Jeremiæ 14
1 Quod factum est verbum Domini ad Ieremiam de sermonibus siccitatis.
This is a message from the Lord that came to Jeremiah regarding the drought:
2 Luxit Iudaea, et portae eius corruerunt, et obscuratae sunt in terra, et clamor Ierusalem ascendit.
Judah is in mourning; her towns are wasting away. Her people are weeping for the land, and a cry for help comes from Jerusalem.
3 Maiores miserunt minores suos ad aquam: venerunt ad hauriendum, non invenerunt aquam, reportaverunt vasa sua vacua: confusi sunt et afflicti, et operuerunt capita sua.
Rich people send their servants to get water. They go to the cisterns, but don't find any water. They return with empty jars, disappointed and ashamed, covering their heads.
4 Propter terrae vastitatem, quia non venit pluvia in terram, confusi sunt agricolae, operuerunt capita sua.
The ground has dried up because there hasn't been any rain in the land. The farmers are ashamed; they cover their heads.
5 Nam et cerva in agro peperit, et reliquit: quia non erat herba.
Even the deer abandons her newborn fawn because there's no grass.
6 Et onagri steterunt in rupibus, traxerunt ventum quasi dracones, defecerunt oculi eorum, quia non erat herba.
Wild donkeys stand on the bare hills, panting like jackals. Their eyesight fails because they have nothing to eat.
7 Si iniquitates nostrae responderint nobis: Domine fac propter nomen tuum, quoniam multae sunt aversiones nostrae, tibi peccavimus.
Even though our sins give evidence against us, Lord, please do something for us because of your good nature. Yes, we have rebelled against you so often; we have sinned against you.
8 Expectatio Israel, salvator eius in tempore tribulationis: quare quasi colonus futurus es in terra, et quasi viator declinans ad manendum?
You are the hope of Israel, our Savior in times of trouble. Why do you act like a foreigner in our country, like a traveler who only stays a night?
9 Quare futurus es velut vir vagus, ut fortis qui non potest salvare? tu autem in nobis es Domine, et nomen tuum invocatum est super nos, ne derelinquas nos.
Why do you act like someone caught unawares, like a powerful warrior who can't help? You are here among us, Lord, and we are known as your people. Please don't give up on us!
10 Haec dicit Dominus populo huic, qui dilexit movere pedes suos, et non quievit, et Domino non placuit: Nunc recordabitur iniquitatum eorum, et visitabit peccata eorum.
This is what the Lord says about his people: They really love to wander away from me—they don't even try to stop themselves. So the Lord refuses to accept them. Now he'll remember their guilty actions and punish them for their sins.
11 Et dixit Dominus ad me: Noli orare pro populo isto in bonum.
The Lord told me, Don't pray for the welfare of this people.
12 Cum ieiunaverint, non exaudiam preces eorum: et si obtulerint holocaustomata, et victimas, non suscipiam ea: quoniam gladio, et fame, et peste consumam eos.
Even if they fast, I won't listen to their cry. Even though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I won't accept them. On the contrary I will wipe them out by sword and famine and plague.
13 Et dixi, A, a, a, Domine Deus: Prophetae dicunt eis: Non videbitis gladium, et fames non erit in vobis, sed pacem veram dabit vobis in loco isto.
“Oh Lord God!” I answered, “Look what prophets are telling them, claiming to be speaking for you: ‘You won't see war or suffer from famine, but I will give you peace that lasts here in this place.’”
14 Et dicit Dominus ad me: Falso prophetae vaticinantur in nomine meo: non misi eos, et non praecepi eis, neque locutus sum ad eos: visionem mendacem, et divinationem fraudulentam, et seductionem cordis sui prophetant vobis.
The prophets are prophesying lies in my name, replied the Lord. I didn't send them or choose them or speak to them. It's a lying vision, an empty prediction, a deluded, deceitful product of their own minds that they are prophesying to you.
15 Idcirco haec dicit Dominus de prophetis, qui prophetant in nomine meo, quos ego non misi, dicentes: Gladius, et fames non erit in terra hac: In gladio et fame consumentur prophetae illi.
So this is what the Lord says about such prophets who prophesy in my name: I didn't send them, but even so they say, “This country won't suffer war or famine.” These same prophets will die from war or famine!
16 Et populi, quibus prophetant, erunt proiecti in viis Ierusalem prae fame et gladio, et non erit qui sepeliat eos; ipsi et uxores eorum, filii et filiae eorum, et effundam super eos malum suum.
The bodies of the people they prophesied to will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of famine and war. There won't be anyone to bury them or their wives, their sons or their daughters. I will pour out their own evil on them.
17 Et dices ad eos verbum istud: Deducant oculi mei lacrymam per noctem et diem, et non taceant: quoniam contritione magna contrita est virgo filia populi mei, plaga pessima vehementer.
This is what you are to tell them: Tears flow from my eyes without stopping day or night, because my people have been crushed by a heavy blow, a really serious wound.
18 Si egressus fuero ad agros, ecce occisi gladio: et si introiero in civitatem, ecce attenuati fame. Propheta quoque et sacerdos abierunt in terram, quam ignorabant.
If I go out to the countryside, I see those killed by the sword; if I go into the city, I see those dying by famine. Both prophets and priests wander around the country—they don't know what they're doing.
19 Numquid proiiciens abiecisti Iuda? aut Sion abominata est anima tua? quare ergo percussisti nos, ita ut nulla sit sanitas? expectavimus pacem, et non est bonum: et tempus curationis, et ecce turbatio.
Have you really rejected Judah? Do you hate Zion so much? Why have you wounded us so badly that we can't be healed? We hoped for peace, but instead nothing good has come; we hoped for a time of healing, but instead there was only sudden terror.
20 Cognovimus Domine impietates nostras, iniquitates patrum nostrorum, quia peccavimus tibi.
Lord, we admit our wickedness, the guilt of our forefathers as well as our own sins against you.
21 Ne des nos in opprobrium propter nomen tuum, neque facias nobis contumeliam solii gloriae tuae: recordare, ne irritum facias foedus tuum nobiscum.
Because of your own reputation please don't hate us; don't bring dishonor on your glorious throne. Please remember your agreement with us; don't break it.
22 Numquid sunt in sculptilibus Gentium qui pluant? aut caeli possunt dare imbres? nonne tu es Dominus Deus noster, quem expectavimus? tu enim fecisti omnia haec.
Can the false gods of the other nations bring rain? Can the skies themselves send showers? No, it's you, Lord our God. So we put our hope in you, because only you can do all this.
