Jeremiah 18

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh as fol ows,	1 This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
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 Rise up, be off to the potter's house; there I will give you my message.
3 So I went down to the potter's house; and there he was, working at the wheel.	3 I went down to the potter's house and there he was, working at the wheel.
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 Whenever the object of clay which he was making turned out badly in his hand, he tried again, making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.
5 Then the word of Yahweh came to me as follows,	5 Then the word of the Lord came to me:
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 Can I not do to you, house of Israel, as this potter has done? says the LORD. Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.
7 Sometimes I announce that I shal uproot, break down and destroy a certain nation or kingdom,	7 Sometimes I threaten to uproot and tear down and destroy a nation or a kingdom.
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 But if that nation which I have threatened turns from its evil, I also repent of the evil which I threatened to do.
9 Sometimes I announce that I shal build up and plant a certain nation or kingdom,	9 Sometimes, again, I promise to build up and plant a nation or a kingdom.
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 But if that nation does what is evil in my eyes, refusing to obey my voice, I repent of the good with which I promised to bless it.
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 And now, tell this to the men of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem: Thus says the LORD: Take care! I am fashioning evil against you and making a plan. Return, each of you, from his evil way; reform your ways and your deeds.
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 But they will say, "No use! We will follow our own devices; each one of us will behave according to the stubbornness 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 says the LORD: Ask among the nations- who has ever heard the like? Truly horrible things has virgin Israel done!
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 Does the snow of Lebanon desert the rocky heights? Do the gushing waters dry up that flow fresh down the mountains?
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 Yet my people have forgotten me: they burn incense to a thing that does not exist. They stumble out of their ways, the paths of old, To travel on bypaths, not the beaten track.
16 to make their country an object of horror, everlastingly derided: every passer-by will be appal ed at itand shake his head.	16 Their land shall be turned into a desert, an object of lasting ridicule: All passers-by will be amazed, will shake their heads.
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 Like the east wind, I will scatter them before their enemies; I will show them my back, not my face, in their day of disaster.
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 "Come," they said, "let us contrive a plot against Jeremiah. It will not mean the loss of instruction from the priests, nor of counsel from the wise, nor of messages from the prophets. And so, let us destroy him by his own tongue; let us carefully note his every word."
19 Pay attention to me, Yahweh, hear what my adversaries are saying.	19 Heed me, O LORD, and listen to what my adversaries say.
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 Must good be repaid with evil that they should dig a pit to take my life? Remember that I stood before you to speak in their behalf, to turn away your 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 So now, deliver their children to famine, do away with them by the sword. Let their wives be made childless and widows; let their men die of pestilence, 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 May cries be heard from their homes, when suddenly you send plunderers against them. For they have dug a pit to capture me, they have 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 But you, O LORD, know all their plans to slay me. Forgive not their crime, blot not out their sin in your sight! Let them go down before you, proceed against them in the time of your anger.