1 H ear ye the word which Jehovah speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O people of Israel.

2 t hus saith Jehovah, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.

The Lord says, “Do not learn the way of the nations. And do not be afraid of the things seen in the heavens, even if the nations are afraid of them.

3 F or the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.

For the ways of the people are of no use. They cut wood from the trees. A workman cuts it with an ax.

4 T hey deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

They make it beautiful with silver and gold. They put it together with nails so that it cannot fall apart.

5 T hey are like a palm-tree, of turned work, and speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.

Their false gods are like a wooden man set up in a vegetable field to make birds be afraid and stay away. They cannot speak. They must be carried, because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot hurt you. And they cannot help you.”

6 T here is none like unto thee, O Jehovah; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.

There is no one like You, O Lord. You are great, and Your name is great in power.

7 W ho should not fear thee, O King of the nations? for to thee doth it appertain; forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like unto thee.

Who would not fear You, O King of the nations? For You should be honored with fear. Among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their lands, there is no one like You.

8 B ut they are together brutish and foolish: the instruction of idols! it is but a stock.

They are all poor thinkers and foolish. What can they learn from a false god of wood?

9 T here is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skilful men.

Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz. They are the work of an able workman and of one who works with gold. Their clothing is blue and purple. They are all the work of able workmen.

10 B ut Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation.

But the Lord is the true God. He is the living God and the King Who lives forever. The earth shakes at His anger. And the nations cannot last when He is angry.

11 T hus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.

This is what you should say to them: “The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will be destroyed from the earth and from under the heavens.” A Song of Praise

12 H e hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens:

It is He Who made the earth by His power, and the world by His wisdom. By His understanding He has spread out the heavens.

13 w hen he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries.

When He speaks, there is a storm of waters in the heavens. He makes the clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and brings out the wind from His store-houses.

14 E very man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

Every man is a poor thinker and without learning. Every one who works with gold is put to shame by his false gods. For his objects of worship fool people. There is no breath in them.

15 T hey are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

They are without worth, and make fun of the truth. In the time of their punishment, they will be destroyed.

16 T he portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.

He Who is the God of Jacob is not like these, for He has made all things. And Israel is His chosen family. The Lord of All is His name. People of Jerusalem Will Be Taken Away

17 G ather up thy wares out of the land, O thou that abidest in the siege.

Pick up your load from the ground, you who are shut in by armies!

18 F or thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.

For the Lord says, “See, I am throwing out the people of the land at this time. And I will trouble them, that they may feel it.”

19 W oe is me because of my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.

It is bad for me because I am hurt! My sore cannot be healed. But I said, “For sure this sickness is mine, and I must suffer with it.”

20 M y tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth from me, and they are not: there is none to spread my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

My tent is destroyed and all my ropes are broken. My sons have gone from me and are no more. There is no one to put up my tent again or to set up my curtains.

21 F or the shepherds are become brutish, and have not inquired of Jehovah: therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered.

For the shepherds are poor thinkers and have not asked for the Lord’s help. So they have not done well, and all their flock is sent different places.

22 T he voice of tidings, behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling-place of jackals.

Listen, the sound of news! See, it comes! Much noise of moving is coming out of the land of the north to destroy the cities of Judah, and to make it a place where wild dogs live. Jeremiah’s Prayer

23 O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

O Lord, I know that a man’s way is not known by himself. It is not in man to lead his own steps.

24 O Jehovah, correct me, but in measure: not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

Punish me when I need it, O Lord, but be fair. Do not punish me in Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing.

25 P our out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have devoured Jacob, yea, they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.

Pour out Your anger on the nations that do not know You, and on the families that do not call on Your name. For they have destroyed Jacob. They have destroyed him and have laid waste his land.