1 ¶ The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord:

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

Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.

3 T hen I went down to the potter’s house; and, behold, he wrought a work upon a wheel.

Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he was working at the wheel.

4 A nd the vessel that he made of clay was broken in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

And the vessel that he was making from clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he made it over, reworking it into another vessel as it seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 T hen the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Then the word of the Lord came to me:

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

O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does? says the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.

7 I n an instant I shall speak against Gentiles and against kingdoms, to pluck up and to pull down and to destroy.

At one time I will suddenly speak concerning a nation or kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it;

8 B ut if these Gentiles shall turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

And if that nation concerning which I have spoken turn from their evil, I will relent and reverse My decision concerning the evil that I thought to do to them.

9 A nd in an instant I shall speak concerning the nation and concerning the kingdom, to build and to plant it;

At another time I will suddenly speak concerning a nation or kingdom, that I will build up and plant it;

10 b ut if it should do evil in my sight, not hearing my voice, then I will repent of the good that I had determined to do unto them.

And if they do evil in My sight, obeying not My voice, then I will regret and reverse My decision concerning the good with which I said I would benefit them.

11 ¶ Now therefore, speak to every man of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus hath the LORD said: Behold, I ordain evil against you and devise plans against you; return ye now each one from his evil way, and better your ways and your doings.

Now therefore say to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Return now each one from his evil way; reform your ways and make your actions good and right.

12 A nd they said, This is useless, for we must walk after our own devices, and we must each one do the imagination of his evil heart.

But they will say, That is in vain! For we will walk after our own devices, and we will each do as the stubbornness of his own evil heart dictates.

13 T herefore thus hath the LORD said; Ask now among the Gentiles, who has heard such things: the virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

Therefore thus says the Lord: Ask now among the nations: Who has heard such things? Virgin Israel has done a very vile and horrible thing.

14 W ill anyone leave the snow of the rock of the field that flows from Lebanon? or shall they forsake the singular, cold, flowing waters?

Will the snow of Mount Lebanon fail and vanish from its rocks ? Will the cold, rushing waters of strange lands be dried up?

15 B ecause my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not trodden;

Yet My people have forgotten Me; they burn incense to false gods, they have been caused to stumble in their ways and in the ancient roads, to walk in bypaths, in a way not graded and built up,

16 t o make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passes thereby shall be astonished and wag his head.

Making their land a desolation and a horror, a thing to be hissed at perpetually; everyone who passes by shall be astounded and horrified and shake his head.

17 I 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 perdition.

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

18 ¶ Then they said, 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 consider any of his words.

Then said, Come and let us devise schemes against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not pay any attention to his words.

19 C onsider me, O LORD, and hear the voice of those that contend with me.

Give heed to me, Lord; listen to my adversaries.

20 S hall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them and to turn away thy wrath from them.

Shall evil be recompensed for good? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. remember that I stood before You to speak good for them, to turn away Your anger from them.

21 T herefore deliver up their sons to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.

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

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

Let a cry be heard from their houses when You suddenly bring a troop upon them, for they have dug a pit to take me and have hidden snares for my feet.

23 Y et, LORD, thou dost know all their counsel against me to slay me; do not forgive their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.

Yet, Lord, You know all their plotting against me to slay me. Forgive not their iniquity, nor blot out their sin from Your sight. But let them be overthrown before You; deal with them in the time of Your anger.