Jeremiæ 12
1 Iustus quidem tu es Domine, si disputem tecum: verumtamen iusta loquar ad te: Quare via impiorum prosperatur: bene est omnibus, qui prævaricantur, et inique agunt?
You are in the right, O Lord, when I put my cause before you: still let me take up with you the question of your decisions: why does the evil-doer do well? why are the workers of deceit living in comfort?
2 Plantasti eos, et radicem miserunt: proficiunt et faciunt fructum: prope es tu ori eorum, et longe a renibus eorum.
They have been planted by you, they have taken root; they go on and give fruit: you are near in their mouths but far from their thoughts.
3 Et tu Domine nosti me, vidisti me, et probasti cor meum tecum: congrega eos quasi gregem ad victimam, et sanctifica eos in die occisionis.
But you, O Lord, have knowledge of me; you see me, searching and testing how my heart is with you: let them be pulled out like sheep to be put to death, make them ready for the day of death.
4 Usquequo lugebit terra, et herba omnis regionis siccabitur propter malitiam habitantium in ea? Consumptum est animal, et volucre, quoniam dixerunt: Non videbit novissima nostra.
How long will the land have grief, and the plants of all the land be dry? because of the sins of the people living in it, destruction has overtaken the beasts and the birds; because they said, God does not see our ways.
5 Si cum peditibus currens laborasti: quomodo contendere poteris cum equis? Cum autem in terra pacis securus fueris, quid facies in superbia Iordanis?
If running with the fighting-men has made you tired, how will you be able to keep up with horses? and if in a land of peace you go in flight, what will become of you in the thick growth of Jordan?
6 Nam et fratres tui, et domus patris tui, etiam ipsi pugnaverunt adversum te, et clamaverunt post te plena voce: ne credas eis cum locuti fuerint tibi bona.
For even your brothers, your father's family, even they have been untrue to you, crying loudly after you: have no faith in them, though they say fair words to you.
7 Reliqui domum meam, dimisi hereditatem meam: dedi dilectam animam meam in manu inimicorum eius.
I have given up my house, I have let my heritage go; I have given the loved one of my soul into the hands of her haters.
8 Facta est mihi hereditas mea quasi leo in silva: dedit contra me vocem, ideo odivi eam.
My heritage has become like a lion in the woodland to me; her voice has been loud against me; so I have hate for her.
9 Numquid avis discolor hereditas mea mihi? Numquid avis tincta per totum? Venite, congregamini omnes bestiæ terræ, properate ad devorandum.
My heritage is like a brightly coloured bird to me; the cruel birds are attacking her on every side: go, get together all the beasts of the field, make them come for destruction.
10 Pastores multi demoliti sunt vineam meam, conculcaverunt partem meam: dederunt portionem meam desiderabilem in desertum solitudinis.
The keepers of sheep have been the destruction of my vine-garden, crushing my heritage under their feet; they have made my fair heritage an unplanted waste;
11 Posuerunt eam in dissipationem, luxitque super me: desolatione desolata est omnis terra: quia nullus est qui recogitet corde.
They have made it waste; it is weeping to me, being wasted; all the land is made waste, because no man takes it to heart.
12 Super omnes vias deserti venerunt vastatores, quia gladius Domini devorabit ab extremo terræ usque ad extremum eius: non est pax universæ carni.
Those who make waste have come on all the open hilltops in the waste land; for the sword of the Lord sends destruction from one end of the land to the other end of the land: no flesh has peace.
13 Seminaverunt triticum, et spinas messuerunt: hereditatem acceperunt, et non eis proderit: Confundemini a fructibus vestris, propter iram furoris Domini.
Though good grain was planted, they have got in thorns: they have given themselves pain without profit: they will be shamed on account of their produce, because of the burning wrath of the Lord.
14 Hæc dicit Dominus adversum omnes vicinos meos pessimos, qui tangunt hereditatem, quam distribui populo meo Israel: Ecce ego evellam eos de terra sua, et domum Iuda evellam de medio eorum.
This is what the Lord has said against all my evil neighbours, who put their hands on the heritage which I gave my people Israel: See, I will have them uprooted from their land, uprooting the people of Judah from among them.
15 Et cum evulsero eos, convertar, et miserebor eorum: et reducam eos, virum ad hereditatem suam, et virum in terram suam.
And it will come about that, after they have been uprooted, I will again have pity on them; and I will take them back, every man to his heritage and every man to his land.
16 Et erit: si eruditi didicerint vias populi mei, ut iurent in nomine meo: Vivit Dominus, sicut docuerunt populum meum iurare in Baal: ædificabuntur in medio populi mei.
And it will be that, if they give their minds to learning the ways of my people, using my name in their oaths, By the living Lord; as they have been teaching my people to take oaths by the Baal; then their place will be made certain among my people.
17 Quod si non audierint, evellam gentem illam evulsione et perditione, ait Dominus.
But if they will not give ear, then I will have that nation uprooted, and given to destruction, says the Lord.
