Jeremiah 17

1The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, andwith the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the tablet of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars;

1The sin of Judah is recorded with an iron pen and a diamond point. It is carved deep into their hearts and on the corners of their altars.

2whilst their children remember their altars and their Asherim by the green trees upon the high hills.

2Even their children remember the altars and the symbols of the goddess Asherah that stand beside green trees and on the high hills.

3O my mountain in the field, I will give thy substance and all thy treasures for a spoil, and thy high places, because of sin, throughout all thy borders.

3My mountain in the open country, I will give away all your wealth and treasures as plunder. I will do this because of the sin at your shrines throughout all your land.

4And thou, even of thyself, shalt discontinue from thy heritage that I gave thee; and I will cause thee to serve thine enemies in the land which thou knowest not: for ye have kindled a fire in mine anger which shall burn for ever.

4You will lose the inheritance I gave you by your own doing. I will make you serve your enemies in a land you do not know, for you have started a fire in my anger that will burn forever.

5Thus saith Jehovah: Cursed is the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from Jehovah.

5This is what the LORD says: Cursed is the person who trusts in mere humans, who relies on human strength and turns his heart away from the LORD.

6For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh, but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited.

6He will be like a stunted bush in the desert. He will not see prosperity when it comes, but will live in the parched places of the wilderness, in a salty land where no one else lives.

7Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah, and whose trust Jehovah is.

7Blessed is the person who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in the LORD.

8For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat cometh, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

8He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends its roots out toward the stream. It does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves stay green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never stops producing fruit.

9The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?

9The human heart is more deceitful than anything else and is desperately sick. Who can really understand it?

10I, Jehovah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

10I, the LORD, search the mind and test the heart. I give to each person according to their ways and according to the results of what they do.

11As the partridge that sitteth on eggs which she hath not laid, so is he that getteth riches, and not by right; in the midst of his days they shall leave him, and at his end he shall be a fool.

11Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay is the person who gains wealth unfairly. In the middle of his life it will leave him, and in the end he will prove to be a fool.

12A glorious throne, seton high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary.

12Our sanctuary is a glorious throne, set high from the very beginning.

13O Jehovah, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be put to shame. They that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken Jehovah, the fountain of living waters.

13LORD, you are the hope of Israel. All who abandon you will be put to shame. Those who turn away from me will be written in the dust because they have abandoned the LORD, the fountain of living water.

14Heal me, O Jehovah, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.

14Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.

15Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of Jehovah? let it come now.

15The people keep saying to me, 'Where is the message from the LORD? Let it happen now!'

16As for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd after thee; neither have I desired the woeful day; thou knowest: that which came out of my lips was before thy face.

16But I have not run away from being a shepherd for you, nor have I longed for the day of disaster. You know what I said; my words were spoken right in front of you.

17Be not a terror unto me: thou art my refuge in the day of evil.

17Do not be a source of terror to me. You are my place of safety in the day of trouble.

18Let them be put to shame that persecute me, but let not me be put to shame; let them be dismayed, but let not me be dismayed; bring upon them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.

18Let my persecutors be put to shame, but do not let me be shamed. Let them be terrified, but do not let me be terrified. Bring the day of disaster upon them and destroy them with double destruction.

19Thus said Jehovah unto me: Go, and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem;

19This is what the LORD said to me: 'Go and stand in the People’s Gate, where the kings of Judah enter and exit, and stand in all the other gates of Jerusalem.'

20and say unto them, Hear ye the word of Jehovah, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:

20Say to them: 'Listen to the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all you people of Judah and Jerusalem who enter through these gates.'

21Thus saith Jehovah, Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem;

21This is what the LORD says: 'Be careful for the sake of your lives. Do not carry any loads on the Sabbath day or bring them through the gates of Jerusalem.'

22neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work: but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.

22'Do not carry a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day or do any work. Keep the Sabbath day holy, just as I commanded your ancestors.'

23But they hearkened not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.

23'But they did not listen or pay attention. They were stubborn and refused to listen or accept correction.'

24And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto me, saith Jehovah, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein;

24'But if you are careful to obey me, says the LORD, and bring no loads through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but keep the Sabbath day holy by doing no work on it,'

25then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall remain for ever.

25'then kings and princes who sit on David’s throne will enter the gates of this city. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the people of Judah and Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever.'

26And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places round about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the lowland, and from the hill-country, and from the South, bringing burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, and meal-offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving, unto the house of Jehovah.

26'People will come from the towns of Judah, the areas around Jerusalem, the land of Benjamin, the western foothills, the hill country, and the southern desert. They will bring burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and incense, along with thank offerings to the temple of the LORD.'

27But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.

27'But if you do not obey me and keep the Sabbath day holy—if you carry loads through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath—then I will start a fire in the gates that will consume the palaces of Jerusalem and will not be put out.'