إِرْمِيَا 6

١ 1 «اُهْرُبُوا يَا بَنِي بَنْيَامِينَ مِنْ وَسْطِ أُورُشَلِيمَ، وَٱضْرِبُوا بِٱلْبُوقِ فِي تَقُوعَ، وَعَلَى بَيْتِ هَكَّارِيمَ ٱرْفَعُوا عَلَمَ نَارٍ، لِأَنَّ ٱلشَّرَّ أَشْرَفَ مِنَ ٱلشِّمَالِ وَكَسْرٌ عَظِيمٌ.

Run and hide, descendants of Benjamin, get out of Jerusalem! Blow the trumpet in Tekoa; light a signal fire in Beth-haccherem, for disaster and terrible destruction is arriving from the north.

٢ 2 اَلْجَمِيلَةُ ٱللَّطِيفَةُ ٱبْنَةُ صِهْيَوْنَ أُهْلِكُهَا.

Even though she is pretty and delightful, I will destroy the Daughter of Zion.

٣ 3 إِلَيْهَا تَأْتِي ٱلرُّعَاةُ وَقُطْعَانُهُمْ. يَنْصِبُونَ عِنْدَهَا خِيَامًا حَوَالَيْهَا. يَرْعَوْنَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ فِي مَكَانِهِ».

“Shepherds” and their “flocks” will come to attack her; they will set up their tents all around her, each one looking after his own.

٤ 4 «قَدِّسُوا عَلَيْهَا حَرْبًا. قُومُوا فَنَصْعَدَ في ٱلظَّهِيرَةِ. وَيْلٌ لَنَا لِأَنَّ ٱلنَّهَارَ مَالَ، لِأَنَّ ظِلَالَ ٱلْمَسَاءِ ٱمْتَدَّتْ.

They get ready for battle against her, saying, “Come on, we'll attack at noon! Oh no, the day is almost over, the evening shadows are growing long.

٥ 5 قُومُوا فَنَصْعَدَ في ٱللَّيْلِ وَنَهْدِمَ قُصُورَهَا».

Come on, we'll attack at night instead and destroy her fortresses!”

٦ 6 «لِأَنَّهُ هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ: ٱقْطَعُوا أَشْجَارًا. أَقِيمُوا حَوْلَ أُورُشَلِيمَ مِتْرَسَةً. هِيَ ٱلْمَدِينَةُ ٱلْمُعَاقَبَةُ. كُلُّهَا ظُلْمٌ فِي وَسَطِهَا.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: Cut down the trees and make a siege ramp to use against Jerusalem. This city needs to be punished because it's full of people mistreating one another.

٧ 7 كَمَا تُنْبِعُ ٱلْعَيْنُ مِيَاهَهَا، هَكَذَا تُنْبِعُ هِيَ شَرَّهَا. ظُلْمٌ وَخَطْفٌ يُسْمَعُ فِيهَا. أَمَامِي دَائِمًا مَرَضٌ وَضَرْبٌ.

Like a spring gushing out water, so she pours out her evil. The sounds of violence and abuse echo inside her. I see people sick and wounded everywhere.

٨ 8 تَأَدَّبِي يَا أُورُشَلِيمُ لِئَلَّا تَجْفُوَكِ نَفْسِي. لِئَلَّا أَجْعَلَكِ خَرَابًا، أَرْضًا غَيْرَ مَسْكُونَةٍ.

I'm warning you, people of Jerusalem, I'm going to give up on you in disgust. I will destroy you and leave your country uninhabited.

٩ 9 «هَكَذَا قَالَ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ: تَعْلِيلًا يُعَلِّلُونَ، كَجَفْنَةٍ، بَقِيَّةَ إِسْرَائِيلَ. رُدَّ يَدَكَ كَقَاطِفٍ إِلَى ٱلسِّلَالِ.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: Even those left in Israel will be taken, just as grapes left on a vine are taken by the one harvesting the grapes who checks the branches again.

١٠ 10 مَنْ أُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَأُنْذِرُهُمْ فَيَسْمَعُوا؟ هَا إِنَّ أُذْنَهُمْ غَلْفَاءُ فَلَا يَقْدِرُونَ أَنْ يَصْغَوْا. هَا إِنَّ كَلِمَةَ ٱلرَّبِّ صَارَتْ لَهُمْ عَارًا. لَا يُسَرُّونَ بِهَا.

Who can I give this warning to? Who's going to listen to me? Can't you see that they refuse to listen? They can't hear what I'm saying. See how offensive the Lord's message is to them. They don't like it at all.

