Jeremiæ 4
1 si converteris Israhel ait Dominus ad me convertere si abstuleris offendicula tua a facie mea non commoveberis
“If you will return, O Israel, return to Me,” declares the LORD. “If you will remove your detestable idols from My sight and no longer waver,
2 et iurabis vivit Dominus in veritate et in iudicio et in iustitia et benedicent eum gentes ipsumque laudabunt
and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”
3 haec enim dicit Dominus viro Iuda et Hierusalem novate vobis novale et nolite serere super spinas
For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among the thorns.
4 circumcidimini Domino et auferte praeputia cordium vestrorum vir Iuda et habitatores Hierusalem ne forte egrediatur ut ignis indignatio mea et succendatur et non sit qui extinguat propter malitiam cogitationum vestrarum
Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds.”
5 adnuntiate in Iuda et in Hierusalem auditum facite loquimini et canite tuba in terra clamate fortiter dicite congregamini et ingrediamur civitates munitas
Announce in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: “Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land. Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves and let us flee to the fortified cities.’
6 levate signum in Sion confortamini nolite stare quia malum ego adduco ab aquilone et contritionem magnam
Raise a signal flag toward Zion. Seek refuge! Do not delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, and terrible destruction.
7 ascendit leo de cubili suo et praedo gentium se levavit egressus est de loco suo ut ponat terram tuam in desolationem civitates tuae vastabuntur remanentes absque habitatore
A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to lay waste your land. Your cities will be reduced to ruins and lie uninhabited.
8 super hoc accingite vos ciliciis plangite et ululate quia non est aversa ira furoris Domini a nobis
So put on sackcloth, mourn and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned away from us.”
9 et erit in die illa dicit Dominus peribit cor regis et cor principum et obstupescent sacerdotes et prophetae consternabuntur
“In that day,” declares the LORD, “the king and officials will lose their courage. The priests will tremble in fear, and the prophets will be astounded.”
10 et dixi heu heu heu Domine Deus ergone decepisti populum istum et Hierusalem dicens pax erit vobis et ecce pervenit gladius usque ad animam
Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, how completely You have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’ while a sword is at our throats.”
11 in tempore illo dicetur populo huic et Hierusalem ventus urens in viis quae sunt in deserto viae filiae populi mei non ad ventilandum et ad purgandum
At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A searing wind from the barren heights in the desert blows toward the daughter of My people, but not to winnow or to sift;
12 spiritus plenus ex his veniet mihi et nunc ego sed loquar iudicia mea cum eis
a wind too strong for that comes from Me. Now I also pronounce judgments against them.”
13 ecce quasi nubes ascendet et quasi tempestas currus eius velociores aquilis equi illius vae nobis quoniam vastati sumus
Behold, he advances like the clouds, his chariots like the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!
14 lava a malitia cor tuum Hierusalem ut salva fias usquequo morabuntur in te cogitationes noxiae
Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?
15 vox enim adnuntiantis a Dan et notum facientis idolum de monte Ephraim
For a voice resounds from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.
16 concitate gentes ecce auditum est in Hierusalem custodes venire de terra longinqua et dare super civitates Iuda vocem suam
Warn the nations now! Proclaim to Jerusalem: “A besieging army comes from a distant land; they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.
17 quasi custodes agrorum facti sunt super eam in gyro quia me ad iracundiam provocavit ait Dominus
They surround her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD.
18 viae tuae et cogitationes tuae fecerunt haec tibi ista malitia tua quia amara quia tetigit cor tuum
“Your ways and deeds have brought this upon you. This is your punishment; how bitter it is, because it pierces to the heart!”
19 ventrem meum ventrem meum doleo sensus cordis mei turbati sunt in me non tacebo quoniam vocem bucinae audivit anima mea clamorem proelii
My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the pain in my chest! My heart pounds within me; I cannot be silent. For I have heard the sound of the horn, the alarm of battle.
20 contritio super contritionem vocata est et vastata est omnis terra repente vastata sunt tabernacula mea subito pelles meae
Disaster after disaster is proclaimed, for the whole land is laid waste. My tents are destroyed in an instant, my curtains in a moment.
21 usquequo videbo fugientem audiam vocem bucinae
How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the horn?
22 quia stultus populus meus me non cognovit filii insipientes sunt et vecordes sapientes sunt ut faciant mala bene autem facere nescierunt
“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”
23 aspexi terram et ecce vacua erat et nihili et caelos et non erat lux in eis
I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light.
24 vidi montes et ecce movebantur et omnes colles conturbati sunt
I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.
25 intuitus sum et non erat homo et omne volatile caeli recessit
I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled.
26 aspexi et ecce Carmelus desertus et omnes urbes eius destructae sunt a facie Domini et a facie irae furoris eius
I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.
27 haec enim dicit Dominus deserta erit omnis terra sed tamen consummationem non faciam
For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.
28 lugebit terra et maerebunt caeli desuper eo quod locutus sum cogitavi et non paenituit me nec aversus sum ab eo
Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above will grow dark. I have spoken, I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back.”
29 a voce equitis et mittentis sagittam fugit omnis civitas ingressi sunt ardua et ascenderunt rupes universae urbes derelictae sunt et non habitat in eis homo
Every city flees at the sound of the horseman and archer. They enter the thickets and climb among the rocks. Every city is abandoned; no inhabitant is left.
30 tu autem vastata quid facies cum vestieris te coccino cum ornata fueris monili aureo et pinxeris stibio oculos tuos frustra conponeris contempserunt te amatores tui animam tuam quaerent
And you, O devastated one, what will you do, though you dress yourself in scarlet, though you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, though you enlarge your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain; your lovers despise you; they want to take your life.
31 vocem enim quasi parturientis audivi angustias ut puerperae vox filiae Sion intermorientis expandentisque manus suas vae mihi quia defecit anima mea propter interfectos
For I hear a cry like a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child— the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands to say, “Woe is me, for my soul faints before the murderers!”
