1 The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,

1 הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הָיָ֣ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֔הוּ מֵאֵ֥ת יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹֽר׃

2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear my words.

2 ק֥וּם וְיָרַדְתָּ֖ בֵּ֣ית הַיֹּוצֵ֑ר וְשָׁ֖מָּה אַשְׁמִֽיעֲךָ֥ אֶת־דְּבָרָֽי׃

3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels.

3 וָאֵרֵ֖ד בֵּ֣ית הַיֹּוצֵ֑ר וְהִנֵּהוּ וְהִנֵּה^a־ה֛וּא עֹשֶׂ֥ה מְלָאכָ֖ה עַל־הָאָבְנָֽיִם׃

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

4 וְנִשְׁחַ֣ת הַכְּלִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר ה֥וּא עֹשֶׂ֛ה בַּחֹ֖מֶר בְּיַ֣ד הַיֹּוצֵ֑ר וְשָׁ֗ב וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂ֙הוּ֙ כְּלִ֣י אַחֵ֔ר כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר יָשַׁ֛ר בְּעֵינֵ֥י הַיֹּוצֵ֖ר לַעֲשֹֽׂות׃

5 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

5 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽור׃

6 House of Israel, can't I do with you as this potter? says Yahweh. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.

6 הֲכַיֹּוצֵ֨ר הַזֶּ֜ה לֹא־אוּכַ֨ל לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות לָכֶ֛ם בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֤ה כַחֹ֙מֶר֙ בְּיַ֣ד הַיֹּוצֵ֔ר כֵּן־אַתֶּ֥ם בְּיָדִ֖י בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

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

7 רֶ֣גַע אֲדַבֵּ֔ר עַל־גֹּ֖וי וְעַל־מַמְלָכָ֑ה לִנְתֹ֥ושׁ וְלִנְתֹ֖וץ וּֽלְהַאֲבִֽיד׃

8 if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do to them.

8 וְשָׁב֙ הַגֹּ֣וי הַה֔וּא מֵרָ֣עָתֹ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּ֖רְתִּי עָלָ֑יו וְנִֽחַמְתִּי֙ עַל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר חָשַׁ֖בְתִּי לַעֲשֹׂ֥ות לֹֽו׃

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

9 וְרֶ֣גַע אֲדַבֵּ֔ר עַל־גֹּ֖וי וְעַל־מַמְלָכָ֑ה לִבְנֹ֖ת וְלִנְטֹֽעַ׃

10 if they do that which is evil in my sight, that they not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good, with which I said I would benefit them.

10 וְעָשָׂ֤ה הָרָעָה הָרַע֙ בְּעֵינַ֔י לְבִלְתִּ֖י שְׁמֹ֣עַ בְּקֹולִ֑י וְנִֽחַמְתִּי֙ עַל־הַטֹּובָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָמַ֖רְתִּי לְהֵיטִ֥יב אֹותֹֽו׃

11 Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says Yahweh: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return you now everyone from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

11 וְעַתָּ֡ה אֱמָר־נָ֣א אֶל־אִישׁ־יְהוּדָה֩ וְעַל־יֹושְׁבֵ֨י יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י יֹוצֵ֤ר עֲלֵיכֶם֙ רָעָ֔ה וְחֹשֵׁ֥ב עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם מַֽחֲשָׁבָ֑ה שׁ֣וּבוּ נָ֗א אִ֚ישׁ מִדַּרְכֹּ֣ו הָֽרָעָ֔ה וְהֵיטִ֥יבוּ דַרְכֵיכֶ֖ם וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶֽם׃

12 But they say, It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do everyone after the stubbornness of his evil heart.

12 וְאָמְר֖וּ נֹואָ֑שׁ כִּֽי־אַחֲרֵ֤י מַחְשְׁבֹותֵ֙ינוּ֙ נֵלֵ֔ךְ וְאִ֛ישׁ שְׁרִר֥וּת לִבֹּֽו־הָרָ֖ע נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃

13 Therefore thus says Yahweh: Ask you now among the nations, who has heard such things; the virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing.

13 לָכֵ֗ן כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה שַֽׁאֲלוּ־נָא֙ בַּגֹּויִ֔ם מִ֥י שָׁמַ֖ע כָּאֵ֑לֶּה שַֽׁעֲרֻרִת֙ עָשְׂתָ֣ה מְאֹ֔ד בְּתוּלַ֖ת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

14 Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? [or] shall the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?

