Jeremiæ 12
1 Iustus quidem tu es Domine, si disputem tecum: verumtamen iusta loquar ad te: Quare via impiorum prosperatur: bene est omnibus, qui praevaricantur, et inique agunt?
You are righteous, Yahweh, when I contend with you; yet I would like to plead a case with you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are they all at ease who deal very treacherously?
2 Plantasti eos, et radicem miserunt: proficiunt et faciunt fructum: prope es tu ori eorum, et longe a renibus eorum.
You have planted them. Yes, they have taken root. They grow. Yes, they produce fruit. You are near in their mouth, and far from their heart.
3 Et tu Domine nosti me, vidisti me, et probasti cor meum tecum: congrega eos quasi gregem ad victimam, et sanctifica eos in die occisionis.
But you, Yahweh, know me. You see me, and test my heart toward you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.
4 Usquequo lugebit terra, et herba omnis regionis siccabitur propter malitiam habitantium in ea? consumptum est animal, et volucre, quoniam dixerunt: Non videbit novissima nostra.
How long will the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? Because of the wickedness of those who dwell therein, the animals and birds are consumed; because they said, “He won’t see our latter end.”
5 Si cum peditibus currens laborasti: quomodo contendere poteris cum equis? cum autem in terra pacis securus fueris, quid facies in superbia Iordanis?
“If you have run with the footmen, and they have wearied you, then how can you contend with horses? Though in a land of peace you are secure, yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan?
6 Nam et fratres tui, et domus patris tui, etiam ipsi pugnaverunt adversum te, et clamaverunt post te plena voce: ne credas eis cum locuti fuerint tibi bona.
For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you! Even they have cried aloud after you! Don’t believe them, though they speak beautiful words to you.
7 Reliqui domum meam, dimisi hereditatem meam: dedi dilectam animam meam in manu inimicorum eius.
“I have forsaken my house. I have cast off my heritage. I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.
8 Facta est mihi hereditas mea quasi leo in silva: dedit contra me vocem, ideo odivi eam.
My heritage has become to me as a lion in the forest. She has uttered her voice against me. Therefore I have hated her.
9 Numquid avis discolor hereditas mea mihi? numquid avis tincta per totum? venite, congregamini omnes bestiae terrae, properate ad devorandum.
Is my heritage to me as a speckled bird of prey? Are the birds of prey against her all around? Go, assemble all the animals of the field. Bring them to devour.
10 Pastores multi demoliti sunt vineam meam, conculcaverunt partem meam: dederunt portionem meam desiderabilem in desertum solitudinis.
Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard. They have trodden my portion under foot. They have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.
11 Posuerunt eam in dissipationem, luxitque super me: desolatione desolata est omnis terra: quia nullus est qui recogitet corde.
They have made it a desolation. It mourns to me, being desolate. The whole land is made desolate, because no one cares.
12 Super omnes vias deserti venerunt vastatores, quia gladius Domini devorabit ab extremo terrae usque ad extremum eius: non est pax universae carni.
Destroyers have come on all the bare heights in the wilderness; for the sword of Yahweh devours from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land. No flesh has peace.
13 Seminaverunt triticum, et spinas messuerunt: hereditatem acceperunt, et non eis proderit: confundemini a fructibus vestris, propter iram furoris Domini.
They have sown wheat, and have reaped thorns. They have exhausted themselves, and profit nothing. You will be ashamed of your fruits, because of Yahweh’s fierce anger.”
14 Haec dicit Dominus adversum omnes vicinos meos pessimos, qui tangunt hereditatem, quam distribui populo meo Israel: Ecce ego evellam eos de terra sua, et domum Iuda evellam de medio eorum.
Yahweh says, “Concerning all my evil neighbors, who touch the inheritance which I have caused my people Israel to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Judah from among them.
15 Et cum evulsero eos, convertar, et miserebor eorum: et reducam eos, virum ad hereditatem suam, et virum in terram suam.
It will happen that after I have plucked them up, I will return and have compassion on them. I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.
16 Et erit: si eruditi didicerint vias populi mei, ut iurent in nomine meo: Vivit Dominus, sicut docuerunt populum meum iurare in Baal: aedificabuntur in medio populi mei.
It will happen, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘As Yahweh lives;’ even as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they will be built up in the middle of my people.
17 Quod si non audierint, evellam gentem illam evulsione et perditione, ait Dominus.
But if they will not hear, then I will pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it,” says Yahweh.
