The Lord Talks about Idols
1-2 The Lord said:
Listen to me,
you people of Israel.
Don't follow the customs
of those nations
who become frightened
when they see something strange
happen in the sky.
3 Their religion is worthless!
They chop down a tree,
carve the wood into an idol,
4 cover it with silver and gold,
and then nail it down
so it won't fall over.
5 An idol is no better
than a scarecrow.
It can't speak,
and it has to be carried,
because it can't walk.
Why worship an idol
that can't help or harm you?
Jeremiah Praises the Lord
6 Our Lord, great and powerful,
you alone are God.
7 You are King of the nations.
Everyone should worship you.
No human anywhere on earth
is wiser than you.
8 Idols are worthless,
and anyone who worships them
is a fool!
9 Idols are made by humans.
A carver shapes the wood.
A metalworker hammers out
a covering of gold from Uphaz
or of silver from Tarshish.
Then the idol is dressed
in blue and purple clothes.
10 You, Lord, are the only true
and living God.
You will rule for all time.
When you are angry
the earth shakes,
and nations are destroyed.
11 You told me to say
that idols did not create
the heavens and the earth,
and that you, the Lord,
will destroy every idol.
12 With your wisdom and power
you created the earth
and spread out the heavens.
13 The waters in the heavens roar
at your command.
You make clouds appear—
you send the winds
from your storehouse
and make lightning flash
in the rain.
14 People who make idols
are so stupid!
They will be disappointed,
because their false gods
are not alive.
15 Idols are merely a joke,
and when the time is right,
they will be destroyed.
16 But you, Israel's God,
created all things,
and you chose Israel
to be your very own.
Your name is the Lord
All-Powerful.
Judah Will Be Thrown from Its Land
17 I said to the people of Judah,
“Gather your things;
you are surrounded.
18 The Lord said these troubles
will lead to your capture,
and he will throw you
from this land
like a rock from a sling.”
19 The people answered,
“We are wounded
and doomed to die.
Why did we say
we could stand the pain?
20 Our homes are destroyed;
our children are dead.
No one is left
to help us find shelter.”
21 But I told them,
“Our leaders were stupid failures,
because they refused
to listen to the Lord.
And so we've been scattered
like sheep.
22 “Sounds of destruction
rumble from the north
like distant thunder.
Soon our towns will be ruins
where only jackals live.”
Jeremiah Prays
23 I know, Lord, that we humans
are not in control
of our own lives.
24 Correct me, as I deserve,
but not in your anger,
or I will be dead.
25 Our enemies refuse
to admit that you are God
or to worship you.
They have wiped out our people
and left our nation
lying in ruins.
So get angry
and sweep them away!
Elkdievības tukšums
1 Israēla nams! Klausies vārdus, ko saka Kungs! 2 Tā saka Kungs:
“Tautu ceļus jūs nestaigājiet
un no debesu zīmēm nebīstieties,
kā tautas bīstas no tām.
3 Jo tautu dievi ir nieki –
kā nocirsts meža koks,
ko ar cirvi apdarinājis kokgriezējs, –
4 ar sudrabu un zeltu izdaiļoti,
ar naglām un āmuru sasisti kopā,
lai negāžas.
5 Tie kā biedēkļi izdreijāti,
tie nerunā – ceļami, stumjami,
jo soļot tie nevar,
nebīstieties no tiem,
ļaunu tie darīt nevar
un labu arīdzan ne.”
6 Kungs, nav tāda kā tu!
Tu esi liels,
un tavs vārds ir liels
tavā varenībā!
7 Kas gan tevis nebīstas, tautu ķēniņ!
Tas pienākas tev,
jo nevienai no gudrajām tautām
nevienā valstī
nav tāda kā tu!
8 Bet vienādiņ visi ir dumji un muļķi –
baālu mācība ir no koka!
9 Kalts sudrabs no Taršīšas vests
un zelts no Ūfāzas –
amatnieku un zeltkaļu darbs,
purpurzilas un purpura viņu drānas,
tie visi ir gudro darbs.
10 Bet Kungs ir patiesības Dievs,
viņš ir dzīvs Dievs un mūžīgs Ķēniņš,
no viņa dusmības dreb zeme,
un tautas nevar turēt viņa bargumu!
11 To saki viņiem: dievi, kas debesis un zemi nav taisījuši, lai pazūd no zemes un no šīm debesīm!
12 Viņš taisīja zemi
ar savu spēku
un nostiprināja cietzemi
ar savu prātu un gudrību,
viņš izpleta debesis!
13 Kad viņš ceļ balsi –
krāc debesu ūdeņi!
Viņš ceļ garaiņus no zemes galiem,
zibeņo lietū,
un no savām krātuvēm atnes vēju!
14 Dumjš ir cilvēks – bez zināšanas,
apkaunots zeltkalis ar saviem elku tēliem,
jo meli ir viņa lējumi
un tajos nav gara!
15 Tie ir tukšība,
smiekla darbs,
kad tos piemeklēs,
tad tie ies bojā!
16 Ne tāda ir Jēkaba daļa,
jo visu veidoja viņš!
Un Israēls ir viņa mantojuma cilts!
Viņa vārds ir – Pulku Kungs!
Tauta tiks padzīta no savas zemes
17 Savāc savu nastu no zemes,
tu, ielenktā!
18 Jo tā saka Kungs:
“Redzi, šoreiz es aizmēzīšu visus,
kas mīt uz zemes,
es tos turēšu aplenktus,
lai tie zina!”
19 Vai, kāds man posts!
Mana brūce gurdina mani,
bet es teicu: patiesi!
Tā mana sērga,
tā man jācieš!
20 Mana telts nojaukta,
un visas manas telts virves sarautas,
mani bērni aizgājuši no manis,
un to nav!
Neviens vairs nepletīs manu telti,
nenostieps manus telts aizkarus!
21 Gani ir dumji,
Kungu tie nemeklē,
tādēļ tiem nesokas
un to ganāmpulki ir izklīduši.
22 Redzi, no ziemeļu zemes
ceļas balsu duna un liela trīcēšana,
nu Jūdas pilsētas padarīs
par izpostījumu un šakāļu midzeni!
23 Kungs, es zinu,
ka ne cilvēka varā ir viņa ceļš,
un tas, kas iet, pats neliek soļus.
24 Kungs, pamāci mani ar tiesu,
bet ne ar dusmām,
nepadari mani par nieku!
25 Savu niknumu izlej pār tautām,
kas nepazīst tevi,
pār dzimtām,
kas nepiesauc tavu vārdu, –
jo Jēkabu tās ir aprijušas,
viņu tās izskaudušas
un viņa ganības izdeldējušas!
