

therefore, behold, I [will] seize, and dash down you and the city which I gave to you and your fathers.

40 וְנָתַתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם חֶרְפַּת עוֹלָם וּכְלִמּוּת עוֹלָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא תִשָּׁכֵֽחַ׃

And I will bring upon you an everlasting reproach, and everlasting disgrace, which shall not be forgotten.