The wordהַדָּבָרthatאֲשֶׁרcameהָיָהto Jeremiahאֶל יִרְמְיָהוּfromמֵאֵתYHWH,יְהוָהsaying:לֵאמֹר
“Get upקוּםand go downוְיָרַדְתָּto the houseבֵּיתof the potter,הַיּוֹצֵרand thereוְשָׁמָּהI will make you hearאַשְׁמִיעֲךָmy words.”אֶת דְּבָרָי
So I went downוָאֵרֵדto the houseבֵּיתof the potter,הַיּוֹצֵרand look,וְהִנֵּהheהוּאwas doingעֹשֶׂהa workמְלָאכָהon the wheel.עַל הָאָבְנָיִם
And the vesselוְ הַכְּלִיthatאֲשֶׁרheהוּאwas makingעֹשֶׂהof clayבַּחֹמֶרwas ruinedנִשְׁחַתin the handבְּיַדof the potter;הַיּוֹצֵרand he went backוְשָׁבand made itוַיַּעֲשֵׂהוּanotherאַחֵרvessel,כְּלִיasכַּאֲשֶׁרseemed rightיָשַׁרin the eyesבְּעֵינֵיof the potterהַיּוֹצֵרto make.לַעֲשׂוֹת
And the wordוַיְהִי דְבַרof YHWHיְהוָהcame to me,אֵלַיsaying:לֵאמוֹר
“Can I notהֲ לֹא אוּכַלdoלַעֲשׂוֹתwith youלָכֶםas this potter does,כַיּוֹצֵר הַזֶּהhouseבֵּיתof Israel?יִשְׂרָאֵלdeclaresנְאֻםYHWH.יְהוָהLook,הִנֵּהlike the clayכַחֹמֶרin the handבְּיַדof the potter,הַיּוֹצֵרso are youכֵּן אַתֶּםin my hand,בְּיָדִיhouseבֵּיתof Israel.יִשְׂרָאֵל
At one momentרֶגַעI speakאֲדַבֵּרconcerning a nationעַל גּוֹיor concerning a kingdom,וְעַל מַמְלָכָהto uprootלִנְתוֹשׁand to tear downוְלִנְתוֹץand to destroy;וּלְהַאֲבִיד
but if that nationוְ הַגּוֹי הַהוּאturns backשָׁבfrom its evil,מֵרָעָתוֹconcerning whichאֲשֶׁר עָלָיוI spoke,דִּבַּרְתִּיI will relentוְנִחַמְתִּיconcerning the evilעַל הָרָעָהthatאֲשֶׁרI intendedחָשַׁבְתִּיto do to it.לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ
And at another momentוְרֶגַעI speakאֲדַבֵּרconcerning a nationעַל גּוֹיor concerning a kingdom,וְעַל מַמְלָכָהto buildלִבְנֹתand to plant;וְלִנְטֹעַ
but if it doesוְעָשָׂהwhat is evilהָרַעin my eyes,בְּעֵינַיso as notלְבִלְתִּיto listenשְׁמֹעַto my voice,בְּקוֹלִיI will relentוְנִחַמְתִּיconcerning the goodעַל הַטּוֹבָהthatאֲשֶׁרI saidאָמַרְתִּיI would do for it.לְהֵיטִיב אוֹתוֹ
And now,וְעַתָּהsay,אֱמָרplease,נָאto the menאֶל אִישׁof Judahיְהוּדָהand to the inhabitantsוְעַל יוֹשְׁבֵיof Jerusalem,יְרוּשָׁלִַםsaying:לֵאמֹר‘ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH:יְהוָהLook,הִנֵּהIאָנֹכִיam formingיוֹצֵרagainst youעֲלֵיכֶםevil,רָעָהand devisingוְחֹשֵׁבagainst youעֲלֵיכֶםa plan.מַחֲשָׁבָהTurn back,שׁוּבוּplease,נָאeach oneאִישׁfrom his evilהָרָעָהway,מִדַּרְכּוֹand make goodוְהֵיטִיבוּyour waysדַרְכֵיכֶםand your deeds.’וּמַעַלְלֵיכֶם
But they will say:וְאָמְרוּ‘It is hopeless!נוֹאָשׁForכִּיafterאַחֲרֵיour own plansמַחְשְׁבוֹתֵינוּwe will walk,נֵלֵךְand each oneוְאִישׁthe stubbornnessשְׁרִרוּתof his evilהָרָעheartלִבּוֹwe will do.’נַעֲשֶׂה
ThereforeלָכֵןthusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH:יְהוָהAsk,שַׁאֲלוּnow,נָאamong the nations:בַּגּוֹיִםWhoמִיhas heardשָׁמַעthe like of these?כָּאֵלֶּהA veryמְאֹדhorrible thingשַׁעֲרֻרִתhas doneעָשְׂתָהthe virginבְּתוּלַתof Israel.יִשְׂרָאֵל
