إِرْمِيَا 23

١ 1 «وَيْلٌ لِلرُّعَاةِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُهْلِكُونَ وَيُبَدِّدُونَ غَنَمَ رَعِيَّتِي، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

What trouble is coming to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! declares the Lord.

٢ 2 لِذَلِكَ هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ إِلَهُ إِسْرَائِيلَ عَنِ ٱلرُّعَاةِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَرْعَوْنَ شَعْبِي: أَنْتُمْ بَدَّدْتُمْ غَنَمِي وَطَرَدْتُمُوهَا وَلَمْ تَتَعَهَّدُوهَا. هَأَنَذَا أُعَاقِبُكُمْ عَلَى شَرِّ أَعْمَالِكُمْ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who were meant to look after my people: You have scattered my flock. You have chased them away You didn't take care of them, so now I will take care of you for all the evil you've done, declares the Lord.

٣ 3 وَأَنَا أَجْمَعُ بَقِيَّةَ غَنَمِي مِنْ جَمِيعِ ٱلْأَرَاضِي ٱلَّتِي طَرَدْتُهَا إِلَيْهَا، وَأَرُدُّهَا إِلَى مَرَابِضِهَا فَتُثْمِرُ وَتَكْثُرُ.

I myself will gather what's left of my flock from all the countries where I exiled them, and I will bring them back to their pasture, where they will increase in number.

٤ 4 وَأُقِيمُ عَلَيْهَا رُعَاةً يَرْعَوْنَهَا فَلَا تَخَافُ بَعْدُ وَلَا تَرْتَعِدُ وَلَا تُفْقَدُ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

I will put shepherds in charge of them who will take care of them, and they won't be afraid or discouraged anymore, and none of them will be missing, declares the Lord.

٥ 5 «هَا أَيَّامٌ تَأْتِي، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، وَأُقِيمُ لِدَاوُدَ غُصْنَ بِرٍّ، فَيَمْلِكُ مَلِكٌ وَيَنْجَحُ، وَيُجْرِي حَقًّا وَعَدْلًا فِي ٱلْأَرْضِ.

Look, the time is coming, declares the Lord, when I will choose a descendant of David who does what is right. As king he will rule with wisdom and do what is just and right throughout the country.

٦ 6 فِي أَيَّامِهِ يُخَلَّصُ يَهُوذَا، وَيَسْكُنُ إِسْرَائِيلُ آمِنًا، وَهَذَا هُوَ ٱسْمُهُ ٱلَّذِي يَدْعُونَهُ بِهِ: ٱلرَّبُّ بِرُّنَا.

When he is king, Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. This is the name he will be called: The Lord Who Makes Us Right.

٧ 7 لِذَلِكَ هَا أَيَّامٌ تَأْتِي، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، وَلَا يَقُولُونَ بَعْدُ: حَيٌّ هُوَ ٱلرَّبُّ ٱلَّذِي أَصْعَدَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ أَرْضِ مِصْرَ،

Look, the time is coming, declares the Lord, when people won't say anymore, “On the Lord's life, who led the Israelites out of Egypt.”

٨ 8 بَلْ: حَيٌّ هُوَ ٱلرَّبُّ ٱلَّذِي أَصْعَدَ وَأَتَى بِنَسْلِ بَيْتِ إِسْرَائِيلَ مِنْ أَرْضِ ٱلشِّمَالِ وَمِنْ جَمِيعِ ٱلْأَرَاضِي ٱلَّتِي طَرَدْتُهُمْ إِلَيْهَا فَيَسْكُنُونَ فِي أَرْضِهِمْ».

Instead they'll say, “On the Lord's life, who led the Israelites back from the northern country and all the other countries where he had exiled them.” Then they'll live in their own country.

٩ 9 فِي ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ: اِنْسَحَقَ قَلْبِي فِي وَسَطِي. ٱرْتَخَتْ كُلُّ عِظَامِي. صِرْتُ كَإِنْسَانٍ سَكْرَانَ وَمِثْلَ رَجُلٍ غَلَبَتْهُ ٱلْخَمْرُ، مِنْ أَجْلِ ٱلرَّبِّ وَمِنْ أَجْلِ كَلَامِ قُدْسِهِ.

When it comes to the prophets: I'm really disturbed—I'm shaking inside! I stagger like a drunk, like someone who's had too much wine, because of what the Lord is like, because of his holy words.

١٠ 10 لِأَنَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱمْتَلَأَتْ مِنَ ٱلْفَاسِقِينَ. لِأَنَّهُ مِنْ أَجْلِ ٱللَّعْنِ نَاحَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ. جَفَّتْ مَرَاعِي ٱلْبَرِّيَّةِ، وَصَارَ سَعْيُهُمْ لِلشَّرِّ، وَجَبَرُوتُهُمْ لِلْبَاطِلِ.

