Jeremiæ 5
1 Circuite vias Ierusalem, et aspicite, et considerate, et quærite in plateis eius, an inveniatis virum facientem iudicium, et quærentem fidem: et propitius ero ei.
“Rush about through the streets of Jerusalem; search in her city squares, too. Then look and think about this: If you can find a man or anyone who is acting justly and trying to act faithfully, then I will forgive Jerusalem.
2 Quod si etiam Vivit Dominus, dixerint: et hoc falso iurabunt.
Although they say, 'As Yahweh lives,' yet they are swearing falsely.”
3 Domine oculi tui respiciunt fidem: percussisti eos, et non doluerunt: attrivisti eos, et renuerunt accipere disciplinam: induraverunt facies suas supra petram, et noluerunt reverti.
Yahweh, do your eyes not look for faithfulness? You struck the people, but they do not feel pain. You have completely defeated them, but they still refuse to receive discipline. They make their faces harder than rock, for they refuse to repent.
4 Ego autem dixi: Forsitan pauperes sunt et stulti, ignorantes viam Domini, iudicium Dei sui.
So I said, “Surely these are only poor people. They are foolish, for they do not know Yahweh's ways, nor their God's decrees.
5 Ibo igitur ad optimates, et loquar eis: ipsi enim cognoverunt viam Domini, iudicium Dei sui. Et ecce magis hi simul confregerunt iugum, ruperunt vincula.
I will go to the important people and declare God's messages to them, for they at least know Yahweh's ways, the decrees of their God.” But they all broke their yoke together; they all tore apart the chains that bound them to God.
6 Idcirco percussit eos leo de silva, lupus ad vesperam vastavit eos, pardus vigilans super civitates eorum: omnis, qui egressus fuerit ex eis, capietur: quia multiplicatæ sunt prævaricationes eorum, confortatæ sunt aversiones eorum.
So a lion from a thicket will attack them. A wolf from the Arabah will ruin them. A lurking panther will come against their cities. Anyone who goes outside his city will be torn apart. For their transgressions increase. Their acts of faithlessness are unlimited.
7 Super quo propitius tibi esse potero? Filii tui dereliquerunt me, et iurant in his, qui non sunt dii: saturavi eos, et mœchati sunt, et in domo meretricis luxuriabantur.
Why should I pardon these people? Your sons have abandoned me and have made oaths by what are not gods. I fed them fully, but they committed adultery and walked in great numbers to the houses of prostitutes.
8 Equi amatores, et emissarii facti sunt: Unusquisque ad uxorem proximi sui hinniebat.
They were horses in heat. They roamed about wanting to mate. Each man neighed to his neighbor's wife.
9 Numquid super his non visitabo, dicit Dominus? Et in gente tali non ulciscetur anima mea?
So should I not punish them—this is Yahweh's declaration— and should I not avenge myself on a nation that is like this?
10 Ascendite muros eius, et dissipate, consummationem autem nolite facere: auferte propagines eius, quia non sunt Domini.
Go up onto her vineyards' terraces and destroy. But do not bring complete destruction to them. Trim their vines, since those vines do not come from Yahweh.
11 Prævaricatione enim prævaricata est in me domus Israel, et domus Iuda, ait Dominus.
For the houses of Israel and Judah have completely betrayed me—this is Yahweh's declaration.
12 Negaverunt Dominum, et dixerunt: Non est ipse: neque veniet super nos malum: gladium et famem non videbimus.
They have spoken falsely about Yahweh and they said, “He will do nothing; no harm will come upon us, and we will not see sword or famine.
13 Prophetæ fuerunt in ventum locuti, et responsum non fuit in eis: Hæc ergo evenient illis.
The prophets will become wind, the word is not in them, so let what they say be done to them.”
14 Hæc dicit Dominus Deus exercituum: Quia locuti estis verbum istud: ecce ego do verba mea in ore tuo in ignem, et populum istum in ligna, et vorabit eos.
So Yahweh, the God of hosts says this, “Because you have said this, see, I am about to place my word in your mouth. It will be like a fire, and this people will be like wood! For it will consume them.
15 Ecce ego adducam super vos gentem de longinquo domus Israel, ait Dominus: gentem robustam, gentem antiquam, gentem cuius ignorabis linguam, nec intelliges quid loquatur.
