Jeremiæ 46
1 Quod factum est verbum Domini ad Ieremiam prophetam contra Gentes
This is the word of the LORD about the nations—the word that came to Jeremiah the prophet
2 ad Aegyptum adversum exercitum Pharaonis Nechao regis Aegypti, qui erat iuxta fluvium Euphraten in Charcamis, quem percussit Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis, in quarto anno Ioakim filii Iosiae regis Iuda.
concerning Egypt and the army of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah:
3 Praeparate scutum, et clypeum, et procedite ad bellum.
“Deploy your shields, small and large; advance for battle!
4 Iungite equos, et ascendite equites: state in galeis, polite lanceas, induite vos loricis.
Harness the horses; mount the steeds; take your positions with helmets on! Polish your spears; put on armor!
5 Quid igitur? vidi ipsos pavidos, et terga vertentes, fortes eorum caesos: fugerunt conciti, nec respexerunt: terror undique, ait Dominus.
Why am I seeing this? They are terrified, they are retreating; their warriors are defeated, they flee in haste without looking back; terror is on every side!”
6 Non fugiat velox, nec salvari se putet fortis: Ad Aquilonem iuxta flumen Euphraten victi sunt, et ruerunt.
“The swift cannot flee, and the warrior cannot escape! In the north by the River Euphrates they stumble and fall.
7 Quis est iste, qui quasi flumen ascendit: et veluti fluviorum, intumescunt gurgites eius?
Who is this, rising like the Nile, like rivers whose waters churn?
8 Aegyptus, fluminis instar ascendit, et velut flumina movebuntur fluctus eius, et dicet: Ascendens operiam terram: perdam civitatem, et habitatores eius.
Egypt rises like the Nile, and its waters churn like rivers, boasting, ‘I will rise and cover the earth; I will destroy the cities and their people.’
9 Ascendite equos, et exultate in curribus, et procedant fortes, Aethiopia, et Libyes tenentes scutum, et Lydii arripientes, et iacientes sagittas.
Advance, O horses! Race furiously, O chariots! Let the warriors come forth— Cush and Put carrying their shields, men of Lydia drawing the bow.
10 Dies autem ille Domini Dei exercituum dies ultionis, ut sumat vindictam de inimicis suis: devorabit gladius, et saturabitur, et inebriabitur sanguine eorum: victima enim Domini Dei exercituum in Terra Aquilonis iuxta flumen Euphraten.
For that day belongs to the Lord GOD of Hosts, a day of vengeance against His foes. The sword will devour until it is satisfied, until it is quenched with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts will hold a sacrifice in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.
11 Ascende in Galaad, et tolle resinam virgo filia Aegypti: frustra multiplicas medicamina, sanitas non erit tibi.
Go up to Gilead for balm, O Virgin Daughter of Egypt! In vain you try many remedies, but for you there is no healing.
12 Audierunt Gentes ignominiam tuam, et ululatus tuus replevit terram: quia fortis impegit in fortem, et ambo pariter conciderunt.
The nations have heard of your shame, and your outcry fills the earth, because warrior stumbles over warrior and both of them have fallen together.”
13 Verbum quod locutus est Dominus ad Ieremiam prophetam, super eo quod venturus esset Nabuchodonosor rex Babylonis et percussurus Terram Aegypti:
This is the word that the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to strike the land of Egypt:
14 Annunciate Aegypto, et auditum facite in Magdalo, et resonet in Memphis, et in Taphnis, dicite: Sta, et praepara te: quia devorabit gladius ea, quae per circuitum tuum sunt.
“Announce it in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol; proclaim it in Memphis and Tahpanhes: ‘Take your positions and prepare yourself, for the sword devours those around you.’
15 Quare computruit fortis tuus? non stetit: quoniam Dominus subvertit eum.
Why have your warriors been laid low? They cannot stand, for the LORD has thrust them down.
