1 T he word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, 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 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 behold, he was making a work on the wheels.

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

4 W hen 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.

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 Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

Then the word of the Lord came to me:

6 H ouse 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.

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

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

8 i f that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to 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 t what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a 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 i f 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.

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 N ow 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.

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 B ut 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.

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 Yahweh says: Ask now among the nations, 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 S hall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?

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

15 F or 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;

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 an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; everyone who passes thereby shall be astonished, and shake 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 calamity.

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 T hen 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.

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 G ive heed to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of those who 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 how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your 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 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.

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 you shall bring a troop suddenly on 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, 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.

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.