Jérémie 18
1 La parole qui fut adressée à Jérémie par l'Éternel, quand Il dit:
Yahweh gave another message to me. [He said],
2 Lève-toi, et descends à la maison du potier, et là je te ferai entendre mes paroles.
“Go to the shop of the man who makes clay pots. I will give you a message there.”
3 Et je descendis à la maison du potier; et voici, il travaillait au tour.
So I went to that shop, and I saw the man who makes pots. He was working at the wheel [that he uses to form pots].
4 Et le vase qu'il faisait avec l'argile qu'il tenait en sa main, manqua, et il en refit un autre vase tel que le potier trouva bon de le faire.
But when he finished making one jar, it was not as good as he hoped/wanted it to be. [So], he took that clay and formed it into another jar, shaping it as he desired.
5 Alors la parole de l'Éternel me fut adressée en ces mots:
Then Yahweh gave me this message:
6 Ne pourrai-je pas en agir avec vous, maison d'Israël, comme ce potier-là? dit l'Éternel. Voici, telle l'argile dans la main du potier, tels vous êtes dans ma main, maison d'Israël.
“Perhaps the people of Israel [think that] I cannot do to them like this man who makes pots has done [RHQ]. [But what they think is wrong]. I [can control what happens to them like] this man [controls what he does with the clay] in his hands.
7 Une fois je parle, touchant un peuple et un royaume, d'extirper, de détruire et de perdre.
There may be a time when I proclaim that I will get rid of a nation or kingdom, [like someone] pulls up [a plant with its roots], and smashes it, and destroys it.
8 Mais que ce peuple, touchant lequel j'avais parlé, revienne de sa méchanceté, je me repens du mal que j'avais pensé à lui faire.
But if [the people of] that nation repent of doing evil things, I will not send to them the disasters that I planned to send.
9 Et une autre fois je parle, touchant un peuple et un royaume, d'édifier et de planter.
And there may be a time when I proclaim that I will establish a nation or kingdom and cause it to be strong [MET].
10 Mais qu'il fasse ce qui est mal à mes yeux, n'obéissant pas à ma voix, je me repens du bien que j'avais dit vouloir lui faire.
But if [the people of] that nation [start to] do evil things and refuse to obey me, then I will not bless them as I said that I would do.
11 Et maintenant parle aux hommes de Juda, et aux habitants de Jérusalem, et dis: Ainsi parle l'Éternel: Voici, je vous prépare des maux, et je médite un plan contre vous; ah! revenez chacun de votre mauvaise voie, et amendez vos voies et vos œuvres!
Therefore, [Jeremiah, go and warn all] the people in Jerusalem and [in other places] in Judah. Say to them, ‘This is what Yahweh says: “I am planning to cause you to experience a disaster [DOU]. [So], each of you should turn from your evil behavior and start doing what is right, [in order that you will not experience that disaster].”’’”
12 Mais ils disent: C'en est fait! nous suivrons nos pensées, et nous agirons chacun selon l'obstination de son cœur mauvais.
[So I told that message to the people], but they replied, “It is useless [for you to tell us that]. We will [continue to] be stubborn and behave as we want to.”
13 C'est pourquoi ainsi parle l'Éternel: Demandez parmi les nations qui ouït parler de telles choses! La vierge d'Israël a fait de grandes horreurs!
So, this is what Yahweh says: “Ask the [people who live in other] nations if they have [RHQ] ever heard of such a thing. My Israeli people, who [have been pure like] [MET] virgins, have done a terrible thing!
14 La neige cesse-t-elle des roches du Liban de venir sur mes champs? Tarissent-elles, les eaux étrangères, fraîches et ruisselantes?
The snow certainly never [RHQ] completely disappears/melts from the rocky slopes of the mountains in Lebanon. The cold streams that flow down from those distant mountains never [RHQ] cease flowing.
15 Mais mon peuple m'oublie, il encense le néant; on les a fait broncher dans leurs voies, sentiers d'autrefois, et ils cheminent dans des routes, dans une voie non frayée,
But my people [are not as reliable as those streams: ] They have abandoned me. They burn incense to [honor/worship] worthless idols. [It is as though] they have stumbled as they walked along very old roads that are good roads, and now, instead, they are walking on dirt paths.
16 pour faire de leur pays une désolation et une dérision éternelle: quiconque passera près de là, frissonnera et hochera la tête.
Therefore, their land will become desolate, and people who see it will hiss [to ridicule it]. Everyone who passes by will be appalled; they will shake their heads [to show that they are shocked].
17 Pareil à un vent d'Orient, je les dissiperai devant l'ennemi; c'est la tête détournée et non de ma face que je les regarderai au jour de leur peine.
I will scatter the people when their enemies [attack them] like dust is scattered by an east wind. And when they experience all those difficulties/disasters, I will turn my back on them [and refuse] to help them.”
18 Mais ils disent: Venez et formons des complots contre Jérémie, car la loi ne périra point faute de sacrificateurs, ni la prudence faute de sages, ni la parole [de Dieu] faute de prophètes. Venez et tuons-le avec la langue, et n'ayons égard à aucun de ses propos!
Then some of the people said, “Come, let’s plan to attack Jeremiah. We have [many] priests who teach us God’s laws, and wise men who give us good advice, and prophets who tell us [what will happen. We do not need Jeremiah!] So, let’s slander him and not pay attention to anything that he says.”
19 « Aie égard à moi, Éternel, et entends la voix de mes adversaires!
[Then I prayed], “Yahweh, [please] listen to me! And listen to what my enemies are saying about me.
20 Le mal sera-t-il rendu pour le bien, qu'ils creusent une fosse contre ma vie? Rappelle-toi comme je me suis tenu devant toi, afin de parler pour leur bien, et de détourner d'eux ton courroux!
I am doing things that are good, so it is disgusting that [RHQ] they are paying me back by doing evil [things to me]. [It is as though] they have dug a pit for me [to fall into] and die. Do not forget that [one time] I stood in front of you and pleaded for you [to help them], and I tried to prevent you from [punishing them] [MTY], even though you were very angry with them.
21 Aussi, livre leurs fils à la famine, et abandonne-les à l'épée; que leurs femmes tombent dans l'orbité et dans le veuvage, et que leurs hommes soient tués par la peste, et leurs jeunes gens frappés par l'épée dans le combat!
So [now], allow their children to die from hunger! Or cause them to be killed by [their enemies’] swords! Cause their wives to become widows, whose children are all dead! Cause their [old] men to die in a plague, and cause their young men to be killed in battles!
22 Qu'on entende des cris sortir de leurs maisons, quand tu feras fondre sur eux des escadrons soudain; car ils ont creusé une fosse pour me prendre, et tendu des lacs devant mes pieds.
Cause people to scream in their homes when enemy soldiers suddenly come into their houses! [Cause all those things to happen to them] because they [want to kill me]. [It is as though] they have dug a pit for me [to fall into], and they have hidden traps along my path.
23 Cependant, Éternel, tu sais que ce qu'ils méditent contre moi c'est la mort; ne mets pas le voile sur leur crime, et ne mets pas en l'effaçant leur péché hors de ta vue, qu'ils trébuchent à ton aspect! au moment de ta colère agis contre eux! »
Yahweh, you know all the things that they are planning to do to kill me. Do not forgive them for their crimes or blot out [the record of] their sins. Cause them to be destroyed; punish them because of your being angry [with them]!”
