Jeremiah 18

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh as fol ows,	1 The word that 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 “Rise up and descend into the house of the potter, and there you will hear my words.”
3 So I went down to the potter's house; and there he was, working at the wheel.	3 And I descended into the house of the potter, and behold, he was making a work on 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 And the vessel, which he was making with his hands out of clay, broke. And turning away, he made another vessel, for it had been pleasing in his eyes 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 “Am I not able to do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done, says the Lord? Behold, like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.
7 Sometimes I announce that I shal uproot, break down and destroy a certain nation or kingdom,	7 Suddenly, I will speak against a nation and against a kingdom, so that I may uproot, and destroy, and scatter 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 which I have spoken, will repent from their evil, I too will repent from the evil that I have decided I would do to them.
9 Sometimes I announce that I shal build up and plant a certain nation or kingdom,	9 And soon, I will speak about a nation and about a kingdom, so that I may build and 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 does evil in my sight, so as not to listen to my voice, I will repent of the good that I have said I would do to 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 Now, therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am forming an evil against you, and I am considering a plan against you. Let each one of you return from his evil way, and direct your ways and your intentions well.”
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: “We have lost hope. And so we will follow our own thoughts, and each of us will act according to the depravity of his own 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 For this reason, thus says the Lord: “Inquire among the Gentiles. Who has heard of such horrible things as the virgin of Israel has done to excess?
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 Do the snows of Lebanon fail to fall on the rocks of the field? Or are the cold waters, which burst forth and flow down, able to be rooted out?
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, offering useless libations, and stumbling in their ways, in the paths of the world, so that they walk by these on an unmarked route.
16 to make their country an object of horror, everlastingly derided: every passer-by will be appal ed at itand shake his head.	16 And so their land has been given over to desolation and to perpetual hissing. Each one who passes by will be astonished and will shake 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 Like a burning wind, I will disperse them in the sight the enemy. I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their perdition.”
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 And they said: “Come, and let us devise a plan against Jeremiah. For the law will not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor a sermon from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us pay no attention to any of his words.”
19 Pay attention to me, Yahweh, hear what my adversaries are saying.	19 Attend to me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my adversaries.
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 Should evil be rendered for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul! Remember that I have stood in your sight, so as to speak on their behalf for good, and to avert your indignation 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 Because of this, give their sons over to famine, and bring them to the hand of the sword. Let their wives be widows without children. And let their husbands be slain by death. Let their youths be stabbed with 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 an outcry be heard from their houses. For you will lead the robber upon them suddenly. For they have dug a pit, so that they may seize me, and they have hidden 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 against me unto death. May you not forgive their iniquity, and do not allow their sin be taken away from your face. Let them be thrown down in your sight, in the time of your fury, so that you may destroy them.