Jerusalem Is Surrounded by Enemies
1 People of Benjamin, run for safety! Escape from Jerusalem! Sound the trumpet in Tekoa and build a signal fire in Beth Haccherem. Disaster and destruction are about to come from the north. 2 The city of Zion is beautiful, but it will be destroyed; 3 kings will camp there with their armies. They will pitch their tents around the city, and each of them will camp wherever they want. 4 They will say, “Prepare to attack Jerusalem! Get ready! We'll attack at noon!” But then they will say, “It's too late, the day is almost over, and the evening shadows are growing long. 5 We'll attack by night; we'll destroy the city's fortresses.”
6 The Lord Almighty has ordered these kings to cut down trees and build mounds in order to besiege Jerusalem. He has said, “I will punish this city because it is full of oppression. 7 As a well keeps its water fresh, so Jerusalem keeps its evil fresh. I hear violence and destruction in the city; sickness and wounds are all I see. 8 People of Jerusalem, let these troubles be a warning to you, or else I will abandon you; I will turn your city into a desert, a place where no one lives.”
Rebellious Israel
9 The Lord Almighty said to me, “Israel will be stripped clean like a vineyard from which every grape has been picked. So you must rescue everyone you can while there is still time.”
10 I answered, “Who would listen to me if I spoke to them and warned them? They are stubborn and refuse to listen to your message; they laugh at what you tell me to say. 11 Your anger against them burns in me too, Lord, and I can't hold it in any longer.”
Then the Lord said to me, “Pour out my anger on the children in the streets and on the gatherings of the young people. Husbands and wives will be taken away, and even the very old will not be spared. 12 Their houses will be given to others, and so will their fields and their wives. I am going to punish the people of this land. 13 Everyone, great and small, tries to make money dishonestly; even prophets and priests cheat the people. 14 They act as if my people's wounds were only scratches. ‘All is well,’ they say, when all is not well. 15 Were they ashamed because they did these disgusting things? No, they were not at all ashamed; they don't even know how to blush. And so they will fall as others have fallen; when I punish them, that will be the end of them. I, the Lord, have spoken.”
Israel Rejects God's Way
16 The Lord said to his people, “Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask for the ancient paths and where the best road is. Walk in it, and you will live in peace.”
But they said, “No, we will not!” 17 Then the Lord appointed sentries to listen for the trumpet's warning. But they said, “We will not listen.”
18 So the Lord said, “Listen, you nations, and learn what is going to happen to my people. 19 Listen, earth! As punishment for all their schemes I am bringing ruin on these people, because they have rejected my teaching and have not obeyed my words. 20 What do I care about the incense they bring me from Sheba, or the spices from a distant land? I will not accept their offerings or be pleased with their sacrifices. 21 And so I will make these people stumble and fall. Parents and children will die, and so will friends and neighbors.”
Invasion from the North
22 The Lord says, “People are coming from a country in the north; a mighty nation far away is preparing for war. 23 They have taken up their bows and swords; they are cruel and merciless. They sound like the roaring sea, as they ride their horses. They are ready for battle against Jerusalem.”
24 “We have heard the news,” say the people of Jerusalem, “and our hands hang limp; we are seized by anguish and pain like a woman in labor. 25 We don't dare go to the countryside or walk on the roads, because our enemies are armed and terror is all around us.”
26 The Lord says to his people, “Put on sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn with bitter tears as you would for an only child, because the one who comes to destroy you will suddenly attack. 27 Jeremiah, test my people, as you would test metal, and find out what they are like. 28 They are all stubborn rebels, hard as bronze and iron. They are all corrupt, going around and spreading gossip. 29 The furnace burns fiercely, but the waste metals do not melt and run off. It is useless to go on refining my people, because those who are evil are not taken away. 30 They will be called worthless dross, because I, the Lord, have rejected them.”
Jeruzāleme tiks izpostīta savu grēku dēļ
1 Tverieties, Benjāmina dēli
no Jeruzālemes,
Tekoā pūtiet ragu
un pār Bēt-Keremu
dedziet nelaimes zīmi,
jo no ziemeļiem slejas ļaunums
un liels posts.
2 Mīlīga gan un maiga
ir Ciānas meita –
bet izdeldēšu!
3 Pār viņu nāks gani
ar saviem avju pulkiem,
tie uzslies ap viņu teltis
un ganīs, kur gribēs.
4 Svētījiet kauju pret viņu!
Uzbrūkam dienvidū!
Vai! mums,
jo diena jau griežas uz galu,
jau izstiepjas vakara ēnas.
5 Celieties, uzbrūkam naktī,
sagraujam viņas mūra pilis!