For the country is full of people committing adultery so it's under a curse. The land mourns and the desert pastures have dried up. The people live evil lives, using their energy to do wrong.

١١ 11 «لِأَنَّ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءَ وَٱلْكَهَنَةَ تَنَجَّسُوا جَمِيعًا، بَلْ فِي بَيْتِي وَجَدْتُ شَرَّهُمْ يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

Both prophets and priests show no respect for me. I see wickedness even in my Temple, declares the Lord.

١٢ 12 لِذَلِكَ يَكُونُ طَرِيقُهُمْ لَهُمْ كَمَزَالِقَ فِي ظَلَامٍ دَامِسٍ، فَيُطْرَدُونَ وَيَسْقُطُونَ فِيهَا، لِأَنِّي أَجْلِبُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَرًّا سَنَةَ عِقَابِهِمْ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

That's why their path will become slippery; they will be chased away in the dark and fall down. I'm going to bring disaster on them at the time when they're punished, declares the Lord.

١٣ 13 وَقَدْ رَأَيْتُ فِي أَنْبِيَاءِ ٱلسَّامِرَةِ حَمَاقَةً. تَنَبَّأُوا بِٱلْبَعْلِ وَأَضَلُّوا شَعْبِي إِسْرَائِيلَ.

I saw the prophets of Samaria doing something really offensive: They prophesied in the name of Baal and led my people Israel to sin.

١٤ 14 وَفِي أَنْبِيَاءِ أُورُشَلِيمَ رَأَيْتُ مَا يُقْشَعَرُّ مِنْهُ. يَفْسِقُونَ وَيَسْلُكُونَ بِٱلْكَذِبِ، وَيُشَدِّدُونَ أَيَادِيَ فَاعِلِي ٱلشَّرِّ حَتَّى لَا يَرْجِعُوا ٱلْوَاحِدُ عَنْ شَرِّهِ. صَارُوا لِي كُلُّهُمْ كَسَدُومَ، وَسُكَّانُهَا كَعَمُورَةَ.

But now I see the prophets of Jerusalem doing something even more disgusting: They commit adultery and their lives are a lie. They support the wicked, so no one stops sinning. To me they're all like Sodom; the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.

١٥ 15 لِذَلِكَ هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ عَنِ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ: هَأَنَذَا أُطْعِمُهُمْ أَفْسَنْتِينًا وَأَسْقِيهِمْ مَاءَ ٱلْعَلْقَمِ، لِأَنَّهُ مِنْ عِنْدِ أَنْبِيَاءِ أُورُشَلِيمَ خَرَجَ نِفَاقٌ فِي كُلِّ ٱلْأَرْضِ.

So this is what the Lord Almighty says about the prophets: I will give them wormwood to eat and poisoned water to drink, because evil has spread across the country from the prophets of Jerusalem.

١٦ 16 هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ: لَا تَسْمَعُوا لِكَلَامِ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَنَبَّأُونَ لَكُمْ، فَإِنَّهُمْ يَجْعَلُونَكُمْ بَاطِلًا. يَتَكَلَّمُونَ بِرُؤْيَا قَلْبِهِمْ لَا عَنْ فَمِ ٱلرَّبِّ.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: Don't pay attention to what these prophets say when they prophesy to you. They're fooling you with visions they make up in their own minds. They're not from me.

١٧ 17 قَائِلِينَ قَوْلًا لِمُحْتَقِرِيَّ: قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: يَكُونُ لَكُمْ سَلَامٌ! وَيَقُولُونَ لِكُلِّ مَنْ يَسِيرُ فِي عِنَادِ قَلْبِهِ: لَا يَأْتِي عَلَيْكُمْ شَرٌّ.

They keep on telling people who don't respect me, “The Lord says that you'll live in peace,” and to everyone following their own stubborn attitude, “Nothing bad is going to happen to you.”

١٨ 18 لِأَنَّهُ مَنْ وَقَفَ فِي مَجْلِسِ ٱلرَّبِّ وَرَأَى وَسَمِعَ كَلِمَتَهُ؟ مَنْ أَصْغَى لِكَلِمَتِهِ وَسَمِعَ؟».

But who of them has attended the Lord's council to hear and understand what he's saying? Who has paid attention to his instructions and followed them?

١٩ 19 هَا زَوْبَعَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ. غَيْظٌ يَخْرُجُ، وَنَوْءٌ هَائِجٌ. عَلَى رُؤُوسِ ٱلْأَشْرَارِ يَثُورُ.

