Jeremiæ 15

1 Et dixit Dominus ad me: Si steterit Moyses, et Samuel coram me, non est anima mea ad populum istum: eiice illos a facie mea, et egrediantur.

Then the Lord said to me, Even if Moses and Samuel came before me, I would have no desire for this people: send them away from before me, and let them go.

2 Quod si dixerint ad te: Quo egrediemur? Dices ad eos: Hæc dicit Dominus: Qui ad mortem, ad mortem: et qui ad gladium, ad gladium: et qui ad famem, ad famem: et qui ad captivitatem, ad captivitatem.

And it will be, when they say to you, Where are we to go? then you are to say to them, The Lord has said, Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are to be in need of food, to need of food; and such as are to be taken away prisoners, to be taken away.

3 Et visitabo super eos quattuor species, dicit Dominus: Gladium ad occisionem, et canes ad lacerandum, et volatilia cæli et bestias terræ ad devorandum et dissipandum.

And I will put over them four divisions, says the Lord: the sword causing death, dogs pulling the dead bodies about, and the birds of heaven, and the beasts of the earth to take their bodies for food and put an end to them.

4 Et dabo eos in fervorem universis regnis terræ: propter Manassen filium Ezechiæ regis Iuda, super omnibus quæ fecit in Ierusalem.

And I will make them a cause of fear to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and what he did in Jerusalem.

5 Quis enim miserebitur tui, Ierusalem? Aut quis contristabitur pro te? Aut quis ibit ad rogandum pro pace tua?

For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? and who will have sorrow for you? or who will go out of his way to see how you are?

6 Tu reliquisti me, dicit Dominus, retrorsum abiisti: et extendam manum meam super te, et interficiam te: laboravi rogans.

You have given me up, says the Lord, you have gone back: so my hand is stretched out against you for your destruction; I am tired of changing my purpose.

7 Et dispergam eos ventilabro in portis terræ: interfeci et disperdidi populum meum, et tamen a viis suis non sunt reversi.

And I have sent a cleaning wind on them in the public places of the land; I have taken their children from them; I have given my people to destruction; they have not been turned from their ways.

8 Multiplicatæ sunt mihi viduæ eius super arenam maris: induxi eis super matrem adolescentis vastatorem meridie: misi super civitates repente terrorem.

I have let their widows be increased in number more than the sand of the seas: I have sent against them, against the mother and the young men, one who makes waste in the heat of the day, causing pain and fears to come on her suddenly.

9 Infirmata est quæ peperit septem, defecit anima eius: occidit ei sol, cum adhuc esset dies: confusa est, et erubuit: et residuos eius in gladium dabo in conspectu inimicorum eorum, ait Dominus.

The mother of seven is without strength; her spirit is gone from her, her sun has gone down while it is still day: she has been shamed and overcome: and the rest of them I will give up to the sword before their haters, says the Lord.

10 Væ mihi mater mea: quare genuisti me virum rixæ, virum discordiæ in universa terra? Non fœneravi, nec fœneravit mihi quisquam: omnes maledicunt mihi.

Sorrow is mine, my mother, because you have given birth to me, a cause of fighting and argument in all the earth! I have not made men my creditors and I am not in debt to any, but every one of them is cursing me.

11 Dicit Dominus: Si non reliquiæ tuæ in bonum, si non occurri tibi in tempore afflictionis, et in tempore tribulationis adversus inimicum.

12 Numquid fœderabitur ferrum ferro ab Aquilone, et æs?

Is it possible for iron to be broken; even iron from the north, and brass?

13 Divitias tuas et thesauros tuos in direptionem dabo gratis in omnibus peccatis tuis, et in omnibus terminis tuis.

I will give your wealth and your stores to your attackers, without a price, because of all your sins, even in every part of your land.

14 Et adducam inimicos tuos de terra, quam nescis: quia ignis succensus est in furore meo, super vos ardebit.

They will go away with your haters into a land which is strange to you: for my wrath is on fire with a flame which will be burning on you.

15 Tu scis Domine, recordare mei, et visita me, et tuere me ab his, qui persequuntur me, noli in patientia tua suscipere me: scito quoniam sustinui propter te opprobrium.

O Lord, you have knowledge: keep me in mind and come to my help, and give their right reward to those who are attacking me; take me not away, for you are slow to be angry: see how I have undergone shame because of you from all those who make little of your word;

16 Inventi sunt sermones tui, et comedi eos, et factum est mihi verbum tuum in gaudium et in lætitiam cordis mei: quoniam invocatum est nomen tuum super me Domine Deus exercituum.

But to me your word is a joy, making my heart glad; for I am named by your name, O Lord God of armies.

17 Non sedi in concilio ludentium, et gloriatus sum a facie manus tuæ: solus sedebam, quoniam comminatione replesti me.

I did not take my seat among the band of those who are glad, and I had no joy; I kept by myself because of your hand; for you have made me full of wrath.

18 Quare factus est dolor meus perpetuus, et plaga mea desperabilis renuit curari? Facta est mihi quasi mendacium aquarum infidelium.

Why is my pain unending and my wound without hope of being made well? Sorrow is mine, for you are to me as a stream offering false hope and as waters which are not certain.

19 Propter hoc hæc dicit Dominus: Si converteris, convertam te, et ante faciem meam stabis: et si separaveris pretiosum a vili, quasi os meum eris: convertentur ipsi ad te, et tu non converteris ad eos.

For this cause the Lord has said, If you will come back, then I will again let you take your place before me; and if you give out what is of value and not that which has no value, you will be as my mouth: let them come back to you, but do not go back to them.

20 Et dabo te populo huic in murum æreum, fortem: et bellabunt adversum te, et non prævalebunt: quia ego tecum sum ut salvem te, et eruam te, dicit Dominus.

And I will make you a strong wall of brass to this people; they will be fighting against you, but they will not overcome you: for I am with you to keep you safe, says the Lord.

21 Et liberabo te de manu pessimorum, et redimam te de manu fortium.

I will keep you safe from the hands of the evil-doers, and I will give you salvation from the hands of the cruel ones.