Jeremiæ 6
1 [Confortamini, filii Benjamin, in medio Jerusalem: et in Thecua clangite buccina, et super Bethacarem levate vexillum, quia malum visum est ab aquilone, et contritio magna.
“Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the middle of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem, for evil looks out from the north with a great destruction.
2 Speciosæ et delicatæ assimilavi filiam Sion.
I will cut off the beautiful and delicate one, the daughter of Zion.
3 Ad eam venient pastores et greges eorum; fixerunt in ea tentoria in circuitu: pascet unusquisque eos qui sub manu sua sunt.
Shepherds with their flocks will come to her. They will pitch their tents against her all around. They will feed everyone in his place.”
4 Sanctificate super eam bellum: consurgite, et ascendamus in meridie: væ nobis, quia declinavit dies; quia longiores factæ sunt umbræ vesperi!
“Prepare war against her! Arise! Let’s go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.
5 Surgite, et ascendamus in nocte, et dissipemus domus ejus.
Arise! Let’s go up by night, and let’s destroy her palaces.”
6 Quia hæc dicit Dominus exercituum: Cædite lignum ejus, et fundite circa Jerusalem aggerem. Hæc est civitas visitationis: omnis calumnia in medio ejus.
For Yahweh of Armies said, “Cut down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem. This is the city to be visited. She is filled with oppression within herself.
7 Sicut frigidam fecit cisterna aquam suam, sic frigidam fecit malitiam suam. Iniquitas et vastitas audietur in ea, coram me semper infirmitas et plaga.
As a well produces its waters, so she produces her wickedness. Violence and destruction is heard in her. Sickness and wounds are continually before me.
8 Erudire, Jerusalem, ne forte recedat anima mea a te; ne forte ponam te desertam, terram inhabitabilem.
Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.”
9 Hæc dicit Dominus exercituum: Usque ad racemum colligent quasi in vinea reliquias Israël. Converte manum tuam quasi vindemiator ad cartallum.
Yahweh of Armies says, “They will thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Turn again your hand as a grape gatherer into the baskets.”
10 Cui loquar, et quem contestabor ut audiat? ecce incircumcisæ aures eorum, et audire non possunt: ecce verbum Domini factum est eis in opprobrium, et non suscipient illud.
To whom should I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can’t listen. Behold, Yahweh’s word has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it.
11 Idcirco furore Domini plenus sum; laboravi sustinens. Effunde super parvulum foris, et super consilium juvenum simul: vir enim cum muliere capietur; senex cum pleno dierum.
Therefore I am full of Yahweh’s wrath. I am weary with holding it in. “Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife will be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.
12 Et transibunt domus eorum ad alteros, agri et uxores pariter, quia extendam manum meam super habitantes terram, dicit Dominus:
Their houses will be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says Yahweh.”
13 a minore quippe usque ad majorem omnes avaritiæ student, et a propheta usque ad sacerdotem cuncti faciunt dolum.
“For from their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.
14 Et curabant contritionem filiæ populi mei cum ignominia, dicentes: Pax, pax! et non erat pax.
They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.
15 Confusi sunt, quia abominationem fecerunt: quin potius confusione non sunt confusi, et erubescere nescierunt. Quam ob rem cadent inter ruentes: in tempore visitationis suæ corruent, dicit Dominus.
Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they will fall among those who fall. When I visit them, they will be cast down,” says Yahweh.
16 Hæc dicit Dominus: State super vias, et videte, et interrogate de semitis antiquis quæ sit via bona, et ambulate in ea: et invenietis refrigerium animabus vestris. Et dixerunt: Non ambulabimus.
Yahweh says, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 Et constitui super vos speculatores: Audite vocem tubæ. Et dixerunt: Non audiemus.
I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen!’
18 Ideo audite, gentes, et cognosce, congregatio, quanta ego faciam eis.
Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them.
19 Audi, terra: ecce ego adducam mala super populum istum, fructum cogitationum ejus: quia verba mea non audierunt, et legem meam projecerunt.
Hear, earth! Behold, I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it.
20 Ut quid mihi thus de Saba affertis, et calamum suave olentem de terra longinqua? Holocautomata vestra non sunt accepta, et victimæ vestræ non placuerunt mihi.
To what purpose does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”
21 Propterea hæc dicit Dominus: Ecce ego dabo in populum istum ruinas: et ruent in eis patres et filii simul; vicinus et proximus peribunt.
Therefore Yahweh says, “Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together will stumble against them. The neighbor and his friend will perish.”
22 Hæc dicit Dominus: Ecce populus venit de terra aquilonis, et gens magna consurget a finibus terræ.
Yahweh says, “Behold, a people comes from the north country. A great nation will be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.
23 Sagittam et scutum arripiet: crudelis est et non miserebitur. Vox ejus quasi mare sonabit: et super equos ascendent, præparati quasi vir ad prælium adversum te, filia Sion.
They take hold of bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Zion.”
24 Audivimus famam ejus; dissolutæ sunt manus nostræ: tribulatio apprehendit nos, dolores ut parturientem.
We have heard its report. Our hands become feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, and pains as of a woman in labor.
25 Nolite exire ad agros, et in via ne ambuletis, quoniam gladius inimici, pavor in circuitu.
Don’t go out into the field or walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and terror are on every side.
26 Filia populi mei, accingere cilicio, et conspergere cinere: luctum unigeniti fac tibi, planctum amarum, quia repente veniet vastator super nos.
Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes! Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for the destroyer will suddenly come on us.
27 Probatorem dedi te in populo meo robustum: et scies, et probabis viam eorum.
“I have made you a tester of metals and a fortress among my people, that you may know and try their way.
28 Omnes isti principes declinantes, ambulantes fraudulenter, æs et ferrum: universi corrupti sunt.
They are all grievous rebels, going around to slander. They are bronze and iron. All of them deal corruptly.
29 Defecit sufflatorium; in igne consumptum est plumbum: frustra conflavit conflator, malitiæ enim eorum non sunt consumptæ.
The bellows blow fiercely. The lead is consumed in the fire. In vain they go on refining, for the wicked are not plucked away.
30 Argentum reprobum vocate eos, quia Dominus projecit illos.]
Men will call them rejected silver, because Yahweh has rejected them.”
