Now Phassur the son of Emmer, the priest, who was appointed chief in the house of the Lord, heard Jeremias prophesying these words.

Et audivit Phassur filius Emmer, sacerdos, qui constitutus erat princeps in domo Domini, Jeremiam prophetantem sermones istos.

When Jeremias uttered this prophecy, one of those who heard him was Phassur, son of Emmer, a priest who was entrusted with the care of the temple.

And Phassur struck Jeremias the prophet, and put him in the stocks, that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, in the house of the Lord.

Et percussit Phassur Jeremiam prophetam, et misit eum in nervum quod erat in porta Benjamin superiori, in domo Domini.

This Phassur gave Jeremias a beating, and put him in the stocks at the upper gate of Benjamin, in the temple precincts,

And when it was light the next day, Phassur brought Jeremias out of the stocks. And Jeremias said to him: The Lord hath not called thy name Phassur, but fear on every side.

Cumque illuxisset in crastinum, eduxit Phassur Jeremiam de nervo, et dixit ad eum Jeremias: Non Phassur vocavit Dominus nomen tuum, sed Pavorem undique.

but next day released him. A new name the Lord has for thee, Jeremias told him, instead of Phassur; he means to call thee Danger-Everywhere.

For thus saith the Lord: Behold I will deliver thee up to fear, thee and all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thy eyes shall see it, and I will give all Juda into the hand of the king of Babylon: and he shall carry them away to Babylon, and shall strike them with the sword.

Quia hæc dicit Dominus: Ecce ego dabo te in pavorem, te et omnes amicos tuos: et corruent gladio inimicorum suorum, et oculi tui videbunt: et omnem Judam dabo in manum regis Babylonis, et traducet eos in Babylonem, et percutiet eos gladio.

Danger enough thou shalt have, the Lord says, thou and those friends of thine; with thy own eyes thou shalt see the enemy put them to the sword, when I make the king of Babylon master of Juda; to Babylon he will take them, and put them to the sword there.

And I will give all the substance of this city, and all its labour, and every precious thing thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Juda will I give into the hands of their enemies: and they shall pillage them, and take them away, and carry them to Babylon.

Et dabo universam substantiam civitatis hujus, et omnem laborem ejus, omneque pretium, et cunctos thesauros regum Juda dabo in manu inimicorum eorum: et diripient eos, et tollent, et ducent in Babylonem.

All the wealth of this city, all the fruits of its toil, all that is of price, all the treasury of Juda’s kings, those enemies shall have in their power, to plunder and carry off and take back to Babylon with them.

But thou Phassur, and all that dwell in thy house, shall go into captivity, and thou shalt go to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and there thou shalt be buried, thou and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied a lie.

Tu autem, Phassur, et omnes habitatores domus tuæ, ibitis in captivitatem: et in Babylonem venies, et ibi morieris, ibique sepelieris tu, et omnes amici tui, quibus prophetasti mendacium.

And thou, Phassur, with all thy household, shalt go into exile; to Babylon thou shalt go, in Babylon thou shalt die, and there find burial with all such friends of thine as listened to thy lying prophecy.

Thou hast deceived me, O Lord, and I am deceived: thou hast been stronger than I, and thou hast prevailed. I am become a laughing-stock all the day, all scoff at me.

Seduxisti me, Domine, et seductus sum: fortior me fuisti, et invaluisti: factus sum in derisum tota die; omnes subsannant me.

Lord, thou hast sent me on a fool’s errand; if I played a fool’s part, a strength greater than mine overmastered me; morn to night, what a laughing-stock am I, every man’s nay-word!

For I am speaking now this long time, crying out against iniquity, and I often proclaim devastation: and the word of the Lord is made a reproach to me, and a derision all the day.

Quia jam olim loquor, vociferans iniquitatem, et vastitatem clamito: et factus est mihi sermo Domini in opprobrium, et in derisum tota die.

Long have I prophesied, and still I clamoured against men’s wickedness, and still cried ruin; day in, day out, nothing it earns me, this divine spokesmanship, but reproach and mockery.

