1The word which came to Yirmeyahu from יהוה, saying,

2“Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I let you hear My words.”

3So I went down to the potter’s house, and saw him doing a piece of work on the wheel.

4And the vessel that he made of clay was ruined in the hand of the potter, so he remade it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.

5Then the word of יהוה came to me, saying,

6“O house of Yisra’ĕl, am I not able to do with you as this potter?” declares יהוה. “Look, as the clay is in the hand of the potter, so are you in My hand, O house of Yisra’ĕl!

7“The moment I speak concerning a nation and concerning a reign, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,

8and that nation shall turn from its evil because I have spoken against it, then I shall repent of the evil that I thought to do to it.

9“And the moment I speak concerning a nation and concerning a reign, to build and to plant it,

10and it shall do evil in My eyes in not obeying My voice, then I shall repent concerning the good with which I spoke of doing to it.

11“And now, speak to the men of Yehuḏah and to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim, saying, ‘Thus said יהוה, “See, I am forming evil and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your deeds good.” ’ ”

12But they shall say, “It is no use! For we walk according to our own plans, and we do each one the stubbornness of his evil heart.”a

13Therefore thus said יהוה, “Ask now among the nations, who has heard the like of this? The maiden of Yisra’ĕl has done what is most horrible.

14“Does the snow of Leḇanon cease from the rock of the field? Or the cool flowing waters from afar dry up?

15“But My people have forgotten Me, they have burned incense to what is false, and they have stumbled from their ways, from the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths and not on a highway,

16to make their land become a ruin, a hissing forever – everyone who passes by it is appalled and shakes his head.

17“I shall scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I shall show them the back and not the face in the day of their calamity.”

18Then they said, “Come and let us devise plans against Yirmeyahu, for the Torah 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 listen to any of his words.”

19Attend to me, O יהוה, and listen to the voice of my adversaries!

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

21So give their children over to scarcity of food, and hand them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become widows and bereaved of their children. Let their men be put to death, their young men be smitten by the sword in battle.

22Let a cry be heard from their houses, when You bring a raiding party suddenly upon them. For they have dug a pit to take me, and laid snares for my feet.

23But You, O יהוה, You know all their counsel against me, to slay me. Do not pardon their crookedness, nor blot out their sin from Your presence, and let them be overthrown before You. Deal with them in the time of Your displeasure.