Watch out! The Lord has sent out a furious storm, a tornado swirling around the heads of the wicked.

٢٠ 20 لَا يَرْتَدُّ غَضَبُ ٱلرَّبِّ حَتَّى يُجْرِيَ وَيُقِيمَ مَقَاصِدَ قَلْبِهِ. فِي آخِرِ ٱلْأَيَّامِ تَفْهَمُونَ فَهْمًا.

The Lord's anger won't fade until he's finished doing everything he wants. Only then will you really understand.

٢١ 21 «لَمْ أُرْسِلِ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءَ بَلْ هُمْ جَرَوْا. لَمْ أَتَكَلَّمْ مَعَهُمْ بَلْ هُمْ تَنَبَّأُوا.

I didn't send these prophets, but they run to deliver their messages. I didn't tell them to say anything, but they still go on prophesying.

٢٢ 22 وَلَوْ وَقَفُوا فِي مَجْلِسِي لَأَخْبَرُوا شَعْبِي بِكَلَامِي وَرَدُّوهُمْ عَنْ طَرِيقِهِمِ ٱلرَّدِيءِ وَعَنْ شَرِّ أَعْمَالِهِمْ.

Now if they had attended my council, they would have delivered my instructions to my people and brought them back from their evil way of life, from their evil actions.

٢٣ 23 أَلَعَلِّي إِلَهٌ مِنْ قَرِيبٍ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، وَلَسْتُ إِلَهًا مِنْ بَعِيدٍ.

Am I only a local God and not a God who operates widely? asks the Lord.

٢٤ 24 إِذَا ٱخْتَبَأَ إِنْسَانٌ فِي أَمَاكِنَ مُسْتَتِرَةٍ أَفَمَا أَرَاهُ أَنَا، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ؟ أَمَا أَمْلَأُ أَنَا ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ؟

Can people hide in secret places where I can't see them? asks the Lord. Don't I operate everywhere in heaven and on earth? asks the Lord.

٢٥ 25 قَدْ سَمِعْتُ مَا قَالَهُ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءُ ٱلَّذِينَ تَنَبَّأُوا بِٱسْمِي بِٱلْكَذِبِ قَائِلِينَ: حَلِمْتُ، حَلِمْتُ.

I've listened to the prophets who prophesy lies in my name. They say, “I've had a dream! I've had a dream!”

٢٦ 26 حَتَّى مَتَى يُوجَدُ فِي قَلْبِ ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ ٱلْمُتَنَبِّئِينَ بِٱلْكَذِبِ؟ بَلْ هُمْ أَنْبِيَاءُ خِدَاعِ قَلْبِهِمِ!

How long will this continue? How long will these prophets go on prophesying these lies which are just the product of their own deluded minds?

٢٧ 27 ٱلَّذِينَ يُفَكِّرُونَ أَنْ يُنَسُّوا شَعْبِي ٱسْمِي بِأَحْلَامِهِمِ ٱلَّتِي يَقُصُّونَهَا ٱلرَّجُلُ عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ، كَمَا نَسِيَ آبَاؤُهُمُ ٱسْمِي لِأَجْلِ ٱلْبَعْلِ.

They think the dreams that they repeat to one another will lead my people to forget me, just like their forefathers forgot me by worshiping Baal.

٢٨ 28 اَلنَّبِيُّ ٱلَّذِي مَعَهُ حُلْمٌ فَلْيَقُصَّ حُلْمًا، وَٱلَّذِي مَعَهُ كَلِمَتِي فَلْيَتَكَلَّمْ بِكَلِمَتِي بِٱلْحَقِّ. مَا لِلتِّبْنِ مَعَ ٱلْحِنْطَةِ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

A prophet who has a dream should say it's just a dream, but anyone I've spoken to should deliver my message faithfully. What is straw in comparison to grain? asks the Lord.

٢٩ 29 «أَلَيْسَتْ هَكَذَا كَلِمَتِي كَنَارٍ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، وَكَمِطْرَقَةٍ تُحَطِّمُ ٱلصَّخْرَ؟

Doesn't my word burn like fire? asks the Lord. Isn't it like a hammer smashing a rock?

٣٠ 30 لِذَلِكَ هَأَنَذَا عَلَى ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْرِقُونَ كَلِمَتِي بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ.

Pay attention to this, declares the Lord. I'm opposed to those prophets who steal words from one another and then say it's a message from me.

٣١ 31 هَأَنَذَا عَلَى ٱلْأَنْبِيَاءِ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، ٱلَّذِينَ يَأْخُذُونَ لِسَانَهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ: قَالَ.

