陶器的比喻
1耶和華對耶利米說： 2「你去陶匠家，在那裡我有話告訴你。」 3我便到陶匠家，見他正用輪盤做器皿。 4每當他手中的器皿做壞了，他就用那塊泥重做，想怎麼做就怎麼做。 5這時，耶和華對我說： 6「以色列人啊，難道我不能像陶匠對待陶泥一樣對待你們嗎？以色列人啊，你們在我手中就像陶泥在陶匠手中一樣。這是耶和華說的。 7當我宣佈要剷除、推翻、毀滅哪一邦或哪一國的時候， 8如果他們悔過自新，我必施憐憫，取消我原本要降給他們的災禍。 9當我宣佈要建造、栽培哪一邦或哪一國的時候， 10如果他們做我視為惡的事，不聽從我的話，我必改變心意，取消我原本要賜給他們的福氣。 11因此，你去告訴猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民，『耶和華說，我正計劃降災禍懲罰你們。你們要離開罪惡，改邪歸正。』 12他們卻說，『不！我們喜歡隨心所欲，為所欲為。』」
13因此耶和華說：
「你們問問列國，
看看誰曾聽過這樣的事？
少女般的以色列竟做了一件極可怕的事。
14黎巴嫩山嶺上的積雪會融化嗎？
從遠方流來的冰涼溪水會停止嗎？
15然而，我的子民卻把我拋諸腦後，
向虛無的神明燒香，
偏離古道，在歧途上絆絆跌跌。
16因此，他們的土地必荒涼，
永遠遭人嗤笑，
經過此地的人無不驚懼，
搖頭歎息。
17我要在敵人面前驅散他們，
就像東風吹散塵土一樣。
在他們遭難的時候，
我必以背相向，
不理睬他們。」
18他們說：「來！我們設計對付耶利米吧，反正我們有祭司教導律法，有智者出謀劃策，有先知傳講預言。來吧！我們抨擊他，不要理會他的話。」
19耶和華啊，求你眷顧我，
聽聽敵人對我的指控。
20人豈能以惡報善？
他們竟設陷阱謀害我，
求你回想我怎樣站在你面前為他們求情，
怎樣求你不要向他們發烈怒。
21因此，願他們喪身刀下，
兒女餓死，
妻子喪夫亡子，
年長的被殺，
年少的死於戰場！
22當你使敵軍突襲他們時，
願他們家中傳出哭喊聲，
因為他們挖陷阱要捕捉我，
設圈套要絆我的腳。
23耶和華啊，你知道他們害我的各種詭計，
求你不要赦免他們的罪過，
不要饒恕他們的惡行。
求你使他們倒在你面前，
求你在烈怒中懲罰他們。
At the potter’s house
1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2‘Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.’ 3So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. 4But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.
5Then the word of the Lord came to me. 6He said, ‘Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?’ declares the Lord. ‘Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel. 7If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.
11‘Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, “This is what the Lord says: look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.” 12But they will reply, “It’s no use. We will continue with our own plans; we will all follow the stubbornness of our evil hearts.” ’
13Therefore this is what the Lord says:
‘Enquire among the nations:
who has ever heard anything like this?
A most horrible thing has been done
by Virgin Israel.
14Does the snow of Lebanon
ever vanish from its rocky slopes?
Do its cool waters from distant sources
ever stop flowing?18:14 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain.
15Yet my people have forgotten me;
they burn incense to worthless idols,
which made them stumble in their ways,
in the ancient paths.
They made them walk in byways,
on roads not built up.
16Their land will be an object of horror
and of lasting scorn;
all who pass by will be appalled
and will shake their heads.
17Like a wind from the east,
I will scatter them before their enemies;
I will show them my back and not my face
in the day of their disaster.’
18They said, ‘Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.’
19Listen to me, Lord;
hear what my accusers are saying!
20Should good be repaid with evil?
Yet they have dug a pit for me.
Remember that I stood before you
and spoke on their behalf
to turn your wrath away from them.
21So give their children over to famine;
hand them over to the power of the sword.
Let their wives be made childless and widows;
let their men be put to death,
their young men slain by the sword in battle.
22Let a cry be heard from their houses
when you suddenly bring invaders against them,
for they have dug a pit to capture me
and have hidden snares for my feet.
23But you, Lord, know
all their plots to kill me.
Do not forgive their crimes
or blot out their sins from your sight.
Let them be overthrown before you;
deal with them in the time of your anger.