14 הֲיַעֲזֹ֥ב מִצּ֛וּר שָׂדַ֖י שֶׁ֣לֶג לְבָנֹ֑ון אִם־יִנָּתְשׁ֗וּ מַ֛יִם זָרִ֥ים קָרִ֖ים נֹוזְלִֽים׃

15 For my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to false [gods]; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up;

15 כִּֽי־שְׁכֵחֻ֥נִי עַמִּ֖י לַשָּׁ֣וְא יְקַטֵּ֑רוּ וַיַּכְשִׁל֤וּם בְּדַרְכֵיהֶם֙ שְׁבִילֵ֣י עֹולָ֔ם לָלֶ֣כֶת נְתִיבֹ֔ות דֶּ֖רֶךְ לֹ֥א סְלוּלָֽה׃

16 to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing; everyone who passes thereby shall be astonished, and shake his head.

16 לָשׂ֥וּם אַרְצָ֛ם לְשַׁמָּ֖ה שְׁרוּקַת שְׁרִיקֹ֣ות³ עֹולָ֑ם כֹּ֚ל עֹובֵ֣ר עָלֶ֔יהָ יִשֹּׁ֖ם וְיָנִ֥יד בְּרֹאשֹֽׁו׃

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.

17 כְּרֽוּחַ־קָדִ֥ים אֲפִיצֵ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י אֹויֵ֑ב עֹ֧רֶף וְלֹֽא־פָנִ֛ים אֶרְאֵ֖ם בְּיֹ֥ום אֵידָֽם׃

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 strike him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

18 וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ לְכ֨וּ וְנַחְשְׁבָ֣ה עַֽל־יִרְמְיָהוּ֮ מַחֲשָׁבֹות֒ כִּי֩ לֹא־תֹאבַ֨ד תֹּורָ֜ה מִכֹּהֵ֗ן וְעֵצָה֙ מֵֽחָכָ֔ם וְדָבָ֖ר מִנָּבִ֑יא לְכוּ֙ וְנַכֵּ֣הוּ בַלָּשֹׁ֔ון וְאַל־נַקְשִׁ֖יבָה אֶל־כָּל־דְּבָרָֽיו׃

19 Give heed to me, Yahweh, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me.

19 הַקְשִׁ֥יבָה יְהוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י וּשְׁמַ֖ע לְקֹ֥ול יְרִיבָֽי׃

20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have dug a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.

20 הַיְשֻׁלַּ֤ם תַּֽחַת־טֹובָה֙ רָעָ֔ה כִּֽי־כָר֥וּ שׁוּחָ֖ה לְנַפְשִׁ֑י זְכֹ֣ר׀ עָמְדִ֣י לְפָנֶ֗יךָ לְדַבֵּ֤ר עֲלֵיהֶם֙ טֹובָ֔ה לְהָשִׁ֥יב אֶת־חֲמָתְךָ֖ מֵהֶֽם׃

21 Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword; and let their wives become childless, and widows; and let their men be slain of death, [and] their young men struck of the sword in battle.

21 לָכֵן֩ תֵּ֨ן אֶת־בְּנֵיהֶ֜ם לָרָעָ֗ב וְהַגִּרֵם֮ עַל־יְדֵי־חֶרֶב֒ וְתִֽהְיֶ֨נָה נְשֵׁיהֶ֤ם שַׁכֻּלֹות֙ וְאַלְמָנֹ֔ות וְאַ֨נְשֵׁיהֶ֔ם יִֽהְי֖וּ הֲרֻ֣גֵי מָ֑וֶת בַּח֣וּרֵיהֶ֔ם מֻכֵּי־חֶ֖רֶב בַּמִּלְחָמָֽה׃

22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when you shall bring a troop suddenly on them; for they have dug a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.

22 תִּשָּׁמַ֤ע זְעָקָה֙ מִבָּ֣תֵּיהֶ֔ם כִּֽי־תָבִ֧יא עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם גְּד֖וּד פִּתְאֹ֑ם כִּֽי־כָר֤וּ שִׁיחָה שׁוּחָה֙ לְלָכְדֵ֔נִי וּפַחִ֖ים טָמְנ֥וּ לְרַגְלָֽי׃

23 Yet, Yahweh, you know all their counsel against me to kill me; don't forgive their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from your sight; but let them be overthrown before you; deal you with them in the time of your anger.

23 וְאַתָּ֣ה יְ֠הוָה יָדַ֜עְתָּ אֶֽת־כָּל־עֲצָתָ֤ם עָלַי֙ לַמָּ֔וֶת אַל־תְּכַפֵּר֙ עַל־עֲוֹנָ֔ם וְחַטָּאתָ֖ם מִלְּפָנֶ֣יךָ אַל־תֶּ֑מְחִי וְהָיוּ וְיִהְי֤וּ מֻכְשָׁלִים֙ לְפָנֶ֔יךָ בְּעֵ֥ת אַפְּךָ֖ עֲשֵׂ֥ה בָהֶֽם׃