Jeremiæ 4
1 Si reverteris, Israël, ait Dominus, ad me convertere: si abstuleris offendicula tua a facie mea, non commoveberis.
“If you will return, Israel,” says the LORD, “if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight; then you will not be removed;
2 Et jurabis: Vivit Dominus in veritate, et in judicio, et in justitia: et benedicent eum gentes, ipsumque laudabunt.
and you will swear, ‘As the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in him, and they will glory in him.”
3 Hæc enim dicit Dominus viro Juda et Jerusalem: Novate vobis novale, et nolite serere super spinas.
For the LORD says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow amongst thorns.
4 Circumcidimini Domino, et auferte præputia cordium vestrorum, viri Juda, et habitatores Jerusalem: ne forte egrediatur ut ignis indignatio mea, et succendatur, et non sit qui extinguat, propter malitiam cogitationum vestrarum.
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.
5 Annuntiate in Juda, et in Jerusalem auditum facite: loquimini, et canite tuba in terra, clamate fortiter, et dicite: Congregamini, et ingrediamur civitates munitas.
Declare in Judah, and publish in Jerusalem; and say, ‘Blow the shofar in the land!’ Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves! Let’s go into the fortified cities!’
6 Levate signum in Sion; confortamini, nolite stare: quia malum ego adduco ab aquilone, et contritionem magnam.
Set up a standard towards Zion. Flee for safety! Don’t wait; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.”
7 Ascendit leo de cubili suo, et prædo gentium se levavit: egressus est de loco suo ut ponat terram tuam in solitudinem: civitates tuæ vastabuntur, remanentes absque habitatore.
A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations. He is on his way. He has gone out from his place, to make your land desolate, that your cities be laid waste, without inhabitant.
8 Super hoc accingite vos ciliciis; plangite, et ululate: quia non est aversa ira furoris Domini a nobis.
For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of the LORD hasn’t turned back from us.
9 Et erit in die illa, dicit Dominus: peribit cor regis, et cor principum, et obstupescent sacerdotes, et prophetæ consternabuntur.
“It will happen at that day,” says the LORD, “that the heart of the king will perish, along with the heart of the princes. The priests will be astonished, and the prophets will wonder.”
10 Et dixi: Heu! heu! heu! Domine Deus, ergone decepisti populum istum et Jerusalem, dicens: Pax erit vobis: et ecce pervenit gladius usque ad animam?
Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Surely you have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace;’ whereas the sword reaches to the heart.”
11 In tempore illo dicetur populo huic et Jerusalem: Ventus urens in viis quæ sunt in deserto viæ filiæ populi mei, non ad ventilandum et ad purgandum.
At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind blows from the bare heights in the wilderness towards the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse.
12 Spiritus plenus ex his veniet mihi, et nunc ego loquar judicia mea cum eis.
A full wind from these will come for me. Now I will also utter judgements against them.”
13 Ecce quasi nubes ascendet, et quasi tempestas currus ejus: velociores aquilis equi illius. Væ nobis, quoniam vastati sumus.
Behold, he will come up as clouds, and his chariots will be as the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined.
14 Lava a malitia cor tuum, Jerusalem, ut salva fias: usquequo morabuntur in te cogitationes noxiæ?
Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge within you?
15 Vox enim annuntiantis a Dan, et notum facientis idolum de monte Ephraim.
For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephraim:
16 Dicite gentibus: Ecce auditum est in Jerusalem custodes venire de terra longinqua, et dare super civitates Juda vocem suam:
“Tell the nations, behold, publish against Jerusalem, ‘Watchers come from a far country, and raise their voice against the cities of Judah.
17 quasi custodes agrorum facti sunt super eam in gyro, quia me ad iracundiam provocavit, dicit Dominus.
As keepers of a field, they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious against me,’” says the LORD.
18 Viæ tuæ et cogitationes tuæ fecerunt hæc tibi: ista malitia tua, quia amara, quia tetigit cor tuum.
“Your way and your doings have brought these things to you. This is your wickedness, for it is bitter, for it reaches to your heart.”
19 Ventrem meum, ventrem meum doleo; sensus cordis mei turbati sunt in me. Non tacebo, quoniam vocem buccinæ audivit anima mea, clamorem prælii.
My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart! My heart trembles within me. I can’t hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the shofar, the alarm of war.
20 Contritio super contritionem vocata est, et vastata est omnis terra: repente vastata sunt tabernacula mea; subito pelles meæ.
Destruction on destruction is decreed, for the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, and my curtains gone in a moment.
21 Usquequo videbo fugientem; audiam vocem buccinæ?
How long will I see the standard and hear the sound of the shofar?
22 Quia stultus populus meus me non cognovit: filii insipientes sunt et vecordes: sapientes sunt ut faciant mala, bene autem facere nescierunt.
“For my people are foolish. They don’t know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skilful in doing evil, but they don’t know how to do good.”
23 Aspexi terram, et ecce vacua erat et nihili; et cælos, et non erat lux in eis.
I saw the earth and, behold, it was waste and void, and the heavens, and they had no light.
24 Vidi montes, et ecce movebantur: et omnes colles conturbati sunt.
I saw the mountains, and behold, they trembled, and all the hills moved back and forth.
25 Intuitus sum, et non erat homo: et omne volatile cæli recessit.
I saw, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the sky had fled.
26 Aspexi, et ecce Carmelus desertus, et omnes urbes ejus destructæ sunt a facie Domini, et a facie iræ furoris ejus.
I saw, and behold, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all its cities were broken down at the presence of the LORD, before his fierce anger.
27 Hæc enim dicit Dominus: Deserta erit omnis terra, sed tamen consummationem non faciam.
For the LORD says, “The whole land will be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.
28 Lugebit terra, et mœrebunt cæli desuper, eo quod locutus sum. Cogitavi, et non pœnituit me, nec aversus sum ab eo.
For this the earth will mourn, and the heavens above be black, because I have spoken it. I have planned it, and I have not repented, neither will I turn back from it.”
29 A voce equitis et mittentis sagittam fugit omnis civitas: ingressi sunt ardua, et ascenderunt rupes: universæ urbes derelictæ sunt, et non habitat in eis homo.
Every city flees for the noise of the horsemen and archers. They go into the thickets and climb up on the rocks. Every city is forsaken, and not a man dwells therein.
30 Tu autem vastata, quid facies? cum vestieris te coccino, cum ornata fueris monili aureo, et pinxeris stibio oculos tuos, frustra componeris: contempserunt te amatores tui; animam tuam quærent.
You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with makeup, you make yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers despise you. They seek your life.
31 Vocem enim quasi parturientis audivi, angustias ut puerperæ: vox filiæ Sion intermorientis, expandentisque manus suas: Væ mihi, quia defecit anima mea propter interfectos!
For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who gives birth to her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, saying, “Woe is me now! For my soul faints before the murderers.”