Behold! I am about to bring a nation against you from far away, house of Israel—this is Yahweh's declaration— it is a lasting nation, an ancient nation! It is a nation whose language you do not know, nor will you understand what they say.
16 Pharetra eius quasi sepulchrum patens, universi fortes.
Its quiver is like an open tomb. They are all soldiers.
17 Et comedet segetes tuas, et panem tuum: devorabit filios tuos, et filias tuas: comedet gregem tuum, et armenta tua: comedet vineam tuam et ficum tuam: et conteret urbes munitas tuas, in quibus tu habes fiduciam, gladio.
So your harvest will be consumed, your sons and daughters also, and your food. They will eat your flocks and cattle; they will eat the fruit from your vines and fig trees. They will beat down with a sword your fortified cities that you trusted in.
18 Verumtamen in diebus illis, ait Dominus, non faciam vos in consummationem.
But even in those days—this is Yahweh's declaration—I do not intend to destroy you completely.
19 Quod si dixeritis: Quare fecit nobis Dominus Deus noster hæc omnia? Dices ad eos: Sicut dereliquistis me, et servistis deo alieno in terra vestra, sic servietis alienis in terra non vestra.
When you, Israel and Judah, say, 'Why has Yahweh our God done all these things to us?' then you, Jeremiah, will say to them, 'Just as you abandoned Yahweh and served foreign gods in your land, so you must also serve strangers in a land that is not your own.'
20 Annunciate hoc domui Iacob, et auditum facite in Iuda, dicentes:
Report this to the house of Jacob and let it be heard in Judah. Say,
21 Audi popule stulte, qui non habes cor: qui habentes oculos non videtis: et aures, et non auditis.
'Hear this, you foolish people who have no understanding; who have eyes but you cannot see, and you have ears but you cannot hear.
22 Me ergo non timebitis, ait Dominus: et a facie mea non dolebitis? Qui posui arenam terminum mari, præceptum sempiternum, quod non præteribit: et commovebuntur, et non poterunt: et intumescent fluctus eius, et non transibunt illud:
Do you not fear me—this is Yahweh's declaration—or tremble before my face? I have placed a border of sand against the sea, an ongoing decree that it does not violate— even though the sea rises and falls, still it does not violate it. Even though its waves roar, they do not cross it.
23 Populo autem huic factum est cor incredulum et exasperans, recesserunt et abierunt.
But this people has a stubborn heart. It turns away in rebellion and goes away.
24 Et non dixerunt in corde suo: Metuamus Dominum Deum nostrum, qui dat nobis pluviam temporaneam et serotinam in tempore suo: plenitudinem annuæ messis custodientem nobis.
For they do not say in their hearts, “Let us fear Yahweh our God, the one who brings the rain —the early rain and the late rains—in their right time, keeping the fixed weeks of the harvest for us.”
25 Iniquitates vestræ declinaverunt hæc: et peccata vestra prohibuerunt bonum a vobis:
Your iniquities kept these things from happening. Your sins have stopped good from coming to you.
26 Quia inventi sunt in populo meo impii insidiantes quasi aucupes, laqueos ponentes, et pedicas ad capiendos viros.
For wicked men are found with my people. They watch as someone crouches to capture birds; they set a trap and catch people.
27 Sicut decipula plena avibus, sic domus eorum plenæ dolo: ideo magnificati sunt et ditati.
Like a cage full of birds, their houses are full of deceit. So they grow large and become rich.
28 Incrassati sunt et impinguati: et præterierunt sermones meos pessime. Causam viduæ non iudicaverunt, causam pupilli non direxerunt, et iudicium pauperum non iudicaverunt.
They have become fat; they shine with well-being. They crossed over all bounds of wickedness. They do not plead the cause of the people, or the cause of the orphan. They prosper even though they have not given justice to the needy.
29 Numquid super his non visitabo, dicit Dominus? Aut super gentem huiuscemodi non ulciscetur anima mea?
Should I not punish them for these things—this is Yahweh's declaration— and will I not take vengeance for myself on a nation like this?
30 Stupor et mirabilia facta sunt in terra:
Atrocities and horrors have occurred in the land.
31 Prophetæ prophetabant mendacium, et sacerdotes applaudebant manibus suis: et populus meus dilexit talia: quid igitur fiet in novissimo eius?
The prophets prophesy with deceit, and the priests rule with their own power. My people love it this way, but what will happen in the end?'”
