1 T he word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying:

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

2 “ Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.”

Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.

3 T hen I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel.

Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.

4 A nd the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make.

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 T hen the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

6 “ O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!

O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.

7 T he instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it,

At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;

8 i f that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it.

if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

9 A nd the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it,

And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

10 i f it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.

if it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.

11 “ Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.”’” God’s Warning Rejected

Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.

12 A nd they said, “That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.”

And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.

13 T herefore thus says the Lord: “Ask now among the Gentiles, Who has heard such things? The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

Therefore thus saith the Lord; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.

14 W ill a man leave the snow water of Lebanon, Which comes from the rock of the field? Will the cold flowing waters be forsaken for strange waters?

Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?

15 “ Because My people have forgotten Me, They have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in pathways and not on a highway,

Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;

16 T o make their land desolate and a perpetual hissing; Everyone who passes by it will be astonished And shake his head.

to make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.

17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back and not the face In the day of their calamity.” Jeremiah Persecuted

I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.

18 T hen they said, “Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.”

Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

19 G ive heed to me, O Lord, And listen to the voice of those who contend with me!

Give heed to me, O Lord, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.

20 S hall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You To speak good for them, To turn away Your wrath from them.

Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.

21 T herefore deliver up their children to the famine, And pour out their blood By the force of the sword; Let their wives become widows And bereaved of their children. Let their men be put to death, Their young men be slain By the sword in battle.

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.

22 L et a cry be heard from their houses, When You bring a troop suddenly upon them; For they have dug a pit to take me, And hidden snares for my feet.

Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

23 Y et, Lord, You know all their counsel Which is against me, to slay me. Provide no atonement for their iniquity, Nor blot out their sin from Your sight; But let them be overthrown before You. Deal thus with them In the time of Your anger.

Yet, Lord, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.