6 Jo tā saka Pulku Kungs:
“Cērtiet kokus un uzberiet
ap Jeruzālemi aplenkuma valni! –
šai pilsētai jātop piemeklētai
tās varmācības dēļ!
7 Kā aka glabā ūdeni svaigu,
tā viņa saglabā ļaunumu!
Tur dzird apspiešanu un varasdarbus,
manā priekšā vienmēr ir sērgas un rētas!
8 Topi brīdināta, Jeruzāleme,
kamēr es tev neesmu palicis svešs,
kamēr vēl neesmu pārvērtis tevi par izpostījumu,
par zemi, kur neviens nedzīvo.”
9 Tā saka Pulku Kungs:
“Kā vīnogas lasīdams pārlasi
Israēla pārpalikumu,
atkal un atkal
liec savu roku pie stīgām
kā vīnkopis.”
10 Uz ko lai es runāju,
ko lai brīdinu, ka dzird,
redzi, tiem ir neapgraizīto ausis
un tie klausīties nespēj,
redzi, Kunga vārdi tiem par izsmieklu,
tie viņiem netīk.
11 Es, pilns Kunga dusmu,
knapi turos
izliet tās pār bērniem ielās
un pār jaunekļu pulku,
jo gan vīrs, gan sieva tiks sagūstīti,
gan vecis, gan tas, kam papilnam dienu.
12 “Viņu mājas iemantos citi,
tie dabūs gan viņu laukus, gan sievas,
jo es izstiepšu savu roku pār tiem,
kas mīt šajā zemē,”
saka Kungs.
13 “Gan mazi, gan lieli –
visi tīko pēc netaisnas mantas,
gan pravietis, gan priesteris –
visi krāpjas!
14 Manas tautas brūci
tie tik apārstē,
tie saka: miers, miers,
bet miera nav!
15 Nu tie apkaunoti,
jo tie darīja preteklību,
kauna tie nepratās,
goda tie nezināja, –
tādēļ tie kritīs kritējiem līdzi,
tie klups, kad tos piemeklēšu,”
saka Kungs.
16 Tā saka Kungs:
“Uz ceļa stājiet un raugiet,
prasiet pēc mūžsena gājuma –
kur ir labais ceļš?
Tad ejiet pa to!
Atrodiet savām dvēselēm rimtu vietu!
Bet viņi teica: mēs neiesim!
17 Es tiem iecēlu sargus:
klausieties raga skaņās!
Bet viņi teica:
mēs neklausīsimies.
18 Tādēļ klausieties, tautas,
un sapulce, zini,
kas viņiem būs!
19 Klausies, zeme,
redzi, es nesu šai tautai ļaunu –
tas viņu nodomu auglis,
jo manos vārdos tie neklausījās
un manu bauslību nopaļāja.
20 Kam man šis vīraks,
kas atvests no Šebas,
vai labās smaržu niedres
no tālām zemēm,
jūsu sadedzināmie upuri man netīk
un jūsu upuri man nav saldi!”
21 Tādēļ tā saka Kungs:
“Redzi, es likšu šai tautai
klupšanas akmeņus,
un tā pār tiem klups –
tēvi kopā ar dēliem
un kaimiņš ies bojā ar kaimiņu!”
Naidnieks no ziemeļiem
22 Tā saka Kungs:
“Redzi, no ziemeļu zemes nāk tauta,
no zemes nostūriem
šurp taisās liela cilts!
23 Loku un bozi tie tver,
tie ir cieti, tiem līdzjūtības nav,
viņu balss šņāc kā jūra,
uz zirgiem tie jāj
jau sarindojušies kaujai –
pret tevi, Ciānas meita!”
24 Mēs dzirdējām baumas par to,
mums nošļuka rokas,
mūs sakampa sāpes
kā dzemdētāju.
25 Uz lauka nenāc,
uz ceļa neej,
jo naidniekam zobens –
visapkārt šaušalas.
26 Mana tautmeita!
Joz maisu,
vārties pīšļos,
sēro kā par vienīgo dēlu
un vaidi rūgtās žēlabās,
jo pār mums
piepeši nāks postītājs!
27 “Es tevi darīju
par tādu, kas pārbauda metālu,
par cietoksni manā tautā –
lai tu zini un iztausti viņu ceļus.
28 Viņi visi ir pilni spīts,
staigā žvankstēdami, –
kā varš un dzelzs! –
viņi visi ir postītāji!”
29 Plēšas sveilē,
no uguns sanāk svins,
velti kausēts –
ļaunie nav atšķirti nost!
30 Uz viņiem sauks:
nederīgs sudrabs! –
jo tos atmetis Kungs.