Then I said: I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name: and there came in my heart as a burning fire, shut up in my bones, and I was wearied, not being able to bear it.

Et dixi: Non recordabor ejus, neque loquar ultra in nomine illius: et factus est in corde meo quasi ignis exæstuans, claususque in ossibus meis, et defeci, ferre non sustinens.

Did I essay to put the Lord out of my thoughts, and speak no more in his name, all at once it seemed as though a raging fire were locked in my bosom, pierced my whole frame, till I was worn out with it, and could bear no more.

For I heard the reproaches of many, and terror on every side: Persecute him, and let us persecute him: from all the men that were my familiars, and continued at my side: if by any means he may be deceived, and we may prevail against him, and be revenged on him.

Audivi enim contumelias multorum, et terrorem in circuitu: Persequimini, et persequamur eum, ab omnibus viris qui erant pacifici mei, et custodientes latus meum: si quomodo decipiatur, et prævaleamus adversus eum, et consequamur ultionem ex eo.

For me, danger everywhere; so many crying, Denounce him, and that contemptuous cry echoed by all the companions I trusted, ever at my side: Denounce him we will; he may be fooled yet! Then we can overmaster him, and take our vengeance!

But the Lord is with me as a strong warrior: therefore they that persecute me shall fall, and shall be weak: they shall be greatly confounded, because they have not understood the everlasting reproach, which never shall be effaced.

Dominus autem mecum est, quasi bellator fortis: idcirco qui persequuntur me cadent, et infirmi erunt: confundentur vehementer, quia non intellexerunt opprobrium sempiternum, quod numquam delebitur.

But the Lord stands at my side, a strong champion; fall and fail they must, my persecutors, and be disappointed of their hopes; fools, that cannot foresee shame eternal, shame indelible, awaiting them!

And thou, O Lord of hosts, prover of the just, who seest the reins and the heart: let me see, I beseech thee, thy vengeance on them: for to thee I have laid open my cause.

Et tu, Domine exercituum, probator justi, qui vides renes et cor, videam, quæso, ultionem tuam ex eis: tibi enim revelavi causam meam.

But thou, Lord of hosts, true judge that canst read the inmost thoughts of man’s heart, let me live to see thee punish them; to thee I have made my plea known.

Sing ye to the Lord, praise the Lord: because he hath delivered the soul of the poor out of the hand of the wicked.

Cantate Domino, laudate Dominum, quia liberavit animam pauperis de manu malorum.

Sing to the Lord yet, praise the Lord yet; he does not leave a defenceless life at the mercy of the wicked.

Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day in which my mother bore me, be blessed.

Maledicta dies in qua natus sum! dies in qua peperit me mater mea non sit benedicta!

Cursed be the day of my birth! A time for cursing it was, not for blessing, when my mother brought me into the world.

Cursed be the man that brought the tidings to my father, saying: A man child is born to thee: and made him greatly rejoice.

Maledictus vir qui annuntiavit patri meo, dicens: Natus est tibi puer masculus, et quasi gaudio lætificavit eum!

Cursed be the man who told my father a son had been born to him, and brought gladness, ay, gladness, into his heart!

Let that man be as the cities which the Lord hath overthrown, and hath not repented: let him hear a cry in the morning, and howling at noontide:

Sit homo ille ut sunt civitates quæ subvertit Dominus, et non pœnituit eum: audiat clamorem mane, et ululatum in tempore meridiano,

For that good news, be he rewarded with the noise of battle-cry at morn, dirge at noon, like some city the Lord overthrows in anger unrelenting!

Who slew me not from the womb, that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb an everlasting conception.

qui non me interfecit a vulva, ut fieret mihi mater mea sepulchrum, et vulva ejus conceptus æternus!

Why did he not slay me yet unborn, the womb for my tomb, and frustrate my mother’s hope eternally?

Why came I out of the womb, to see labour and sorrow, and that my days should be spent in confusion?

Quare de vulva egressus sum, ut viderem laborem et dolorem, et consumerentur in confusione dies mei?

Why must I come out into the light of day, where only labour and sorrow greet me, and in disappointed striving all my life is spent?