Jeremiah 10

1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:

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

2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.

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.

3 For the customs of the people [are] vain: for [one] cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.

For the religious customs of these people are worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and the craftsman carves the wood.

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

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

5 They [are] upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also [is it] in them to do good.

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.'”

6 Forasmuch as [there is] none like unto thee, O LORD; thou [art] great, and thy name [is] great in might.

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

7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise [men] of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, [there is] none like unto thee.

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.

8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock [is] a doctrine of vanities.

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

9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple [is] their clothing: they [are] all the work of cunning [men].

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.

10 But the LORD [is] the true God, he [is] the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.

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.

11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, [even] they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

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.”

12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

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.

13 When he uttereth his voice, [there is] a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.

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.

14 Every man is brutish in [his] knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image [is] falsehood, and [there is] no breath in them.

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.

15 They [are] vanity, [and] the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

They are useless, the work of mockers; they will perish at the time of their punishment.

16 The portion of Jacob [is] not like them: for he [is] the former of all [things; ] and Israel [is] the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of hosts [is] his name.

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.

17 Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.

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

18 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find [it so].

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.”

19 Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this [is] a grief, and I must bear it.

Woe to me! Because of my broken bones, my wound is infected. So I said, “Surely this is agony, but I must bear it.”

20 My tabernacle 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.

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.

21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

For the shepherds are stupid and they do not seek Yahweh; so they have not prospered, and all their flock has been scattered.

22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, [and] a den of dragons.

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.”

23 O LORD, I know that the way of man [is] not in himself: [it is] not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

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

24 O LORD, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.

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

25 Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.

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.