YIRMEYAHU 20

1 And Pashḥur son of Immĕr, the kohĕn who was also chief governor in the House of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, heard that Yirmeyahu naḇu these words.

2 And Pashḥur struck Yirmeyahu the naḇi, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Binyamin, which was by the House of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄.

3 And it came to be on the next day that Pashḥur brought Yirmeyahu out of the stocks, and Yirmeyahu said to him, “𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 has not called your name Pashḥur, but Maḡor-Missaḇiḇ.

4 “For thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, ‘See, I am making you a fear to yourself and to all your loved ones. And they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, while your eyes see it. And I shall give all Yahuḏah into the hand of the sovereign of Baḇel, and he shall exile them to Baḇel and smite them with the sword.

5 ‘And I shall give all the wealth of this city and all its labour, and all its valuables, and all the treasures of the sovereigns of Yahuḏah, I give into the hand of their enemies, who shall plunder them, seize them, and shall bring them to Baḇel.

6 ‘And you, Pashḥur, and all who dwell in your house, shall go into captivity, and enter into Baḇel. And there you shall die, and be buried there, you and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsehood.’ ”

7 O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, You deluded me, and I was deluded. You are stronger than I, and have prevailed. I have been ridiculed all day long, everyone mocks me.

8 For when I speak, I cry out, proclaiming violence and ruin. Because the word of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 was made to me a reproach and a mockery daily.

9 Whenever I said, “Let me not mention Him, nor speak in His Name again,” it was in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones. And I became weary of holding it back, and was helpless.

10 For I heard many mocking, “Fear on every side!” “Expose,” they say, “let us expose him!” All my friends watched for my stumbling, “He might be lured away, so that we prevail against him, and take our revenge on him.”

11 But 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 is with me like a mighty, awesome One. Therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and not prevail. They shall be greatly ashamed, for they have not acted wisely – an everlasting reproach never to be forgotten.

12 But, O 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 of hosts, trying the righteous, and seeing the kidneys and heart, let me see Your vengeance on them, for I have revealed my cause to You.

13 Sing to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄! Hallelu-𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄! For He has delivered the being of the poor from the hand of evil ones.

14 Cursed be the day in which I was born! Let the day not be baruḵ in which my mother bore me!

15 Let the man be cursed who brought news to my father, saying, “A male child has been born to you,” making him very glad.

16 And let that man be like the cities which 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 overthrew, and repented not. Let him hear the cry in the morning and the shouting at noon,

17 because I was not slain from the womb, so that my mother should have been my grave and her womb forever great.

18 Why did I come forth from the womb to see toil and sorrow, and spend my days in shame?