Jeremiah 11

1 The word that came unto Jeremiah from Yahweh saying:

The word that came from the Lord to Jeremiah, saying:

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

“Listen to the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

3 and say thou unto them, Thus, saith Yahweh God of Israel, —Accursed, is the man who will not hear the words of this covenant;

And you shall say to them: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Cursed is the man who will not listen to the words of this covenant,

4 which I commanded your fathers—in the day when I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt out of the smelting-pot of iron—saying, Hearken unto my voice and do them, According to all that I may command you, —So shall ye become my people, And, I, will become, your God:

which I commanded to your fathers in the day when I led them away from the land of Egypt, away from the iron furnace, saying: Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you, and then you will be my people and I will be your God.

5 That the oath may be established which I sware to your fathers, To give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then answered I and said, Amen, O Yahweh!

So shall I uphold the oath which I swore to your fathers, that I would give them a land flowing with milk and honey, just as it is this day.” And I answered by saying: “Amen, O Lord.”

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

And the Lord said to me: “Shout all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: Listen to the words of the covenant, and do them.

7 For I, solemnly took your fathers to witness, in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt—even until this day, betimes, taking them to witness saying, —Hearken ye unto my voice.

For when testing, I tested your fathers in the day when I led them away from the land of Egypt, even until this day. Rising early, I tested them, and I said: Listen to my voice.

8 Howbeit they hearkened not neither inclined their ear, but walked severally in the stubbornness of their wicked heart, —so then 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, nor did they incline their ear. Instead, each one of them walked in the depravity of his own evil heart. And so, I brought over them all the words of this covenant, which I instructed them to do. But they would not do them.”

9 Yahweh therefore said unto me, —There is found a conspiracy, among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem:

And the Lord said to me: “A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 They have turned back unto the iniquities of their first fathers who refused to hear my words, yea, they themselves, have walked after other gods to serve them, —the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I solemnised with their fathers.

They have returned to the former iniquities of their fathers, who refused to listen to my words. And likewise, they have gone after strange gods, so that they may serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have treated as void my covenant, which I made with their fathers.

11 Therefore, Thus, saith Yahweh, Behold me! bringing upon them calamity, which they shall not be able to escape, —and though they make outcry unto me, yet will I not hearken unto them.

For this reason, thus says the Lord: Behold, I will lead evils over them, from which they will not be able to escape. And they will cry out to me, and I will not heed them.

12 Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, go and make outcry unto the gods to whom they have been burning incense, —but they will not at all, save, them in the time of their calamity;

And the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go forth, and they will cry out to the gods, to whom they offer libations, and they will not save them in the time of their affliction.

13 for according to the number of thy cities, have become thy gods O Judah, —and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem, have ye set up altars to the Shameful thing, altars for burning incense to Baal.

For according to the number of your cities, so were your gods, O Judah. And according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem, so did you establish altars of confusion, altars to offer libations to Baal.

14 Thou, therefore do not pray for this people, Neither lift thou up for them cry or prayer, —For I am not going to hear in the time that they cry unto me concerning their calamity.

Therefore, you should not choose to pray for this people, and you should not take up praise and petitioning on their behalf. For I will not heed them in the time of their outcry to me, in the time of their affliction.

15 Why hath the beloved in mine own house, done an abomination? Shall, vows and holy flesh, take away from thee thy wickednesses, or shalt thou by these, escape?

Why has my beloved wrought great wickedness in my house? How can the holy flesh take away from you your wickedness, in which you have gloried?

16 A green olive-tree, fair with goodly fruit, did Yahweh call thy name, —with the noise of a great tumult, hath he kindled fire upon it, and the branches thereof shall be broken.

The Lord has called your name: a beautiful, fruitful, splendid, and productive olive tree. At the voice of a word, a great fire was kindled in it, and its greenery was burned up.

17 But, Yahweh of hosts, who planted thee hath pronounced against thee calamity, —on account of the wickedness of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah which they have wrought for themselves, provoking me to anger by burning incense to Baal.

And the Lord of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced an evil against you, concerning the evils of the house of Israel and the house of Judah, which they have done to themselves so as to provoke me, by offering libations to Baal.”

18 Now when Yahweh, let me know and I did know, then, didst thou shew me their doings.

But you, O Lord, have revealed this to me, and I have understood. Then you displayed their efforts to me.

19 But, I, was as a gentle lamb that is to be led to the slaughter, —and I knew not that against me, they had devised devices [saying] —Let us destroy the tree with its fruit Yea let us cut him off out of the land of the living, And, his name, shall be remembered no more!

And I was like a meek lamb, who is being carried to be a victim. And I did not realize that they had devised plans against me, saying: “Let us place wood upon his bread, and let us eradicate him from the land of the living, and let his name no longer be remembered.”

20 But, O Yahweh of hosts Who judgest righteously, Who triest affections and intellect, —Let me see thine avenging upon them, For unto thee, have I revealed my cause.

But you, O Lord of hosts, who judges justly, and who tests the temperament and the heart, let me see your vengeance against them. For I have revealed my case to you.

21 Therefore, Thus, saith Yahweh Concerning the men of Anathoth, who are seeking thy life, saying, —Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, So shalt thou not die by our hand:

“Because of this, thus says the Lord to the men of Anathoth, who are seeking your life, and who are saying: ‘You shall not prophesy in the name of the Lord, and you shall not die by our hands.’

22 Therefore, Thus saith Yahweh of hosts, —Behold me! bringing punishment upon them, The young men, shall die by the sword, Their sons and their daughters, shall die by famine;

Because of this, thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will visit upon them. Their young men will die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters will die by famine.

23 And remnant, shall they have none, —For I will bring calamity against the men of Anathoth, in the year of their visitation.

And there will be nothing left of them. For I will lead an evil over the men of Anathoth: the year of their visitation.”