١١ 11 فَٱمْتَلَأْتُ مِنْ غَيْظِ ٱلرَّبِّ. مَلِلْتُ ٱلطَّاقَةَ. أَسْكُبُهُ عَلَى ٱلْأَطْفَالِ فِي ٱلْخَارِجِ وَعَلَى مَجْلِسِ ٱلشُّبَّانِ مَعًا، لِأَنَّ ٱلرَّجُلَ وَٱلْمَرْأَةَ يُؤْخَذَانِ كِلَاهُمَا، وَٱلشَّيْخَ مَعَ ٱلْمُمْتَلِئِ أَيَّامًا.

But as for me, I'm full of the Lord's anger; I have a hard time keeping it in. The Lord replies, Pour it out on children in the street, and on groups of young people, because both husband and wife are going to be captured—it's everyone, and it doesn't matter how old they are.

١٢ 12 وَتَتَحَوَّلُ بُيُوتُهُمْ إِلَى آخَرِينَ، ٱلْحُقُولُ وَٱلنِّسَاءُ مَعًا، لِأَنِّي أَمُدُّ يَدِي عَلَى سُكَّانِ ٱلْأَرْضِ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

Their houses will be given to others, their fields and wives too, because I'm going to punish everyone living in this country, declares the Lord.

١٣ 13 لِأَنَّهُمْ مِنْ صَغِيرِهِمْ إِلَى كَبِيرِهِمْ، كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مُولَعٌ بِٱلرِّبْحِ. وَمِنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّ إِلَى ٱلْكَاهِنِ، كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ يَعْمَلُ بِٱلْكَذِبِ.

Everyone cheats because they're greedy, poor and rich alike. Even prophets and priests—they are all dishonest liars!

١٤ 14 وَيَشْفُونَ كَسْرَ بِنْتِ شَعْبِي عَلَى عَثَمٍ قَائِلِينَ: سَلَامٌ، سَلَامٌ. وَلَا سَلَامَ.

They give my wounded people first aid, but they don't really care about them. They tell them, “Don't worry! We have peace!” even as war approaches.

١٥ 15 هَلْ خَزُوا لِأَنَّهُمْ عَمِلُوا رِجْسًا؟ بَلْ لَمْ يَخْزَوْا خِزْيًا وَلَمْ يَعْرِفُوا ٱلْخَجَلَ. لِذَلِكَ يَسْقُطُونَ بَيْنَ ٱلسَّاقِطِينَ. فِي وَقْتِ مُعَاقَبَتِهِمْ يَعْثُرُونَ، قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ.

Were they ashamed of the disgusting things they did? No, they weren't ashamed at all, they couldn't even blush. So they will fall just like the others, when I punish them; they will drop down dead, says the Lord.

١٦ 16 «هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: قِفُوا عَلَى ٱلطُّرُقِ وَٱنْظُرُوا، وَٱسْأَلُوا عَنِ ٱلسُّبُلِ ٱلْقَدِيمَةِ: أَيْنَ هُوَ ٱلطَّرِيقُ ٱلصَّالِحُ؟ وَسِيرُوا فِيهِ، فَتَجِدُوا رَاحَةً لِنُفُوسِكُمْ. وَلَكِنَّهُمْ قَالُوا: لَا نَسِيرُ فِيهِ!

This is what the Lord says: Go and stand where the roads divide, and look. Find out which are the old paths. Ask, “What's the right way?” Then follow it and you'll be content. But you refused, saying, “We won't go that way!”

١٧ 17 وَأَقَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ رُقَبَاءَ قَائِلِينَ: ٱصْغَوْا لِصَوْتِ ٱلْبُوقِ. فَقَالُوا: لَا نَصْغَى!

I put watchmen in charge of you and told you, make sure you listen for the trumpet call warning you of danger. But you answered, “We won't listen!”

١٨ 18 لِذَلِكَ ٱسْمَعُوا يَا أَيُّهَا ٱلشُّعُوبُ، وَٱعْرِفِي أَيَّتُهَا ٱلْجَمَاعَةُ مَا هُوَ بَيْنَهُمْ.

So now you other nations can listen and find out what's going to happen to them.

١٩ 19 اِسْمَعِي أَيَّتُهَا ٱلْأَرْضُ: هَأَنَذَا جَالِبٌ شَرًّا عَلَى هَذَا ٱلشَّعْبِ ثَمَرَ أَفْكَارِهِمْ، لِأَنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَصْغَوْا لِكَلَامِي، وَشَرِيعَتِي رَفَضُوهَا.

Earth, you listen too! I am bringing disaster down on this people, the end result of what they themselves planned. It's because they paid no attention to what I said, and rejected my instructions.

