Jeremiah 18

NEW JERUSALEM	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh as fol ows,	1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 'Get up and make your way down to the potter's house, and there I shal tell you what I have to say.'	2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 So I went down to the potter's house; and there he was, working at the wheel.	3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 But the vessel he was making came out wrong, as may happen with clay when a potter is at work. Sohe began again and shaped it into another vessel, as he thought fit.	4 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 Then the word of Yahweh came to me as follows,	5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
6 'House of Israel, can I not do to you what this potter does? Yahweh demands. Yes, like clay in thepotter's hand, so you are in mine, House of Israel.	6 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 Sometimes I announce that I shal uproot, break down and destroy a certain nation or kingdom,	7 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 but should the nation I have threatened abandon its wickedness, I then change my mind about thedisaster which I had intended to inflict on it.	8 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 Sometimes I announce that I shal build up and plant a certain nation or kingdom,	9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
10 but should that nation do what displeases me and refuse to listen to my voice, I then change my mindabout the good which I was intending to confer on it.	10 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 So now, say this to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "Yahweh says this: Listen, Iam preparing a disaster for you, I am working out a plan against you. So now, each one of you, turn back fromyour evil ways, amend your conduct and actions."	11 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 They, however, wil say, "It is no use! We shal follow our own plans; each of us wil act on his ownwicked inclinations." '	12 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 Therefore, Yahweh says this, 'Ask, please, among the nations if anyone has heard anything like this.The Virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.	13 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 Does the snow of Lebanon ever leave the rocks of its slopes? Do the rivers of foreign lands, their coldflowing waters, ever run dry?	14 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 And yet my people have forgotten me! They burn incense to a Nothing! They have been made tostumble in their ways, the ancient paths, to walk in paths, on an unmade road,	15 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 to make their country an object of horror, everlastingly derided: every passer-by will be appal ed at itand shake his head.	16 To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
17 Like the east wind, I shal scatter them before the enemy. I shal show them my back, not my face, theday they are ruined.'	17 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 'Come on,' they said, 'let us concoct a plot against Jeremiah, for the Law will not perish for lack ofpriests, nor advice for lack of wise men, nor the word for lack of prophets. Come on, let us slander him and payno attention to anything he says.'	18 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 Pay attention to me, Yahweh, hear what my adversaries are saying.	19 Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
20 Should evil be returned for good? Now they are digging a pit for me. Remember how I pleaded beforeyou and spoke good of them, to turn your retribution away from them.	20 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 So, hand their sons over to famine, abandon them to the edge of the sword. Let their wives becomechildless and widowed. Let their husbands die of plague, their young men be cut down by the sword in battle.	21 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 Let cries re-echo from their houses as you bring raiders suddenly on them. For they have dug a pit tocatch me, they have laid snares to trap my feet.	22 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 But you, Yahweh, know all about their murderous plot against me. Do not forgive their guilt, do notefface their sin from your sight. Let them be hurled down before you, deal with them while you are angry!	23 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.