This is the word that came to Jeremias from the Lord, saying:

Hoc verbum quod factum est ad Jeremiam a Domino, dicens:

Word came to Jeremias from the Lord,

Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, saying: Write thee all the words that I have spoken to thee, in a book.

Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israël, dicens: Scribe tibi omnia verba quæ locutus sum ad te, in libro.

the God of Israel, bidding him write down in a book the revelation made known to him.

For behold the days come, saith the Lord, and I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Juda, saith the Lord: and I will cause them to return to the land which I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.

Ecce enim dies veniunt, dicit Dominus, et convertam conversionem populi mei Israël et Juda, ait Dominus: et convertam eos ad terram quam dedi patribus eorum, et possidebunt eam.

A time is coming, the Lord says, when I will reverse the sentence of exile against my people of Israel and Juda; I, the Lord, will restore them to possession of the land I gave to their fathers.

And these are the words that the Lord hath spoken to Israel and to Juda:

Et hæc verba quæ locutus est Dominus ad Israël et ad Judam:

This is the divine promise made to Israel and Juda:

For thus saith the Lord: We have heard a voice of terror: there is fear and no peace.

Quoniam hæc dicit Dominus: Vocem terroris audivimus: formido, et non est pax.

A cry of terror, the Lord says, for all to hear! All is consternation, where all was peace.

Ask ye, and see if a man bear children? why then have I seen every man with his hands on his loins, like a woman in labour, and all faces are turned yellow?

Interrogate, et videte si generat masculus: quare ergo vidi omnis viri manum super lumbum suum, quasi parturientis, et conversæ sunt universæ facies in auruginem?

Why, here is a riddle and a wonder; can motherhood fall to the lot of men folk? Why is there none to be seen but goes by, hand on loins, cheeks blanched, like a woman in travail?

Alas, for that day is great, neither is there the like to it; and it is the time of tribulation to Jacob, but he shall be saved out of it.

Væ! quia magna dies illa, nec est similis ejus: tempusque tribulationis est Jacob, et ex ipso salvabitur.

Alas for pity, what a day is this, none like it; what a time of distress for Jacob’s race! Yet it shall leave them unharmed.

And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off thy neck, and will burst his bands: and strangers shall no more rule over him:

Et erit in die illa, ait Dominus exercituum: conteram jugum ejus de collo tuo, et vincula ejus dirumpam, et non dominabuntur ei amplius alieni:

A promise they have from the Lord of hosts that he will break the yoke they bear, when that day comes, and part their chains asunder; no more shall they be at the mercy of alien masters,

But they shall serve the Lord their God, and David their king, whom I will raise up to them.

sed servient Domino Deo suo, et David regi suo, quem suscitabo eis.

they shall obey the Lord their God only, and that David-king of theirs whom he will give them.

Therefore fear thou not, my servant Jacob, saith the Lord, neither be dismayed, O Israel: for behold, I will save thee from a country afar off, and thy seed from the land of their captivity: and Jacob shall return, and be at rest, and abound with all good things, and there shall be none whom he may fear:

Tu ergo ne timeas, serve meus Jacob, ait Dominus, neque paveas, Israël: quia ecce ego salvabo te de terra longinqua, et semen tuum de terra captivitatis eorum: et revertetur Jacob, et quiescet, et cunctis affluet bonis, et non erit quem formidet:

Have thou no fear, the Lord says, Jacob, that art my servant still; not for Israel is danger brewing. From that far country of exile I mean to restore thee, restore those children of thine; Jacob shall return, and live at ease, every blessing shall enjoy, and enemies have none to fear;

For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee: for I will utterly consume all the nations, among which I have scattered thee: but I will not utterly consume thee: but I will chastise thee in judgment, that thou mayst not seem to thyself innocent.

quoniam tecum ego sum, ait Dominus, ut salvem te. Faciam enim consummationem in cunctis gentibus in quibus dispersi te: te autem non faciam in consummationem: sed castigabo te in judicio, ut non videaris tibi innoxius.

I am at thy side, the Lord says, to protect thee. Of all the lands in which I have dispersed thee I will take full toll, but not of thee; I would but chasten thee with due measure kept, lest thou shouldst hold thyself altogether acquitted.

For thus saith the Lord: Thy bruise is incurable, thy wound is very grievous.

Quia hæc dicit Dominus: Insanabilis fractura tua; pessima plaga tua:

Poor Sion, thine is a wound past curing, a grievous hurt, the Lord says;

There is none to judge thy judgment to bind it up: thou hast no healing medicines.

non est qui judicet judicium tuum ad alligandum: curationum utilitas non est tibi.

no man brings thee redress or remedy, salve to heal thee thou hast none;

All thy lovers have forgotten thee, and will not seek after thee: for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with cruel chastisement: by reason of the multitude of thy iniquities, thy sins are hardened.

