Jeremiah 11

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,

The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;

“Listen to the words of this covenant, and declare them to each man in Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

3 and say thou unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man that heareth not the words of this covenant,

Say to them, 'Yahweh, God of Israel says this: Cursed is anyone who does not listen to the words of this covenant.

4 which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God;

This is the covenant that I commanded your ancestors to keep the day I brought them out from the land of Egypt, from the furnace for smelting iron. I said, “Listen to my voice and do all of these things just as I have commanded you, for you will be my people and I will be your God.”

5 that I may establish the oath which I sware unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then answered I, and said, Amen, O Jehovah.

Obey me so that I may confirm the oath that I swore to your ancestors, the oath that I would give them the land flowing with milk and honey, where you live today.'” Then I, Jeremiah, answered and said, “Yes, Yahweh!”

6 And Jehovah said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.

Yahweh said to me, “Proclaim all these things in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Say, 'Listen to the words of this covenant and carry them out.

7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

For I have been giving solemn commands to your ancestors from the day I brought them up from the land of Egypt until this present time, persistently warning them and saying, “Listen to my voice.”'

8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the stubbornness of their evil heart: therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did them not.

But they did not listen or pay attention. Each person has been walking in the stubbornness of his wicked heart. So I brought all the curses in this covenant that I commanded to come against them. But the people still did not obey.”

9 And Jehovah said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Next Yahweh said to me, “A conspiracy has been discovered among the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words; and they are gone after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

They have turned to the iniquities of their earliest ancestors, who refused to listen to my word, who instead walked after other gods to worship them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah broke my covenant that I established with their ancestors.

11 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry unto me, but I will not hearken unto them.

Therefore Yahweh says this, 'See, I am about to bring disaster on them, disaster from which they will not be able to escape. Then they will call out to me, but I will not listen to them.

12 Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry unto the gods unto which they offer incense: but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

The cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and call out to the gods to which they had given offerings, but they will certainly not be saved by them at the time of their disaster.

13 For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.

For you Judah, the number of your gods has increased to equal the number of your cities. You have made the number of shameful altars in Jerusalem, incense altars for Baal, equal to the number of her streets.

14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me because of their trouble.

So you yourself, Jeremiah, must not pray for this people. You must not wail or pray on their behalf. For I will not be listening when they call on me in their disaster.

15 What hath my beloved to do in my house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness [with] many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.

Why is my beloved one, the one who has had so many wicked intentions, in my house? The meat of your sacrifices cannot help you. You rejoice because of your evil actions.

16 Jehovah called thy name, A green olive-tree, fair with goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

In the past Yahweh called you a leafy olive tree, beautiful with lovely fruit. But he will light a fire on it that will sound like the roar of a storm; its branches will be broken.

17 For Jehovah of hosts, who planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have wrought for themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense unto Baal.

For Yahweh of hosts, the one who planted you, has decreed disaster against you because of the wicked acts that the house of Israel and the house of Judah have committed—they have angered me by giving offerings to Baal.'”

18 And Jehovah gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it: then thou showedst me their doings.

Yahweh made me know these things, so I know them. You, Yahweh, made me see their deeds.

19 But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, [saying], Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

I was like a gentle lamb being led to a butcher. I did not know that they had formed plans against me, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit! Let us cut him off from the land of the living so his name will be no longer remembered.”

20 But, O Jehovah of hosts, who judgest righteously, who triest the heart and the mind, I shall see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

Yet Yahweh of hosts is the righteous judge who examines the heart and the mind. I will witness your vengeance against them, for I have presented my case to you.

21 Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of Jehovah, that thou die not by our hand;

Therefore Yahweh says this concerning the people of Anathoth who are seeking your life, “They say, 'You must not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, or you will die by our hand.'

22 therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine;

Therefore Yahweh of hosts says this, 'See, I am about to punish them. Their vigorous young men will die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters will die by famine.

23 and there shall be no remnant unto them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.

None of them will be left, because I am bringing disaster against the people of Anathoth, a year of their punishment.'”