Jeremiah 18

1The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,

1This is the message that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

2Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

2'Get up and go down to the potter’s house. There I will give you my message.'

3Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels.

3So I went down to the potter’s house and saw him working at his pottery wheel.

4And when the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

4But the clay pot he was forming didn't turn out right in his hands. So the potter smashed it down and shaped it into a different pot, just as it seemed best to him.

5Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

5Then the word of the LORD came to me:

6O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith Jehovah. Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are ye in my hand, O house of Israel.

6'People of Israel, can I not do with you just as this potter does?' asks the LORD. 'Look, like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, people of Israel.'

7At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it;

7If at any time I announce that a nation or a kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed,

8if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

8and if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will change my mind about the disaster I planned to bring on them.

9And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

9And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted,

10if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

10but then they do evil in my sight and do not obey me, I will change my mind about the good I had intended to do for them.

11Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

11So now, tell the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem: This is what the LORD says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and making a plan against you. So turn now, every one of you, from your evil ways. Change your life and your actions.

12But they say, It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart.

12But they will answer, 'It’s no use. We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of our evil hearts.'

13Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Ask ye now among the nations, who hath heard such things; the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.

13Therefore, the LORD says: 'Ask around among the nations: Who has ever heard of such a thing? The people of Israel have done something absolutely horrible.'

14Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? or shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?

14Does the snow ever disappear from the rocky peaks of Lebanon? Do the cold waters flowing from distant mountains ever run dry?

15For my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to false gods; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, in a way not cast up;

15Yet my people have forgotten me. They burn incense to worthless idols. These idols made them stumble in their ways and leave the ancient paths to walk on muddy tracks instead of a main road.

16to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

16They have made their land an object of horror and something to be hissed at forever. Everyone who passes by will be shocked and shake their heads.

17I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.

17Like a strong wind from the east, I will scatter them before their enemies. I will show them my back and not my face on the day of their disaster.

18Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

18Then the people said, 'Come, let’s make a plan against Jeremiah. After all, we will always have priests to teach the law, wise men to give advice, and prophets to speak the word. Come, let’s bring him down with our tongues and ignore everything he says.'

19Give heed to me, O Jehovah, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

19Listen to me, O LORD! Hear what my enemies are saying against me.

20Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before thee to speak good for them, to turn away thy wrath from them.

20Should good be paid back with evil? Yet they have dug a pit to catch me. Remember how I stood before you to speak up for them, trying to turn your anger away from them.碎

21Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, and their young men smitten of the sword in battle.

21So let their children starve, and hand them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives lose their children and their husbands. Let their men be put to death, and their young men be cut down by the sword in battle.

22Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them; for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

22Let a cry of terror be heard from their houses when you bring an army against them suddenly. They have dug a pit to trap me and hidden snares for my feet.

23Yet, Jehovah, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me; forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight; but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thou with them in the time of thine anger.

23But you, LORD, know all their plots to kill me. Do not forgive their crimes or wipe out their sins from your sight. Let them be brought down before you. Deal with them while you are angry.