Jeremiah at the Potter's House
1 The Lord said to me, 2 “Go down to the potter's house, where I will give you my message.” 3 So I went there and saw the potter working at his wheel. 4 Whenever a piece of pottery turned out imperfect, he would take the clay and make it into something else.
5 Then the Lord said to me, 6 “Don't I have the right to do with you people of Israel what the potter did with the clay? You are in my hands just like clay in the potter's hands. 7 If at any time I say that I am going to uproot, break down, or destroy any nation or kingdom, 8 but then that nation turns from its evil, I will not do what I said I would. 9 On the other hand, if I say that I am going to plant or build up any nation or kingdom, 10 but then that nation disobeys me and does evil, I will not do what I said I would. 11 Now then, tell the people of Judah and of Jerusalem that I am making plans against them and getting ready to punish them. Tell them to stop living sinful lives—to change their ways and the things they are doing. 12 They will answer, ‘No, why should we? We will all be just as stubborn and evil as we want to be.’”
The People Reject the Lord
13 The Lord says,
“Ask every nation if such a thing
has ever happened before.
The people of Israel have done a terrible thing!
14 Are Lebanon's rocky heights ever without snow?
Do its cool mountain streams ever run dry?
15 Yet my people have forgotten me;
they burn incense to idols.
They have stumbled in the way they should go;
they no longer follow the old ways;
they walk on unmarked paths.
16 They have made this land a thing of horror,
to be despised forever.
All who pass by will be shocked at what they see;
they will shake their heads in amazement.
17 I will scatter my people before their enemies,
like dust blown by the east wind.
I will turn my back on them;
I will not help them when the disaster comes.”
A Plot against Jeremiah
18 Then the people said, “Let's do something about Jeremiah! There will always be priests to instruct us, the wise to give us counsel, and prophets to proclaim God's message. Let's bring charges against him and stop listening to what he says.”
19 So I prayed, “Lord, hear what I am saying and listen to what my enemies are saying about me. 20 Is evil the payment for good? Yet they have dug a pit for me to fall in. Remember how I came to you and spoke on their behalf, so that you would not deal with them in anger. 21 But now, Lord, let their children starve to death; let them be killed in war. Let the women lose their husbands and children; let the men die of disease and the young men be killed in battle. 22 Send a mob to plunder their homes without warning; make them cry out in terror. They have dug a pit for me to fall in and have set traps to catch me. 23 But, Lord, you know all their plots to kill me. Do not forgive their evil or pardon their sin. Throw them down in defeat and deal with them while you are angry.”
Podnieks un trauks
1 Vārds, kas Jeremijam nāca no Kunga: 2 “Celies, ej uz podnieka namu, un tur es tev likšu sadzirdēt manus vārdus!” 3 Un es nogāju uz podnieka namu, un, redzi, viņš strādāja pie savas ripas. 4 Un trauks, ko podnieks darināja no māliem, neizdevās, un viņš atkal ķērās klāt un pārtaisīja to par citu trauku, kā viņam šķita labi.
5 Un Kunga vārds nāca pār mani: 6 “Israēla nams, vai lai es nedaru ar jums tā, kā šis podnieks dara, saka Kungs, redzi, Israēla nams, jūs esat manā rokā kā māls podnieka rokā! 7 Drīz es runāšu par tautu un valsti, lai nīdētu, plēstu un deldētu! 8 Bet, ja tie novērsīsies no sava ļaunuma, par ko es ar tiem runāju, es rimšu un nedarīšu tiem ļaunu, kā biju domājis. 9 Drīz es runāšu par tautu un valsti, lai celtu un dēstītu! 10 Bet, ja tie darīs ļaunu manās acīs un neklausīsies manā balsī, es rimšu un nedarīšu tiem labu, kā biju domājis.
11 Tagad saki Jūdas vīriem un Jeruzālemes iemītniekiem: tā saka Kungs: redzi, es jums kā podnieks veidoju ļaunu un kaļu plānus pret jums. Atgriezieties jel katrs no sava ļaunā ceļa un dariet, ka top labs jūsu gājums un jūsu darbi! –
Israēla stūrgalvīgā elkdievība
12 Bet tie teica: velti! Mēs iesim, kur mūsu pašu padoms mums liek, katrs pēc savas ļaunās sirds stūrgalvības mēs darīsim!
13 Tādēļ tā saka Kungs:
nu, paprasiet tautām,
vai tās ko tādu ir dzirdējušas?
Šausmu lietas darījusi
Israēla jaunava!
14 Vai tad varenās klintis
un Lebanonu
pamet sniegs?
Vai tālumu ūdeņi izsīkst
un vēsās straumes?
15 Mana tauta gan mani aizmirsusi –
viņi kvēpina tukšībai,
viņi grīļojas savos ceļos,
mūžsenās takās,
lai ietu pa nomaļām takām,
nevis pa uzbērtu ceļu,
16 lai savu zemi par postažu padarītu,
par mūžīgu izsmieklu, –
ikviens, kas to šķērso, ir satriekts
un nicīgi pašūpo galvu.
17 Kā austrenis es tos izkaisīšu
naidnieka priekšā,
muguru, ne seju tiem uzgriezīšu
nelaimes dienā.”
Sazvērestība pret Jeremiju
18 Un viņi teica: “Sazvērēsimies pret Jeremiju! Ka priesterim nezūd bauslība un gudrajam padoms, un pravietim vārds! Ejam izņirdzam viņu! Neklausīsimies viņa vārdos!”
19 Uzklausi mani, Kungs,
sadzirdi manu strīdnieka balsi!
20 Vai labs jāatdara ar ļaunu?
Tie izkārpījuši manai dzīvībai bedri!
Atceries, es stāvēju tavā priekšā,
lai uz tiem runātu labu,
lai novērstu tavas dusmas no viņiem!
21 Tādēļ dod viņu dēlus badam,
atdod zobenam viņus,
viņu sievas lai ir bezbērnu atraitnes
un viņu vīrus lai kauj nāve,
lai viņu jaunekļus kaujā nogalē zobens!
22 No viņu mājām lai dzird kliedzam,
kad tu piepeši uzsūti tiem
laupītāju bandas,
jo viņi raka bedri,
lai mani sagūstītu,
un lamatas izlika manām kājām!
23 Tu, Kungs, zināji
viņu nolūkus nonāvēt mani,
nepiedod tiem viņu vainu
un viņu grēkus nemazgā
no viņu sejām,
lai tie klūp tavā priekšā!
Tā dari tiem
savas dusmības laikā!
