Jeremiah 18:7-23 ▼

7 The moment I speak concerning a nation, || And concerning a kingdom, || To pluck up and to break down, and to destroy,

8 And that nation has turned from its evil, || Because I have spoken against it, || Then I have relented of the calamity that I thought to do to it.

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

10 And it has done evil in My eyes, || So as not to listen to My voice, || Then I have relented of the good || That I have spoken of doing to it.

11 And now, speak now to men of Judah, || And against inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, || Thus said YHWH: Behold, I am framing calamity against you, || And devising a scheme against you; Please turn back, each from his evil way, || And amend your ways and your doings.”

12 And they have said, “It is incurable, || For we go after our own plans, || And each of us does the stubbornness of his evil heart.”

13 Therefore, thus said YHWH: “Now ask among the nations, || Who has heard such things? The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

14 Does snow of Lebanon || Cease from the rock of the field? Will the cold strange [waters] that are flowing be forsaken?

15 But My people have forgotten Me, they make incense to a vain thing, || And they cause them to stumble in their ways—paths of old, || To walk in paths—a way not raised up,

16 To make their land become a desolation, || A continuous hissing, || Everyone passing by it is astonished, || And bemoans with his head.

17 I scatter them before an enemy as with an east wind, || I show them the neck and not the face, || In the day of their calamity.”

18 And they say, “Come, || And we devise schemes against Jeremiah, || For law does not perish from the priest, || Nor counsel from the wise, || Nor the word from the prophet, || Come, and we strike him with the tongue, || And we do not attend to any of his words.”

19 Give attention, O YHWH, to me, || And listen to the voice of those contending with me.

20 Is evil repaid instead of good, || That they have dug a pit for my soul? Remember my standing before You to speak good of them, || To turn back Your wrath from them.

21 Therefore, 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 [are] struck by sword in battle,

22 A cry is heard from their houses, || For You suddenly bring a troop against them, || For they dug a pit to capture me, || And they have hidden snares for my feet.

23 And You, O YHWH, You have known, || All their counsel against me [is] for death, || You do not cover over their iniquity, || Nor blot out their sin from before You, || And they are made to stumble before You, || Work against them in the time of Your anger!