Omnes amatores tui obliti sunt tui, teque non quærent: plaga enim inimici percussi te castigatione crudeli: propter multitudinem iniquitatis tuæ dura facta sunt peccata tua.

thy old lovers think of thee no more, woo thee no more. A shrewd blow I struck thee, unsparing of correction; so many thy misdoings, thy guilt so inveterate.

Why criest thou for thy affliction? thy sorrow is incurable: for the multitude of thy iniquity, and for thy hardened sins I have done these things to thee.

Quid clamas super contritione tua? insanabilis est dolor tuus: propter multitudinem iniquitatis tuæ, et propter dura peccata tua, feci hæc tibi.

Misdoings a many, and guilt inveterate, these be the cause of thy hurt, and I the doer of it; and wouldst thou cry out upon a grief there is no remedying?

Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured: and all thy enemies shall be carried into captivity: and they that waste thee shall be wasted, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.

Propterea omnes qui comedunt te devorabuntur, et universi hostes tui in captivitatem ducentur: et qui te vastant vastabuntur, cunctosque prædatores tuos dabo in prædam.

Only be sure of this, the enemies that prey on thee shall themselves fall a prey to exile; spoiled thy spoilers shall be, and all that plunder thee I will give up to plunder.

For I will close up thy scar, and will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord. Because they have called thee, O Sion, an outcast: This is she that hath none to seek after her.

Obducam enim cicatricem tibi, et a vulneribus tuis sanabo te, dicit Dominus. Quia ejectam vocaverunt te, Sion: hæc est, quæ non habebat requirentem.

Then I will heal that scar of thine, the Lord says, cure thee of thy wounds; too soon they called thee a neglected bride, Sion the unwooed!

Thus saith the Lord: Behold I will bring back the captivity of the pavilions of Jacob, and will have pity on his houses, and the city shall be built in her high place, and the temple shall be founded according to the order thereof.

Hæc dicit Dominus: Ecce ego convertam conversionem tabernaculorum Jacob, et tectis ejus miserebor: et ædificabitur civitas in excelso suo, et templum juxta ordinem suum fundabitur:

Nay, says the Lord, I mean to bring tent-dwelling Jacob home, have pity on those ruined walls, build the city anew on its height, set up the temple and its ordinances anew;

And out of them shall come forth praise, and the voice of them that play: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be made few: and I will glorify them, and they shall not be lessened.

et egredietur de eis laus, voxque ludentium. Et multiplicabo eos, et non minuentur: et glorificabo eos, et non attenuabuntur.

here songs of praise shall echo once again, and cries of mirth. They shall increase, that hitherto had dwindled, be exalted, that once were brought low.

And their children shall be as from the beginning, and their assembly shall be permanent before me: and I will visit against all that afflict them.

Et erunt filii ejus sicut a principio, et cœtus ejus coram me permanebit, et visitabo adversum omnes qui tribulant eum.

Then, as in days of old, the full muster of the tribes shall have its place in my regard; who wrongs them shall be called to account for it.

And their leader shall be of themselves: and their prince shall come forth from the midst of them: and I will bring him near, and he shall come to me: for who is this that setteth his heart to approach to me, saith the Lord?

Et erit dux ejus ex eo, et princeps de medio ejus producetur: et applicabo eum, et accedet ad me. Quis enim iste est qui applicet cor suum ut appropinquet mihi? ait Dominus:

A prince of their own race they shall have, a home-born ruler, singled out by my own call to serve me; that office, the Lord says, none may take on himself unbidden.

And you shall be my people: and I will be your God.

et eritis mihi in populum, et ego ero vobis in Deum.

You shall be my own people, and I your own God.

Behold the whirlwind of the Lord, his fury going forth, a violent storm, it shall rest upon the head of the wicked.

Ecce turbo Domini, furor egrediens, procella ruens: in capite impiorum conquiescet.

Like a whirlwind it will suddenly appear, the Lord’s vengeance; will break in storm, and light upon rebel heads.

The Lord will not turn away the wrath of his indignation, till he have executed and performed the thought of his heart: in the latter days you shall understand these things.

Non avertet iram indignationis Dominus, donec faciat et compleat cogitationem cordis sui: in novissimo dierum intelligetis ea.

Nor shall the divine anger be appeased till the blow has been struck and the decree executed; what his design was, will be known all too well, all too late.