٢٠ 20 لِمَاذَا يَأْتِي لِي ٱللُّبَانُ مِنْ شَبَا، وَقَصَبُ ٱلذَّرِيرَةِ مِنْ أَرْضٍ بَعِيدَةٍ؟ مُحْرَقَاتُكُمْ غَيْرُ مَقْبُولَةٍ، وَذَبَائِحُكُمْ لَا تَلُذُّ لِي.

What's the point of offering me frankincense from Sheba or sweet calamus from a far-away land? I don't accept your burnt offerings; I'm not pleased with your sacrifices.

٢١ 21 لِذَلِكَ هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: هَأَنَذَا جَاعِلٌ لِهَذَا ٱلشَّعْبِ مَعْثَرَاتٍ فَيَعْثُرُ بِهَا ٱلْآبَاءُ وَٱلْأَبْنَاءُ مَعًا. اَلْجَارُ وَصَاحِبُهُ يَبِيدَانِ.

So this is what the Lord says: I'm going to put blocks in front of these people to trip them up. Fathers and sons will fall down dead, friends and neighbors too.

٢٢ 22 هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: هُوَذَا شَعْبٌ قَادِمٌ مِنْ أَرْضِ ٱلشِّمَالِ، وَأُمَّةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ تَقُومُ مِنْ أَقَاصِي ٱلْأَرْضِ.

This is what the Lord says: Look! An army is invading from the north; a powerful nation is getting ready to attack all the way from the ends of the earth.

٢٣ 23 تُمْسِكُ ٱلْقَوْسَ وَٱلرُّمْحَ. هِيَ قَاسِيَةٌ لَا تَرْحَمُ. صَوْتُهَا كَٱلْبَحْرِ يَعِجُّ، وَعَلَى خَيْلٍ تَرْكَبُ، مُصْطَفَّةً كَإِنْسَانٍ لِمُحَارَبَتِكِ يَا ٱبْنَةَ صِهْيَوْنَ».

They pick up their bows and spears. They are cruel and show no mercy. Their war-cries are like the sea roaring, and they ride horses lined up ready to attack you, Daughter of Zion.

٢٤ 24 سَمِعْنَا خَبَرَهَا. اِرْتَخَتْ أَيْدِينَا. أَمْسَكَنَا ضِيقٌ وَوَجَعٌ كَٱلْمَاخِضِ.

The people reply, “We've heard the news, and our hands are limp with shock! We're overcome with agony, suffering pain like a woman in labor.

٢٥ 25 لَا تَخْرُجُوا إِلَى ٱلْحَقْلِ وَفِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ لَا تَمْشُوا، لِأَنَّ سَيْفَ ٱلْعَدُوِّ خَوْفٌ مِنْ كُلِّ جِهَةٍ.

Don't go to the field! Don't walk down the road! The enemy is armed with swords! Terror is everywhere!”

٢٦ 26 يَا ٱبْنَةَ شَعْبِي، تَنَطَّقِي بِمِسْحٍ وَتَمَرَّغِي فِي ٱلرَّمَادِ. نَوْحَ وَحِيدٍ ٱصْنَعِي لِنَفْسِكِ مَنَاحَةً مُرَّةً، لِأَنَّ ٱلْمُخَرِّبَ يَأْتِي عَلَيْنَا بَغْتَةً.

Oh my people, put on sackcloth and roll around in ashes. Mourn and cry bitterly like you would for an only son, because the destroyer will come down on you suddenly.

٢٧ 27 «قَدْ جَعَلْتُكَ بُرْجًا فِي شَعْبِي، حِصْنًا، لِتَعْرِفَ وَتَمْتَحِنَ طَرِيقَهُمْ.

Jeremiah, I have made you a tester of metals so you can test my people as if they were metal, so you can know what they're made of and how they act.

٢٨ 28 كُلُّهُمْ عُصَاةٌ مُتَمَرِّدُونَ سَاعُونَ فِي ٱلْوِشَايَةِ. هُمْ نُحَاسٌ وَحَدِيدٌ. كُلُّهُمْ مُفْسِدُونَ.

They're all stubborn rebels going around talking slander. They are hard as bronze and iron; they are all corrupt.

٢٩ 29 اِحْتَرَقَ ٱلْمِنْفَاخُ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ. فَنِيَ ٱلرِّصَاصُ. بَاطِلًا صَاغَ ٱلصَّائِغُ، وَٱلْأَشْرَارُ لَا يُفْرَزُونَ.

The bellows in the refiner's furnace blow powerfully, burning away the lead. But this refining is pointless, because the wicked are not purified.

٣٠ 30 فِضَّةً مَرْفُوضَةً يُدْعَوْنَ. لِأَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ قَدْ رَفَضَهُمْ».

They are identified as impure silver to be rejected, because the Lord has rejected them.