Jeremiæ 4
1 si converteris Israhel ait Dominus ad me convertere si abstuleris offendicula tua a facie mea non commoveberis
“If you will return, Israel,” says Yahweh, “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 Yahweh 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 Hierusalem novate vobis novale et nolite serere super spinas
For Yahweh says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Break up your fallow ground, and don’t sow among thorns.
4 circumcidimini Domino et auferte praeputia cordium vestrorum vir Iuda et habitatores Hierusalem ne forte egrediatur ut ignis indignatio mea et succendatur et non sit qui extinguat propter malitiam cogitationum vestrarum
Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh, 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 adnuntiate in Iuda et in Hierusalem auditum facite loquimini et canite tuba in terra clamate fortiter 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! Don’t 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 desolationem 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 nobis
For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, lament and wail; for the fierce anger of Yahweh hasn’t 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 Yahweh, “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 Hierusalem dicens pax erit vobis et ecce pervenit gladius usque ad animam
Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! 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 Hierusalem 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 sed 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 Hierusalem 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 adnuntiantis 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 Hierusalem 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 ait Dominus
As keepers of a field, they are against her all around, because she has been rebellious against me,’” says Yahweh.
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 bucinae audivit anima mea clamorem proelii
My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart! My heart trembles within me. I can’t 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 bucinae
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 don’t know me. They are foolish children, and they have no understanding. They are skillful in doing evil, but they don’t 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 Yahweh, before his fierce anger.
27 haec enim dicit Dominus deserta erit omnis terra sed tamen consummationem non faciam
For Yahweh says, “The whole land will be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.
28 lugebit terra et maerebunt caeli desuper eo quod locutus sum cogitavi et non paenituit 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 conponeris 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 intermorientis 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.”
