Jeremiæ 5
1 Circuite vias Ierusalem, et aspicite, et considerate, et quaerite in plateis eius, an inveniatis virum facientem iudicium, et quaerentem fidem: et propitius ero ei.
Go everywhere through the streets of Jerusalem. Look and pay attention! Search all through her city squares to see if you can find even just one person who does what's right, anyone who is faithful, and I'll forgive the city.
2 Quod si etiam Vivit Dominus, dixerint: et hoc falso iurabunt.
They may make promises in my name, but they're not sincere.
3 Domine oculi tui respiciunt fidem: percussisti eos, et non doluerunt: attrivisti eos, et renuerunt accipere disciplinam: induraverunt facies suas supra petram, et noluerunt reverti.
Lord, aren't you always looking for faithfulness? You beat them, but they didn't care. You just about destroyed them, but they refused to accept your discipline. They were stubborn, hard as rock, and they wouldn't repent.
4 Ego autem dixi: Forsitan pauperes sunt et stulti, ignorantes viam Domini, iudicium Dei sui.
Then I said to myself, “These people are only the poor—they're just fools who don't know any better. They certainly don't know what the Lord wants, God's right way of living.
5 Ibo igitur ad optimates, et loquar eis: ipsi enim cognoverunt viam Domini, iudicium Dei sui. et ecce magis hi simul confregerunt iugum, ruperunt vincula.
Let me go to and talk to the ones in charge. They would surely know what the Lord wants, God's right way of living.” But they had all broken off the yoke as well, and ripped off the chains.
6 Idcirco percussit eos leo de silva, lupus ad vesperam vastavit eos, pardus vigilans super civitates eorum: omnis, qui egressus fuerit ex eis, capietur: quia multiplicatae sunt praevaricationes eorum, confortatae sunt aversiones eorum.
As a result a lion from the forest will attack them; a wolf from the desert will rip them apart. A leopard will lie in wait for them near their towns, ready to tear to pieces anyone who goes outside. For they keep on rebelling, and turn away from me so often.
7 Super quo propitius tibi esse potero? filii tui dereliquerunt me, et iurant in his, qui non sunt dii: saturavi eos, et moechati sunt, et in domo meretricis luxuriabantur.
Why should I forgive you? Your children have abandoned me and believe in gods that are not gods. I gave them everything they need, yet they went and committed adultery, gathering together at prostitutes' houses.
8 Equi amatores, et emissarii facti sunt: Unusquisque ad uxorem proximi sui hinniebat.
They're like virile stallions wanting sex, each of them neighing with lust after his neighbor's wife.
9 Numquid super his non visitabo, dicit Dominus? et in gente tali non ulciscetur anima mea?
Shouldn't I punish them for all this? declares the Lord. Shouldn't I retaliate for what this nation has done?
10 Ascendite muros eius, et dissipate, consummationem autem nolite facere: auferte propagines eius, quia non sunt Domini.
Go through her vineyards and damage them, but don't destroy them completely. Rip off her branches, because they don't belong to the Lord.
11 Praevaricatione enim praevaricata est in me domus Israel, et domus Iuda, ait Dominus.
The people of Israel and Judah have completely betrayed me, declares the Lord.
12 Negaverunt Dominum, et dixerunt: Non est ipse: neque veniet super nos malum: gladium et famem non videbimus.
They have lied about the Lord, saying, “He won't do anything. Nothing bad will happen to us. We won't have war or famine.
13 Prophetae fuerunt in ventum locuti, et responsum non fuit in eis: haec ergo evenient illis.
The prophets are just like the wind. The Lord doesn't speak through them. What they predict can happen to them!”
14 Haec dicit Dominus Deus exercituum: Quia locuti estis verbum istud: ecce ego do verba mea in ore tuo in ignem, et populum istum in ligna, et vorabit eos.
So this is the reply from the Lord God Almighty: Because of what you've said, I will make my words like a fire in your mouth and you people like the wood it burns up.
15 Ecce ego adducam super vos gentem de longinquo domus Israel, ait Dominus: gentem robustam, gentem antiquam, gentem, cuius ignorabis linguam, nec intelliges quid loquatur.
