Jeremiah 20

1Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in the house of Jehovah, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.

1Pashhur son of Immer, the priest who was the chief official in the LORD’s temple, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.

2Then Pashhur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, which was in the house of Jehovah.

2Then Pashhur had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put him in the wooden stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin, which was in the LORD’s temple.

3And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashhur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, Jehovah hath not called thy name Pashhur, but Magor-missabib.

3The next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, 'The LORD doesn't call you Pashhur anymore, but Terror on Every Side.'

4For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends; and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it; and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive to Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

4For the LORD says, 'I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They will be killed by the sword of their enemies while you watch. I will hand all of Judah over to the king of Babylon, and he will take them away as prisoners to Babylon or kill them with the sword.'

5Moreover I will give all the riches of this city, and all the gains thereof, and all the precious things thereof, yea, all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies; and they shall make them a prey, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.

5'I will also give all the wealth of this city, all its hard-earned products, all its valuables, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah to their enemies. They will loot it all, seize it, and carry it off to Babylon.'

6And thou, Pashhur, and all that dwell in thy house shall go into captivity; and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and there shalt thou be buried, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied falsely.

6'And you, Pashhur, along with everyone living in your house, will go into captivity. You will go to Babylon and die there, and you will be buried there—you and all your friends to whom you have preached lies.'

7O Jehovah, thou hast persuaded me, and I was persuaded; thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am become a laughing-stock all the day, every one mocketh me.

7LORD, you persuaded me and I let myself be persuaded. You are stronger than I am, and you won. Now I am laughed at all day long; everyone makes fun of me.

8For as often as I speak, I cry out; I cry, Violence and destruction! because the word of Jehovah is made a reproach unto me, and a derision, all the day.

8Whenever I speak, I shout out, crying, 'Violence and destruction!' So the word of the LORD has brought me nothing but insults and mockery all day long.

9And if I say, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot contain.

9But if I say, 'I won't mention him or speak in his name anymore,' then his word is like a fire burning in my heart, shut up in my bones. I am worn out trying to hold it in, and I just can't do it.

10For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, say all my familiar friends, they that watch for my fall; peradventure he will be persuaded, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

10I hear many people whispering, 'Terror is on every side! Let's report him! Let's denounce him!' Even my close friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, 'Maybe he can be tricked; then we can defeat him and get our revenge.'

11But Jehovah is with me as a mighty one and a terrible: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail; they shall be utterly put to shame, because they have not dealt wisely, even with an everlasting dishonor which shall never be forgotten.

11But the LORD is with me like a terrifying warrior. Therefore, those who persecute me will stumble and will not win. They will be totally disgraced because they failed; their shame will never be forgotten.

12But, O Jehovah of hosts, that triest the righteous, that seest the heart and the mind, let me see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

12LORD of Heaven’s Armies, you test the righteous and see people's hearts and minds. Let me see you take your revenge on them, for I have committed my cause to you.

13Sing unto Jehovah, praise ye Jehovah; for he hath delivered the soul of the needy from the hand of evil-doers.

13Sing to the LORD! Praise the LORD! For he rescues the life of the needy from the power of evil people.

14Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

14Curse the day I was born! May the day my mother gave birth to me never be celebrated.

15Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man-child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

15Curse the man who brought the news to my father, saying, 'A baby boy is born to you!' and made him so happy.

16And let that man be as the cities which Jehovah overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime;

16Let that man be like the cities the LORD destroyed without mercy. Let him hear sounds of alarm in the morning and battle cries at noon,

17because he slew me not from the womb; and so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great.

17because he didn't kill me in the womb. Then my mother would have been my grave, and I would have stayed inside her forever.

18Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?

18Why did I ever come out of the womb only to see trouble and sorrow, and to end my days in shame?