[1] The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in
the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (the same was
the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon,) [2] which Jeremiah the
prophet spoke to all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, saying: [3] From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon,
king of Judah, even to this day, these twenty-three years, the word of
Yahweh has come to me, and I have spoken to you, rising up early and
speaking; but you have not listened. [4] Yahweh has sent to you all his
servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, (but you have not
listened, nor inclined your ear to hear,) [5] saying, Return you now
everyone from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in
the land that Yahweh has given to you and to your fathers, from of old and
even forevermore; [6] and don`t go after other gods to serve them or
worship them, and don`t provoke me to anger with the work of your hands;
and I will do you no harm. [7] Yet you have not listened to me, says
Yahweh; that you may provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to
your own hurt. [8] Therefore thus says Yahweh of Hosts: Because you have
not heard my words, [9] behold, I will send and take all the families of
the north, says Yahweh, and [I will send] to Nebuchadrezzar the king of
Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the
inhabitants of it, and against all these nations round about; and I will
utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and a hissing, and
perpetual desolations. [10] Moreover I will take from them the voice of
mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice
of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. [11]
This whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these
nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. [12] It shall
happen, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of
Babylon, and that nation, says Yahweh, for their iniquity, and the land of
the Chaldeans; and I will make it desolate forever. [13] I will bring on
that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is
written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied against all the
nations. [14] For many nations and great kings shall make bondservants of
them, even of them; and I will recompense them according to their deeds,
and according to the work of their hands. [15] For thus says Yahweh, the
God of Israel, to me: take this cup of the wine of wrath at my hand, and
cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it. [16] They shall
drink, and reel back and forth, and be mad, because of the sword that I
will send among them. [17] Then took I the cup at Yahweh`s hand, and made
all the nations to drink, to whom Yahweh had sent me: [18] [to wit],
Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings of it, and the princes of
it, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, as
it is this day; [19] Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his
princes, and all his people; [20] and all the mingled people, and all the
kings of the land of the Uz, and all the kings of the Philistines, and
Ashkelon, and Gaza, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod; [21] Edom, and
Moab, and the children of Ammon; [22] and all the kings of Tyre, and all
the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the isle which is beyond the sea; [23]
Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all who have the corners [of their hair] cut
off; [24] and all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled
people who dwell in the wilderness; [25] and all the kings of Zimri, and
all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes; [26] and all the
kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of
the world, which are on the surface of the earth: and the king of Sheshach
shall drink after them. [27] You shall tell them, Thus says Yahweh of
Hosts, the God of Israel: Drink you, and be drunken, and spew, and fall,
and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you. [28] It
shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at your hand to drink, then shall
you tell them, Thus says Yahweh of Hosts: You shall surely drink. [29] For,
behold, I begin to work evil at the city which is called by my name; and
should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished; for I will
call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth, says Yahweh of Hosts.
[30] Therefore prophesy you against them all these words, and tell them,
Yahweh will roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy
habitation; he will mightily roar against his fold; he will give a shout,
as those who tread [the grapes], against all the inhabitants of the earth.
[31] A noise shall come even to the end of the earth; for Yahweh has a
controversy with the nations; he will enter into judgment with all flesh:
as for the wicked, he will give them to the sword, says Yahweh. [32] Thus
says Yahweh of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation,
and a great tempest shall be raised up from the uttermost parts of the
earth. [33] The slain of Yahweh shall be at that day from one end of the
earth even to the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented,
neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung on the surface of the
ground. [34] Wail, you shepherds, and cry; and wallow [in ashes], you
principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your
dispersions are fully come, and you shall fall like a goodly vessel. [35]
The shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to
escape. [36] A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and the wailing of the
principal of the flock! for Yahweh lays waste their pasture. [37] The
peaceable folds are brought to silence because of the fierce anger of
Yahweh. [38] He has left his covert, as the lion; for their land is become
an astonishment because of the fierceness of the oppressing [sword], and
because of his fierce anger.
