Jeremiæ 4
1 Si reverteris Israel, 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 iurabis: Vivit Dominus in veritate, et in iudicio, et in iustitia: 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 Haec enim dicit Dominus viro Iuda, et habitatori Ierusalem: 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 do not sow among thorns.
4 circumcidimini Domino, et auferte praeputia cordium vestrorum viri Iuda, et habitatores Ierusalem: 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 Annunciate in Iuda, et in Ierusalem 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 trumpet 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 toward Zion. Flee for safety! Do not wait; for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.”
7 Ascendit leo de cubili suo, et praedo Gentium se levavit: egressus est de loco suo ut ponat terram tuam in solitudinem: civitates tuae 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 vobis.
For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned back from us.
9 Et erit in die illa, dicit Dominus: Peribit cor regis, et cor principum: et obstupescent sacerdotes, et prophetae 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 Ierusalem, 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 Ierusalem: Ventus urens in viis, quae sunt in deserto viae filiae 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 toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse.
12 Spiritus plenus ex his veniet mihi: et nunc ego loquar iudicia mea cum eis.
A full wind from these will come for me. Now I will also utter judgments against them.”
13 Ecce quasi nubes ascendet, et quasi tempestas currus eius: velociores aquilis equi illius: vae 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 Ierusalem, ut salva fias: usquequo morabuntur in te cogitationes noxiae?
Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts lodge within you?
15 Vox enim annunciantis a Dan, et notum facientis idolum de monte Ephraim.
For a voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephraim:
16 Concitate gentes: Ecce auditum est in Ierusalem custodes venire de terra longinqua, et dare super civitates Iuda 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 Viae tuae, et cogitationes tuae fecerunt haec 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 buccinae audivit anima mea, clamorem praelii.
My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart! My heart trembles within me. I cannot hold my peace, because you have heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.
20 Contritio super contritionem vocata est, et vastata est omnis terra: repente vastata sunt tabernacula mea, subito pelles meae.
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 buccinae?
How long will I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?
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 do not know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skillful in doing evil, but they do not know how to do good.”
23 Aspexi terram, et ecce vacua erat, et nihili: et caelos, 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 caeli 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 eius destructae sunt a facie Domini, et a facie irae furoris eius.
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 Haec 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 moerebunt caeli desuper: eo quod locutus sum, cogitavi, et non poenituit 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: universae urbes derelictae 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 quaerent.
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 puerperae: Vox filiae Sion inter morientis, expandentisque manus suas: vae 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.”