Look! I am bringing a nation from far away to attack you, people of Israel, declares the Lord. It's a powerful nation that has existed for a long time; it's a nation whose language you don't know, and when they speak you can't understand them.
16 Pharetra eius quasi sepulchrum patens, universi fortes.
Their arrows bring death; they are all strong warriors.
17 Et comedet segetes tuas, et panem tuum: devorabit filios tuos, et filias tuas: comedet gregem tuum, et armenta tua: comedet vineam tuam et ficum tuam: et conteret urbes munitas tuas, in quibus tu habes fiduciam, gladio.
They will consume your harvest and your food; they will destroy your sons and your daughters; they will eat your flocks and your herds; they will feed on your vines and your fig trees. They will attack and will destroy the fortified towns that you have so much confidence in.
18 Verumtamen in diebus illis, ait Dominus, non faciam vos in consummationem.
But even at that time I won't completely destroy you, declares the Lord.
19 Quod si dixeritis: Quare fecit nobis Dominus Deus noster haec omnia? dices ad eos: Sicut dereliquistis me, et servistis deo alieno in terra vestra, sic servietis alienis in terra non vestra.
When people ask you Jeremiah, “Why did the Lord our God do all these things to us?” you are to tell them, “In the same way you have abandoned me and served foreign gods here in your country, so you will serve foreigners in a country that isn't your own.”
20 Annunciate hoc domui Iacob, et auditum facite in Iuda, dicentes:
Announce this to the people of Jacob and Judah:
21 Audi popule stulte, qui non habes cor: qui habentes oculos non videtis: et aures, et non auditis.
Listen to this, you foolish, stupid people, who have eyes but don't see, who have ears but don't hear.
22 Me ergo non timebitis, ait Dominus: et a facie mea non dolebitis? Qui posui arenam terminum mari, praeceptum sempiternum, quod non praeteribit: et commovebuntur, et non poterunt: et intumescent fluctus eius, et non transibunt illud:
Aren't you afraid of what I can do? declares the Lord. Don't you think you should tremble in my presence? I am the one who set up the shore as the sea's boundary, an everlasting limit that it can't cross. The waves crash against it, but they can't defeat it. They roar, but they can't cross the barrier.
23 populo autem huic factum est cor incredulum et exasperans, recesserunt et abierunt.
But you people have a stubborn and rebellious attitude. You have left me and gone your own way.
24 Et non dixerunt in corde suo: Metuamus Dominum Deum nostrum, qui dat nobis pluviam temporaneam et serotinam in tempore suo: plenitudinem annuae messis custodientem nobis.
You didn't think to say, “We should appreciate the Lord our God, who sends the autumn and spring rains at the right time, who makes sure we can have a harvest every year.”
25 Iniquitates vestrae declinaverunt haec: et peccata vestra prohibuerunt bonum a vobis:
Your wrong actions have taken these benefits from you; your sins have deprived you of my blessings.
26 Quia inventi sunt in populo meo impii insidiantes quasi aucupes, laqueos ponentes, et pedicas ad capiendos viros.
For there are wicked men among my people. They're like bird-trappers, secretly watching and waiting to catch people in their snare.
27 Sicut decipula plena avibus, sic domus eorum plenae dolo: ideo magnificati sunt et ditati.
Their homes are full of their ill-gotten gains, like cages full of birds. That's why they've become powerful and rich.
28 Incrassati sunt et impinguati: et praeterierunt sermones meos pessime. Causam viduae non iudicaverunt, causam pupilli non direxerunt, et iudicium pauperum non iudicaverunt.
They've grown fat and smooth, and have become experts in evil. They deny justice to orphans, and they don't defend the rights of those in need.
29 Numquid super his non visitabo, dicit Dominus? aut super gentem huiuscemodi non ulciscetur anima mea?
Shouldn't I punish them for all this? declares the Lord. Shouldn't I retaliate for what this nation has done?
30 Stupor et mirabilia facta sunt in terra:
Something horrible, something terrible has happened here in this country.
31 prophetae prophetabant mendacium, et sacerdotes applaudebant manibus suis: et populus meus dilexit talia: quid igitur fiet in novissimo eius?
The prophets give false prophecies; the priests rule as they please. My people love it like this, but what will you do when it all falls apart?
