1 T he word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:

The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

2 “ Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you 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 there he was, making something at the wheel.

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

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

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.

5 T hen the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Then Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

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

House of Israel, can’t I do with you as this potter? says Yahweh. Behold, as the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

7 T he instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,

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

8 i f that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.

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

9 A nd the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,

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

10 i f it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.

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

11 “ Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.”’” God’s Warning Rejected

Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Yahweh says: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return you now everyone from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

12 A nd they said, “That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.”

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

13 T herefore thus says the Lord: “Ask now among the Gentiles, Who has heard such things? The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

Therefore Yahweh says: Ask now among the nations, who has heard such things; the virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

14 W ill a man leave the snow water of Lebanon, Which comes from the rock of the field? Will the cold flowing waters be forsaken for strange waters?

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

15 “ Because My people have forgotten Me, They have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in pathways and not on a highway,

For 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 byways, in a way not built up;

16 T o make their land desolate and a perpetual hissing; Everyone who passes by it will be astonished And shake his head.

to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; everyone who passes thereby shall be astonished, 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 calamity.” Jeremiah Persecuted

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 calamity.

18 T hen they said, “Come and let us devise plans 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 attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.”

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 strike him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

19 G ive heed to me, O Lord, And listen to the voice of those who contend with me!

Give heed to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me.

20 S hall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, To turn away Your wrath from them.

Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.

21 T herefore deliver up their children to the famine, And pour out their blood By the force of the sword; Let their wives become widows And bereaved of their children. Let their men be put to death, Their young men be slain By the sword in battle.

Therefore 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 struck of the sword in battle.

22 L et a cry be heard from their houses, When You bring a troop suddenly upon them; For they have dug a pit to take me, And hidden snares for my feet.

Let a cry be heard from their houses, when you shall bring a troop suddenly on them; for they have dug a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

23 Y et, Lord, You know all their counsel Which is against me, to slay me. Provide no atonement for their iniquity, Nor blot out their sin from Your sight; But let them be overthrown before You. Deal thus with them In the time of Your anger.

Yet, Yahweh, you know all their counsel against me to kill me; don’t forgive their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from your sight; but let them be overthrown before you; deal you with them in the time of your anger.