Pay attention to this declares the Lord. I'm opposed to those prophets who make up their own stories and then announce, “This is what the Lord says.”

٣٢ 32 هَأَنَذَا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَنَبَّأُونَ بِأَحْلَامٍ كَاذِبَةٍ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، ٱلَّذِينَ يَقُصُّونَهَا وَيُضِلُّونَ شَعْبِي بِأَكَاذِيبِهِمْ وَمُفَاخَرَاتِهِمْ وَأَنَا لَمْ أُرْسِلْهُمْ وَلَا أَمَرْتُهُمْ. فَلَمْ يُفِيدُوا هَذَا ٱلشَّعْبَ فَائِدَةً، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

Pay attention to this declares the Lord, I'm opposed to those who prophesy fictional dreams. They tell them in order to lead my people into sin with their wild lies. I didn't send them or give them any instructions, and they don't do anybody any good, declares the Lord.

٣٣ 33 «وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ هَذَا ٱلشَّعْبُ أَوْ نَبِيٌّ أَوْ كَاهِنٌ قَائِلًا: مَا وَحْيُ ٱلرَّبِّ؟ فَقُلْ لَهُمْ: أَيُّ وَحْيٍ؟ إِنِّي أَرْفُضُكُمْ، هُوَ قَوْلُ ٱلرَّبِّ.

So when a prophet or priest or anyone else comes and asks you, “What is ‘the burden of the Lord?’” tell them, I'm not giving you a burden. I'm giving up on you, declares the Lord.

٣٤ 34 فَٱلنَّبِيُّ أَوِ ٱلْكَاهِنُ أَوِ ٱلشَّعْبُ ٱلَّذِي يَقُولُ: وَحْيُ ٱلرَّبِّ، أُعَاقِبُ ذَلِكَ ٱلرَّجُلَ وَبَيْتَهُ.

If a prophet or priest or anyone else claims, “This is the burden of the Lord,” I will punish that person and their family.

٣٥ 35 هَكَذَا تَقُولُونَ ٱلرَّجُلُ لِصَاحِبِهِ وَٱلرَّجُلُ لِأَخِيهِ: بِمَاذَا أَجَابَ ٱلرَّبُّ؟ وَمَاذَا تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ ٱلرَّبُّ؟

This is what everybody should say to their friends and relatives: “What answer has the Lord given?” or, “What has the Lord said?”

٣٦ 36 أَمَّا وَحْيُ ٱلرَّبِّ فَلَا تَذْكُرُوهُ بَعْدُ، لِأَنَّ كَلِمَةَ كُلِّ إِنْسَانٍ تَكُونُ وَحْيَهُ، إِذْ قَدْ حَرَّفْتُمْ كَلَامَ ٱلْإِلَهِ ٱلْحَيِّ رَبِّ ٱلْجُنُودِ إِلَهِنَا.

Don't talk about “the burden of the Lord” anymore, because everybody has different ideas about this “burden,” perverting the words of the living God, the Lord Almighty, our God.

٣٧ 37 هَكَذَا تَقُولُ لِلنَّبِيِّ: بِمَاذَا أَجَابَكَ ٱلرَّبُّ؟ وَمَاذَا تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ ٱلرَّبُّ؟

This is what you are to say ask any prophet: “What message has the Lord given you?” and “What has the Lord told you?”

٣٨ 38 وَإِذَا كُنْتُمْ تَقُولُونَ: وَحْيُ ٱلرَّبِّ، فَلِذَلِكَ هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: مِنْ أَجْلِ قَوْلِكُمْ هَذِهِ ٱلْكَلِمَةَ: وَحْيُ ٱلرَّبِّ، وَقَدْ أَرْسَلْتُ إِلَيْكُمْ قَائِلًا لَا تَقُولُوا: وَحْيُ ٱلرَّبِّ،

If they say, “This is the burden of the Lord,” then this is the Lord's response: Because you said, “This is the burden of the Lord,” and I warned you not to,

٣٩ 39 لِذَلِكَ هَأَنَذَا أَنْسَاكُمْ نِسْيَانًا، وَأَرْفُضُكُمْ مِنْ أَمَامِ وَجْهِي، أَنْتُمْ وَٱلْمَدِينَةَ ٱلَّتِي أَعْطَيْتُكُمْ وَآبَاءَكُمْ إِيَّاهَا.

now I'm going to pick you up like a burden and throw you away, you and the city that I gave to you and your forefathers.

٤٠ 40 وَأَجْعَلُ عَلَيْكُمْ عَارًا أَبَدِيًّا وَخِزْيًا أَبَدِيًّا لَا يُنْسَى».

I will disgrace you forever, you shame will never be forgotten.