Does the snowהֲ שֶׁלֶגof Lebanonלְבָנוֹןleaveיַעֲזֹבthe rockמִצּוּרof the field?שָׂדַיOrאִםare the foreign,זָרִיםcold,קָרִיםflowingנוֹזְלִיםwatersמַיִםuprooted?יִנָּתְשׁוּ
Forכִּיmy peopleעַמִּיhas forgotten me;שְׁכֵחֻנִיto what is vainלַשָּׁוְאthey burn incense,יְקַטֵּרוּand they have made them stumbleוַיַּכְשִׁלוּםin their ways,בְּדַרְכֵיהֶםthe ancientעוֹלָםpaths,שְׁבִילֵיto walkלָלֶכֶתin byways,נְתִיבוֹתa roadדֶּרֶךְnotלֹאbuilt up,סְלוּלָה
to makeלָשׂוּםtheir landאַרְצָםa horror,לְשַׁמָּהa perpetualעוֹלָםhissing;שְׁרִיקוֹתeveryoneכֹּלwho passesעוֹבֵרby itעָלֶיהָwill be horrifiedיִשֹּׁםand shakeוְיָנִידhis head.בְּרֹאשׁוֹ
Like the windכְּרוּחַfrom the eastקָדִיםI will scatter themאֲפִיצֵםbeforeלִפְנֵיthe enemy;אוֹיֵבthe backעֹרֶףand notוְלֹאthe faceפָנִיםI will show themאֶרְאֵםin the dayבְּיוֹםof their calamity.”אֵידָם
And they said:וַיֹּאמְרוּ“Come,לְכוּand let us deviseוְנַחְשְׁבָהagainst Jeremiahעַל יִרְמְיָהוּplans,מַחֲשָׁבוֹתforכִּיinstructionתּוֹרָהwill notלֹאperishתֹאבַדfrom the priest,מִכֹּהֵןnor counselוְעֵצָהfrom the wise,מֵחָכָםnor the wordוְדָבָרfrom the prophet.מִנָּבִיאCome,לְכוּand let us strike himוְנַכֵּהוּwith the tongue,בַלָּשׁוֹןand let us notוְאַלpay attentionנַקְשִׁיבָהto anyאֶל כָּלof his words.”דְּבָרָיו
Pay attention,הַקְשִׁיבָהYHWH,יְהוָהto me,אֵלָיand hearוּשְׁמַעthe voiceלְקוֹלof those who contend with me.יְרִיבָי
Should evilרָעָהbe repaidהַיְשֻׁלַּםfor good?תַּחַת טוֹבָהForכִּיthey have dugכָרוּa pitשׁוּחָהfor my soul.לְנַפְשִׁיRememberזְכֹרhow I stoodעָמְדִיbefore youלְפָנֶיךָto speakלְדַבֵּרgoodטוֹבָהon their behalf,עֲלֵיהֶםto turn backלְהָשִׁיבyour furyאֶת חֲמָתְךָfrom them.מֵהֶם
Thereforeלָכֵןgiveתֵּןtheir sonsאֶת בְּנֵיהֶםto famine,לָרָעָבand pour them outוְהַגִּרֵםinto the handsעַל יְדֵיof the sword;חֶרֶבand let their wivesוְתִהְיֶנָה נְשֵׁיהֶםbe bereaved of childrenשַׁכֻּלוֹתand widows;וְאַלְמָנוֹתand let their menוְאַנְשֵׁיהֶםbeיִהְיוּslainהֲרֻגֵיby death,מָוֶתtheir young menבַּחוּרֵיהֶםstruckמֻכֵּיby the swordחֶרֶבin battle.בַּמִּלְחָמָה
Let a cryזְעָקָהbe heardתִּשָּׁמַעfrom their houses,מִבָּתֵּיהֶםwhenכִּיyou bringתָבִיאupon themעֲלֵיהֶםa raiding bandגְּדוּדsuddenly;פִּתְאֹםforכִּיthey have dugכָרוּa pitשׁוּחָהto capture me,לְלָכְדֵנִיand snaresוּפַחִיםthey have hiddenטָמְנוּfor my feet.לְרַגְלָי
But you,וְאַתָּהYHWH,יְהוָהknowיָדַעְתָּallכָּלtheir counselעֲצָתָםagainst meעָלַיfor death;לַמָּוֶתdo notאַלmake expiationתְּכַפֵּרfor their iniquity,עַל עֲוֺנָםand their sinוְחַטָּאתָםfrom before youמִלְּפָנֶיךָdo notאַלblot out;תֶּמְחִיand let them beוְיִהְיוּmade to stumbleמֻכְשָׁלִיםbefore you;לְפָנֶיךָin the timeבְּעֵתof your angerאַפְּךָactעֲשֵׂהagainst them.בָהֶם