< Jeremiah 15 >

1 Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.
And YHWH says to me: “Though Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My soul is not toward this people, Send from before My face, and they go out.
2 And it shall come to pass, if they say unto you, Where shall we go forth? then you shall tell them, Thus says the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.
And it has come to pass, when they say to you, To where do we go out? That you have said to them, Thus said YHWH: Those who [are] for death—to death, And those who are for the sword—to the sword, And those who are for famine—to famine, And those who are for captivity—to captivity.
3 And I will appoint over them four kinds, says the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.
And I have appointed four kinds over them,” A declaration of YHWH, “The sword to slay, and the dogs to drag, And the bird of the heavens, And the beast of the earth, to consume and to devour.
4 And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.
And I have given them for a trembling To all kingdoms of the earth, Because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah, For that which he did in Jerusalem.
5 For who shall have pity upon you, O Jerusalem? or who shall lament for you? or who shall go aside to ask how you do?
For who has pity on you, O Jerusalem? And who bemoans for you? And who turns aside to ask of your welfare?
6 You have forsaken me, says the LORD, you are gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against you, and destroy you; I am weary with repenting.
You have left Me,” A declaration of YHWH, “You go backward, And I stretch out My hand against you, And I destroy you, I have been weary of relenting,
7 And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children, I will destroy my people since they return not from their ways.
And I scatter them with a fan, In the gates of the land, I have bereaved [them], I have destroyed My people, They did not turn back from their ways.
8 Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas: I have brought upon them against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noonday: I have caused him to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city.
Its widows have been more to Me than the sand of the seas, I brought on them—against the mother—A young man—a spoiler—at noon. I caused wrath and trouble to fall on her suddenly.
9 She that has borne seven languishes: she has given up the spirit; her sun is gone down while it was yet day: she has been ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, says the LORD.
The bearer of seven has languished, She has breathed out her spirit, Her sun has gone in while yet day, It has been ashamed and confounded, And I give up their remnant to the sword before their enemies,” A declaration of YHWH.
10 Woe is me, my mother, that you have borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on interest, nor men have lent to me on interest; yet every one of them does curse me.
Woe to me, my mother, For you have borne me, A man of strife and a man of contention to all the land, I have not lent on usury, Nor have they lent on usury to me—All of them are reviling me.
11 The LORD said, Verily it shall be well with your remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to plead you well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.
YHWH said, “Did I not direct you for good? Did I not intercede for you in a time of evil, And in a time of adversity, with the enemy?
12 Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?
Does one break iron, Northern iron and bronze?
13 Your substance and your treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and that for all your sins, even in all your borders.
I give your strength and your treasures for a prey—not for price, Even for all your sins, and in all your borders.
14 And I will make you to pass with your enemies into a land which you know not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you.
And I have caused your enemies To pass over into the land [that] You have not known, For a fire has been kindled in My anger, It burns against you.”
15 O LORD, you know: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in your longsuffering: know that for your sake I have suffered rebuke.
You, You have known, O YHWH, Remember me, and inspect me, And take vengeance for me of my pursuers, In Your long-suffering do not take me away, Know [that] I have borne reproach for You.
16 Your words were found, and I did eat them; and your word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by your name, O LORD God of hosts.
Your words have been found, and I eat them, And Your word is to me for a joy, And for the rejoicing of my heart, For Your Name is called on me, O YHWH, God of Hosts.
17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of your hand: for you have filled me with indignation.
I have not sat in an assembly of deriders, Nor do I exult, because of your hand—I have sat alone, For You have filled me [with] indignation.
18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? will you be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?
Why has my pain been continuous? And my wound incurable? It has refused to be healed, You are surely as a failing stream to me, Waters [that are] not steadfast.
19 Therefore thus says the LORD, If you return, then will I bring you again, and you shall stand before me: and if you take forth the precious from the vile, you shall be as my mouth: let them return unto you; but return not you unto them.
Therefore, thus said YHWH: “If you turn back, then I bring you back, You stand before Me, And if you bring out the precious from the vile, You are as My mouth! They return to you, And you do not return to them.
20 And I will make you unto this people a fenced brazen wall: and they shall fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you: for I am with you to save you and to deliver you, says the LORD.
And I have made you to this people For a wall—bronze—fortified, And they have fought against you, And they do not prevail against you, For I [am] with you to save you, And to deliver you,” A declaration of YHWH,
21 And I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you out of the hand of the terrible.
“And I have delivered you from the hand of evildoers, And I have ransomed you From the hand of the terrible!”

< Jeremiah 15 >