Great(i)
1 This is another communicacion, that God had with Ieremy, saying:
2 Aryse, and goo downe into the Potters house, and there shall I tell the more of my mynde.
3 Now when I cam to the Potters house, I founde hym makynge his worcke vpon a whele.
4 The vessell that the Potter made of claye, brake amonge his handes: So be beganne a new, and made another vessel accordynge to his mynde.
5 Then sayde the Lorde thus vnto me.
6 Maye not I do with you, as this Potter doth, O ye house of Israel, sayeth the Lorde? Beholde, ye house of Israel: ye are in my hande, euen as the claye in the Potters hande.
7 When I take in hande to rote out, to destroye, or to waste awaye eny people or kyngdom
8 yf that people (agaynst whom I haue thus deuysed) conuerte from theyr wyckednes: I repente of the plage, that I deuysed to brynge vpon them.
9 Agayne, when I take in hande, to buylde, or to plante a people or a kyngdom:
10 yf the same people do euell before me, and heare not my voyce: I repente of the good, that I deuise to do for them:
11 Speake now therfore vnto whole Iuda: and to them that dwell at Ierusalem. Thus sayeth the Lorde: Beholde, I am deuisyng a plage for you, and am takynge a thing in hande agaynst you. Therfore let euery man turne from his euell waye, take vpon you the thynge that is good, and do right.
12 But they sayde. Nomore of this we wyll folowe oure awne ymaginacions, and do euery man accordynge to the wylfulnesse of his awne mynde.
13 Therfore thus sayeth the Lorde. Aske amonge the Heathen, yf eny man hath herde soch horryble thynges, as the daughter of Sion hath done.
14 Shall not the snowe (that melteth vpon the stony rockes of Libanus) moysten the feldes? Or maye the sprynges of waters be so grauen awaye, that they runne nomore, geue moystnesse, ner make frutefull?
15 But my people hath so forgotten me, that they haue made sacryfyce vnto vayne Goddes. And theyr prophetes make them fal in theyr wayes from the auncyent pathes, and to go into a fote waye not vsed to be troden of iust men.
16 Where thorowe they haue brought their lande into an euerlastyng wildernesse & scorne. So that whosoeuer trauayleth therby, shalbe abashed, & wagge theyr heades.
17 With an East wynde wyll I scatre them, before their enemie. And when their destruccion commeth, I wyll turne my backe vpon them, but not my face.
18 Then sayde they come, let vs ymagen somthynge agaynst this Ieremye. For the prestes shall not be destitute of the lawe, nether shall the wysemen de destitute of councel, ner the prophetes destitute of the worde of God. Come, and let vs smyte him with the tong, and let vs marke all his wordes.
19 Consydre me, O Lord, and heare the voyce of myne enemies
20 shall they recompence euell for good? for they haue digged a pit for my soule. Remembre, howe that I stode before the, to speake good for them, & to turne awaye thy wrath from them.
21 Therfore let their children dye of hunger, and let them be oppressed wyth the swearde. Let their wiues be robbed of their children, and become wyddowes: let their husbandes be slayne, let their yonge men be kylled with the swearde in the felde.
22 Lett the noyse be herde out of their houses, when the murtherer commeth sodenly vpon them. For they haue dygged a pyt to take me, & layed snares for my fete.
23 Yet Lorde, thou knowest all their councell, that they haue deuised, to slaye me. Forgeue not their wyckednes, and let not their sinne be put out of thy syght: but let them be iudged before the as the gyltie: This shalt thou do vnto them in the tyme of thy indignacion.