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

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

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 thee 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 wrought a work on the wheels.

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 made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as 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, saying,

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, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine 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 what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to 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.

If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

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

And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to 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.

If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith 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 go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.

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.

And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

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 saith the Lord; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very 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 a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?

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;

Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

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

To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag 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 shew them the back, and not the 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 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.

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

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

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? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath 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, 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.

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 thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid 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, 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 thus with them in the time of thine anger.