1 T he word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord:

2 R ise, and thou hast gone down the potter's house, and there I 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 a nd I go down the potter's house, and lo, he is doing a work on the stones,

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

4 a nd marred is the vessel that he is making, as clay in the hand of the potter, and he hath turned and he maketh it another vessel, as it was right in the eyes of the potter to make.

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 A nd there is a word of Jehovah to me, saying:

Then the word of the Lord came to me:

6 A s this potter am I not able to do to you? O house of Israel, an affirmation of Jehovah. Lo, as clay in the hand of the potter, So 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 T he moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, To pluck up and to break 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 A nd that nation hath turned from its evil, Because I have spoken against it, Then I have repented of the evil that I thought to do to it.

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 the moment I speak concerning a nation, And concerning a kingdom, to build, and to plant,

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

10 A nd it hath done the evil thing in Mine eyes, So as not to hearken to My voice, Then I have repented of the good That I have spoken of doing to it.

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 A nd now, speak, I pray thee, unto men of Judah, And against inhabitants of Jerusalem, Saying: Thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am framing against you evil, And devising against you a device, Turn back, I pray you, each from his evil way And amen 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 have said, It is incurable, For after our own devices we do go, And each the stubbornness of his evil heart we do.

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 said Jehovah: Ask, I pray you, among the nations, Who hath heard like these? A very horrible thing hath the virgin of Israel done.

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 D oth snow of Lebanon Cease from the rock of the field? Failed are the cold strange waters that flow?

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 ut My people have forgotten Me, to a vain thing they make perfume, And they cause them to stumble in their ways -- paths of old, To walk in paths -- a way not raised 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 become a desolation, A hissing age-during, Every passer by it is astonished, And bemoaneth with 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 A s an east wind I scatter them before an enemy, The neck, and not the face, I shew them, 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 A nd they say, Come, And we devise against Jeremiah devices, For law doth not perish from the priest, Nor counsel from the wise, Nor the word from the prophet, Come, and we smite him with the tongue, And we do not attend 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 attention, O Jehovah, unto me, And hearken to the voice of those contending with me.

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

20 I s evil recompensed instead of good, That they have dug a pit for my soul? Remember my standing before Thee to speak good of them, To turn back 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, give up their sons to famine, And cause them to run on the sides of the sword, And their wives are bereaved and widows, And their men are slain by death, Their young men smitten by 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 A cry is heard from their houses, For Thou bringest against them suddenly a troop, For they dug a pit to capture me, And snares they have hidden 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 A nd Thou, O Jehovah, Thou hast known, All their counsel against me for death, Thou dost not cover over their iniquity, Nor their sin from before Thee blottest out, And they are made to stumble before Thee, In the time of Thine anger work against them!

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.