Jeremiah 10

1 “Hear the word that Yahweh is announcing to you, house of Israel.

Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto 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 not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.

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 peoples are vanity; for it is but a tree which one cutteth out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.

4 Then they decorate it with silver and gold. They strengthen it with hammer and nails so it will not fall over.

They deck it with silver and with gold, they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

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 are like a pillar in a garden of cucumbers, and speak not; they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.

6 There is no one like you, Yahweh. You are great, and your name is great in power.

There is none like unto Thee, O LORD; Thou art great, and Thy name is great in might.

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.

Who would not fear Thee, O king of the nations? For it befitteth Thee; forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royalty, there is none like unto Thee.

8 They are all the same, they are brutish and stupid, disciples of idols that are nothing but wood.

But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the vanities by which they are instructed are but a stock;

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.

Silver beaten into plates which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the craftsman and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple is their clothing; they are all the work of skilful men.

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.

But the LORD God is the true God, He is the living God, and the everlasting King; at His wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide His indignation.

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 unto them: 'The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.'

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.

He that hath made the earth by His power, that hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His understanding;

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.

At the sound of His giving a multitude of waters in the heavens, when He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; when He maketh lightnings with the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of His treasuries;

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 proved to be brutish, without knowledge, every goldsmith is put to shame by the graven image, his molten image is falsehood, and 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 vanity, a work of delusion; 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.

Not like these is the portion of Jacob; for He is the former of all things, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; the LORD of hosts is His name.

17 Gather your bundle and leave the land, you people who have been living under the siege.

Gather up thy wares from the ground, O thou that abidest in the siege.

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 sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.

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.”

Woe is me for my hurt! My wound is grievous; but I said: 'This is but a sickness, and I must bear it.'

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.

My tent is spoiled, and all my cords are broken; my children are gone forth of me, and they are not; there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up 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 are become brutish, and have not inquired of the LORD; therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks are 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.”

Hark! a report, behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, a dwelling-place of jackals.

23 I know, Yahweh, that the way of a man does not come from himself. No person walking directs his own steps.

O LORD, I know that man's way is not his own; it is not in man to direct his steps as he walketh.

24 Discipline me, Yahweh, with justice, not in your anger or you would destroy me.

O LORD, correct me, but in measure; not in Thine anger, lest Thou diminish me.

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 know Thee not, and upon the families that call not on Thy name; for they have devoured Jacob, yea, they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.