The words of Jeremias the son of Helcias, of the priests that were in Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin.

Verba Jeremiæ filii Helciæ, de sacerdotibus qui fuerunt in Anathoth, in terra Benjamin.

These are the words of Jeremias, son of Helcias, one of the priests who dwelt at Anathoth, in the lands of Benjamin.

The word of the Lord which came to him in the days of Josias the son of Amon king of Juda, in the thirteenth year of his reign.

Quod factum est verbum Domini ad eum in diebus Josiæ filii Amon, regis Juda, in tertiodecimo anno regni ejus.

The word of the Lord came to him during the reign of Josias, son of Amon, over Juda, in the thirteenth year of it;

And which came to him in the days of Joakim the son of Josias king of Juda, unto the end of the eleventh year of Sedecias the son of Josias king of Juda, even unto the carrying away of Jerusalem captive, in the fifth month.

Et factum est in diebus Joakim filii Josiæ, regis Juda, usque ad consummationem undecimi anni Sedeciæ, filii Josiæ, regis Juda, usque ad transmigrationem Jerusalem, in mense quinto.

came to him during the reign of Josias’ son, Joachim, and did not cease till the men of Jerusalem went into exile, when Sedecias, that was also son to Josias, had been reigning eleven years and five months.

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens:

The word of the Lord came to me, and his message was:

Before I formed thee in the bowels of thy mother, I knew thee: and before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee, and made thee a prophet unto the nations.

Priusquam te formarem in utero, novi te, et antequam exires de vulva, sanctificavi te, et prophetam in gentibus dedi te.

I claimed thee for my own before ever I fashioned thee in thy mother’s womb; before ever thou camest to the birth, I set thee apart for myself; I have a prophet’s errand for thee among the nations.

And I said: Ah, ah, ah, Lord God: behold, I cannot speak, for I am a child.

Et dixi: A, a, a, Domine Deus, ecce nescio loqui, quia puer ego sum.

Alas, alas, Lord God (said I), I am but a child that has never learned to speak.

And the Lord said to me: Say not: I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee: and whatsoever I shall command thee, thou shalt speak.

Et dixit Dominus ad me: Noli dicere: Puer sum: quoniam ad omnia quæ mittam te ibis, et universa quæcumque mandavero tibi loqueris.

A child, sayest thou? the Lord answered. Nay, I have a mission for thee to undertake, a message to entrust to thee.

Be not afraid at their presence: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

Ne timeas a facie eorum, quia tecum ego sum ut eruam te, dicit Dominus.

Have no human fears; am I not at thy side, to protect thee from harm? the Lord says.

And the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth: and the Lord said to me: Behold I have given my words in thy mouth:

Et misit Dominus manum suam, et tetigit os meum, et dixit Dominus ad me: Ecce dedi verba mea in ore tuo:

And with that, the Lord put out his hand, and touched me on the mouth; See, he told me, I have inspired thy lips with utterance.

Lo, I have set thee this day over the nations, and over kingdoms, to root up, and to pull down, and to waste, and to destroy, and to build, and to plant.

ecce constitui te hodie super gentes et super regna, ut evellas, et destruas, et disperdas, et dissipes, et ædifices, et plantes.

Here and now I give thee authority over nations and kingdoms everywhere; with a word thou shalt root them up and pull them down, overthrow and lay them in ruins; with a word thou shalt build them up and plant them anew.

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying: What seest thou, Jeremias? And I said: I see a rod watching.

Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens: Quid tu vides, Jeremia? Et dixi: Virgam vigilantem ego video.

Then the Lord’s word came to me, Tell me, Jeremias, what is this thou seest? A branch of a tree, I told him, with the eyes already open.

And the Lord said to me: Thou hast seen well: for I will watch over my word to perform it.

Et dixit Dominus ad me: Bene vidisti: quia vigilabo ego super verbo meo, ut faciam illud.

Well seen, he answered; and I too have my eyes open, watching for the opportunity to carry out the threats I utter.

And the word of the Lord came to me a second time saying: What seest thou? And I said: I see a boiling caldron, and the face thereof from the face of the north.

Et factum est verbum Domini secundo ad me, dicens: Quid tu vides? Et dixi: Ollam succensam ego video, et faciem ejus a facie aquilonis.

And again it came, Tell me, what is this thou seest? A boiling caldron, said I, that is coming from the north.

And the Lord said to me: From the north shall an evil break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

Et dixit Dominus ad me: Ab aquilone pandetur malum super omnes habitatores terræ:

And it is from the north, the Lord told me, that calamity is brewing for all thy fellow-countrymen.

For behold I will call together all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the Lord: and they shall come, and shall set every one his throne in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and upon all the walls thereof round about, and upon all the cities of Juda.

quia ecce ego convocabo omnes cognationes regnorum aquilonis, ait Dominus: et venient, et ponent unusquisque solium suum in introitu portarum Jerusalem, et super omnes muros ejus in circuitu, et super universas urbes Juda:

All the tribes the northern kings rule I mean to muster, the Lord says; hither they will march, and each will set up his throne where gate of Jerusalem stands, or encircling wall, or fortified city of Juda.

And I will pronounce my judgments against them, touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have sacrificed to strange gods, and have adored the work of their own hands.

et loquar judicia mea cum eis super omnem malitiam eorum qui dereliquerunt me, et libaverunt diis alienis, et adoraverunt opus manuum suarum.

And there I will plead my cause against the men of Juda, charging them with their rebellion in forsaking me; in offering libation to gods not theirs, and worshipping idols of their own making.

Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee. Be not afraid at their presence: for I will make thee not to fear their countenance.

Tu ergo, accinge lumbos tuos, et surge, et loquere ad eos omnia quæ ego præcipio tibi. Ne formides a facie eorum, nec enim timere te faciam vultum eorum.

Up, then, gird thee like a man, and speak out all the message I give thee. Meet them undaunted, and they shall have no power to daunt thee.

For behold I have made thee this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass, over all the land, to the kings of Juda, to the princes thereof, and to the priests, and to the people of the land.

Ego quippe dedi te hodie in civitatem munitam, et in columnam ferream, et in murum æreum, super omnem terram, regibus Juda, principibus ejus, et sacerdotibus, et populo terræ.

Strong I mean to make thee this day as fortified city, or pillar of iron, or wall of bronze, to meet king, prince, priest of Juda, and common folk all the country through;

And they shall fight against thee, and shall not prevail: for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee.

Et bellabunt adversum te, et non prævalebunt, quia ego tecum sum, ait Dominus, ut liberem te.

impregnable thou shalt be to their attack; am I not at thy side, the Lord says, to deliver thee?