1Then Yahweh said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my soul would not turn toward this people. Send them away from my presence, and let them go out.
2And it will be, when they say to you, ‘Where shall we go out?’, then you shall say to them: ‘Thus says Yahweh: Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for famine, to famine; and those for captivity, to captivity.’
3And I will appoint over them four kinds, declares Yahweh: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the earth to devour and to destroy.
4And I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.
5For who will have compassion on you, Jerusalem? Who will grieve for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?
6You have forsaken me, declares Yahweh; you keep going backward. So I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you; I am weary of relenting.
7And I have winnowed them with a winnowing fork in the gates of the land; I have bereaved, I have destroyed my people; from their ways they did not turn back.
8Their widows became more numerous to me than the sand of the seas; I brought upon them, against the mother of the young man, a destroyer at noon; I made anguish and terrors fall upon her suddenly.
9She who bore seven has languished; she has breathed out her life. Her sun has set while it was still day; she is shamed and disgraced. And their remnant I will give to the sword before their enemies, declares Yahweh.
10Woe to me, my mother, that you bore me — a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole land! I have not lent, and they have not lent to me, yet all of them curse me.
11Yahweh said: “Surely I will set you free for good; surely I will make the enemy plead with you in the time of trouble and in the time of distress.
12Can one break iron — iron from the north — and bronze?
13Your wealth and your treasures I will give as spoil, without price, for all your sins throughout all your borders.
14And I will cause your enemies to pass into a land you do not know, for a fire has been kindled in my anger; against you it will burn.
15You know, Yahweh! Remember me and attend to me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In your patience, do not take me away; know that for your sake I bear reproach.
16Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for your name has been called over me, Yahweh, God of hosts.
17I did not sit in the company of revelers, nor did I rejoice; because of your hand I sat alone, for you had filled me with indignation.
18Why has my pain become perpetual, and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you indeed be to me like a deceptive brook, like waters that are not reliable?
19Therefore thus says Yahweh: “If you return, then I will restore you; you shall stand before me. And if you bring out what is precious from what is worthless, you shall be as my mouth. They shall turn to you, but you shall not turn to them.
20And I will make you to this people a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and to deliver you, declares Yahweh.
21And I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”
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