Jeremiah 10
1 “Hear the word that Yahweh is announcing to you, house of Israel.
Hear ye the word of the Lord, which he has spoken to you, O house of Israel.
2 Yahweh says this, 'Do not learn the ways of the nations, and do not be dismayed by the signs in the heavens, for the nations are dismayed by these.
Thus saith the Lord, Learn ye not the ways of the heathen, and be not alarmed at the signs of the sky; for they are alarmed at them, [falling] on their faces.
3 For the religious customs of these people are worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and the craftsman carves the wood.
For the customs of the nations are vain; it is a tree cut out of the forest, the work of the carpenter, or a molten image.
4 Then they decorate it with silver and gold. They strengthen it with hammer and nails so it will not fall over.
[They are] beautified with silver and gold, they fix them with hammers and nails;
5 What they make with their hands is like scarecrows in a cucumber field, because they, too, can say nothing, and they have to be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they cannot bring about evil, nor are they able to do anything good.'”
they will set them up that they may not move; it is wrought silver, they will not walk, it is forged silver They must certainly be borne, for they cannot ride [of themselves]. Fear them not; for they cannot do any evil, and there is no good in them.
6 There is no one like you, Yahweh. You are great, and your name is great in power.
7 Who does not fear you, king of the nations? For this is what you deserve, for there is no one like you among all the wise men of the nations or all their royal kingdoms.
8 They are all the same, they are brutish and stupid, disciples of idols that are nothing but wood.
9 They bring hammered silver from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz made by artificers, the hands of refiners. Their clothes are blue and purple cloth. Their skillful men made all of these things.
10 But Yahweh is the true God. He is the living God and eternal king. The earth quakes at his anger, and the nations cannot endure his anger.
11 You will speak to them like this, “The gods that did not make the heavens and earth will perish from the earth and from under these heavens.”
Thus shall ye say to them, Let the gods which have not made heaven and earth perish from off the earth, and from under this sky.
12 But it was he who made the earth by his power, and he established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding he stretched out the heavens.
It is the Lord that made the earth by his strength, who set up the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the sky,
13 His voice makes the roar of waters in the heavens, and he brings up the mists from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain and sends out wind from his storehouse.
and set abundance of waters in the sky, and brought up clouds from the ends of the earth; he made lightnings for the rain, and brought forth light out of his treasures.
14 Every man has become ignorant, without knowledge. Every metalworker is put to shame by his idols. For his cast images are frauds; there is no life in them.
Every man is deprived of knowledge, every goldsmith is confounded because of his graven images; for he has cast false gods, there is no breath in them.
15 They are useless, the work of mockers; they will perish at the time of their punishment.
They are vain works, wrought in mockery; in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
16 But God, the portion of Jacob, is not like these, for he is the molder of all things. Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; Yahweh of hosts is his name.
Such is not the portion of Jacob; for he that formed all things, he is his inheritance; the Lord is his name.
17 Gather your bundle and leave the land, you people who have been living under the siege.
He has gathered thy substance from without the lodged in choice [vessels].
18 For Yahweh says this, “See, I am about to throw the inhabitants of the land out this time. I will cause them distress, and they will find it to be so.”
For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I [will] overthrow the inhabitants of this land with affliction, that thy plague may be discovered.
19 Woe to me! Because of my broken bones, my wound is infected. So I said, “Surely this is agony, but I must bear it.”
Alas for thy ruin! thy plague is grievous: and I said, Surely this is thy wound, and it has overtaken thee.
20 My tent is devastated, and all of my tent cords are cut in two. They have taken my children away from me, so they no longer exist. There is no longer anyone to spread out my tent or to raise up my tent curtains.
Thy tabernacle is in a ruinous state, it has perished; and all thy curtains have been torn asunder: my children and my cattle are no more: there is no more any place for my tabernacle, [nor] place for my curtains.
21 For the shepherds are stupid and they do not seek Yahweh; so they have not prospered, and all their flock has been scattered.
For the shepherds have become foolish, and have not sought the Lord; therefore the whole pasture has failed, and [the sheep] have been scattered.
22 The report of news has arrived, “See! It is coming, a great earthquake is coming from the land of the north To make the cities of Judah into ruins, hideouts for jackals.”
Behold, there comes a sound of a noise, and a great earthquake from the land of the north, to make the cities of Juda a desolation, and a resting-place for ostriches.
23 I know, Yahweh, that the way of a man does not come from himself. No person walking directs his own steps.
I know, O Lord, that man's way is not his own; neither shall a man go, and direct his going.
24 Discipline me, Yahweh, with justice, not in your anger or you would destroy me.
Chasten us, O Lord, but with judgment; and not in wrath, lest thou make us few.
25 Pour your fury on the nations that do not know you and on the families that do not call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob and consumed him so as to completely destroy him and demolish his habitation.
Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that have not known thee, and upon the families that have not called upon thy name: for they have devoured Jacob, and consumed him, and have made his pasture desolate.