16 Multiplicavit ruentes, ceciditque vir ad proximum suum: et dicent: Surge, et revertamur ad populum nostrum, et ad terram nativitatis nostrae, a facie gladii columbae.
They continue to stumble; indeed, they have fallen over one another. They say, ‘Get up! Let us return to our people and to the land of our birth, away from the sword of the oppressor.’
17 Vocate nomen Pharaonis regis Aegypti, tumultum adduxit tempus.
There they will cry out: ‘Pharaoh king of Egypt was all noise; he has let the appointed time pass him by.’
18 Vivo ego (inquit rex, Dominus exercituum nomen eius) quoniam sicut Thabor in montibus, et sicut Carmelus in mari, veniet.
As surely as I live, declares the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts, there will come one who is like Tabor among the mountains and like Carmel by the sea.
19 Vasa transmigrationis fac tibi habitatrix filia Aegypti: quia Memphis in solitudinem erit, et deseretur, et inhabitabilis erit.
Pack your bags for exile, O daughter dwelling in Egypt! For Memphis will be laid waste, destroyed and uninhabited.
20 Vitula elegans atque formosa Aegyptus: stimulator ab Aquilone veniet ei.
Egypt is a beautiful heifer, but a gadfly from the north is coming against her.
21 Mercenarii quoque eius, qui versabantur in medio eius, quasi vituli saginati versi sunt, et fugerunt simul, nec stare potuerunt: quia dies interfectionis eorum venit super eos, tempus visitationis eorum.
Even the mercenaries among her are like fattened calves. They too will turn back; together they will flee, they will not stand their ground, for the day of calamity is coming upon them— the time of their punishment.
22 Vox eius quasi aeris sonabit: quoniam cum exercitu properabunt, et cum securibus venient ei, quasi caedentes ligna.
Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent, for the enemy will advance in force; with axes they will come against her like woodsmen cutting down trees.
23 Succiderunt saltum eius, ait Dominus, qui supputari non potest: multiplicati sunt super locustas, et non est eis numerus.
They will chop down her forest, declares the LORD, dense though it may be, for they are more numerous than locusts; they cannot be counted.
24 Confusa est filia Aegypti, et tradita in manu populi Aquilonis.
The Daughter of Egypt will be put to shame; she will be delivered into the hands of the people of the north.”
25 Dixit Dominus exercituum Deus Israel: Ecce ego visitabo super tumultum Alexandriae, et super Pharaonem, et super Aegyptum, et super deos eius, et super reges eius, et super Pharaonem, et super eos, qui confidunt in eo.
The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Behold, I am about to punish Amon god of Thebes, along with Pharaoh, Egypt with her gods and kings, and those who trust in Pharaoh.
26 Et dabo eos in manu quaerentium animam eorum, et in manu Nabuchodonosor regis Babylonis, et in manu servorum eius: et post haec habitabitur sicut diebus pristinis, ait Dominus.
I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek their lives—of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. But after this, Egypt will be inhabited as in days of old, declares the LORD.
27 Et tu ne timeas serve meus Iacob, et ne paveas Israel: quia ecce ego salvum te faciam de longinquo, et semen tuum de terra captivitatis tuae: et revertetur Iacob, et requiescet, et prosperabitur: et non erit qui exterreat eum.
But you, O Jacob My servant, do not be afraid, and do not be dismayed, O Israel. For I will surely save you out of a distant place, your descendants from the land of their captivity! Jacob will return to quiet and ease, with no one to make him afraid.
28 Et tu noli timere serve meus Iacob, ait Dominus: quia tecum ego sum, quia ego consumam cunctas gentes, ad quas eieci te: te vero non consumam, sed castigabo te in iudicio, nec quasi innocenti parcam tibi.
And you, My servant Jacob, do not be afraid, declares the LORD, for I am with you. Though I will completely destroy all the nations to which I have banished you, I will not completely destroy you. Yet I will discipline you justly, and will by no means leave you unpunished.”
