1 H ear the word which Yahweh speaks to you, house of Israel!

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

2 Y ahweh says, “Don’t learn the way of the nations, and don’t be dismayed at the signs of the sky; 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 cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the ax.

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 not move.

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 don’t speak: they must be carried, because they can’t go. Don’t be afraid of them; for they can’t 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 no one like you, Yahweh; you are great, and your 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 you, King of the nations? For it belongs to you; because among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is no one like you.

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 skillful 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 Yahweh is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembles, and the nations are not able to withstand 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 Y ou shall say this to 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 has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has 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 utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightnings for the rain, and brings 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 has become brutish and without knowledge; every goldsmith is disappointed by his engraved 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: Yahweh of Armies 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 your wares out of the land, you who live under siege.

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

18 F or Yahweh says, 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 have gone away from me, and they are no more. There is no one 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 Yahweh: 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 news, behold, it comes, 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 Y ahweh, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man who walks 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 Y ahweh, correct me, but in measure: not in your anger, lest you 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 your wrath on the nations that don’t know you, and on the families that don’t call on your name: for they have devoured Jacob, yes, 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.