Jeremiah 20

¹And Phassur, the sone of Emyner, the preest, that was ordeyned prince in the hous of the Lord, herde Jeremye profesiynge these wordis.

²And Phassur smoot Jeremye, the profete, and sente hym in to the stockis, that weren in the hiyere yate of Beniamyn, in the hous of the Lord.

³And whanne it was cleer in the morewe, Phassur ledde Jeremye out of the stockis. And Jeremye seide to hym, The Lord clepide not Phassur thi name, but Drede on ech side.

⁴For the Lord seith these thingis, Lo! Y schal yyue thee and alle thi freendis in to drede, and thei schulen falle doun bi the swerd of her enemyes; and thin iyen schulen se; and Y schal yyue al Juda in the hond of the king of Babiloyne, and he schal lede hem ouer in to Babiloyne, and he schal smyte hem bi swerd.

⁵And Y schal yyue al the catel of this citee, and al the trauel therof, and al the prijs; and Y schal yyue alle the tresours of the kingis of Juda in the hond of her enemyes; and thei schulen rauysche tho, and schulen take, and lede forth in to Babiloyne.

⁶Forsothe thou, Phassur, and alle the dwelleris of thin hous, schulen go in to caitifte; and thou schalt come in to Babiloyne, and thou schalt die there; and thou schalt be biried there, thou and alle thi freendis, to whiche thou profesiedist a leesyng.

⁷Lord, thou disseyuedist me, and Y am disseyued; thou were strongere than Y, and thou haddist the maistrie; Y am maad in to scorn al dai.

⁸Alle men bymowen me, for now a while ago Y speke criynge wickidnesse, and Y criede distriynge. And the word of the Lord is maad to me in to schenschip, and in to scorn al dai.

⁹And Y seide, Y schal not haue mynde on hym, and Y schal no more speke in his name. And the word of the Lord was maad, as fier swalynge in myn herte, and cloosid in my boonys; and Y failide, not suffryng to bere.

¹⁰For Y herde dispisyngis of many men, and drede in cumpas, Pursue ye, and pursue we hym, of alle men that weren pesible to me, and kepynge my side; if in ony maner he be disseyued, and we haue the maistrie ayens hym, and gete veniaunce of hym.

¹¹Forsothe the Lord as a stronge werriour is with me, therfor thei that pursuen me schulen falle, and schulen be sijk; and thei schulen be schent greetli, for thei vndurstoden not euerlastynge schenschip, that schal neuere be don awei.

¹²And thou, Lord of oostis, the preuere of a iust man, which seest the reynes and herte, Y biseche, se Y thi veniaunce of hem; for Y haue schewid my cause to thee.

¹³Synge ye to the Lord, herie ye the Lord, for he delyueride the soule of a pore man fro the hond of yuel men.

¹⁴Cursid be the dai where ynne Y was borun, the dai where ynne my modir childide me, be not blessid.

¹⁵Cursid be the man, that telde to my fadir, and seide, A knaue child is borun to thee, and made hym glad as with ioye.

¹⁶Thilke man be as the citees ben, whiche the Lord distriede, and it repentide not hym;

¹⁷he that killide not me fro the wombe, here cry eerli, and yellynge in the tyme of myddai; that my modir were a sepulcre to me, and hir wombe were euerlastinge conseyuyng.

¹⁸Whi yede Y out of the wombe, that Y schulde se trauel and sorewe, and that mi daies schulen be waastid in schenschipe?

Jeremiah 20

¹Now Pashur the son of Immer the priest, who was also chief governor in the house of the Lord, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things.

²Then Pashur smote Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the high gate of Benjamin, which was by the house of the Lord.

³And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The Lord hath not called thy name Pashur, but Magor–missabib.

⁴For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will make thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine eyes shall behold it: and I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall carry them captive into Babylon, and shall slay them with the sword.

⁵Moreover I will deliver all the strength of this city, and all the labours thereof, and all the precious things thereof, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah will I give into the hand of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and take them, and carry them to Babylon.

⁶And thou, Pashur, and all that dwell in thine house shall go into captivity: and thou shalt come to Babylon, and there thou shalt die, and shalt be buried there, thou, and all thy friends, to whom thou hast prophesied lies.

⁷O Lord, thou hast deceived me, and I was deceived: thou art stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am in derision daily, every one mocketh me.

⁸For since I spake, I cried out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily.

⁹Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay.

¹⁰For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

¹¹But the Lord is with me as a mighty terrible one: therefore my persecutors shall stumble, and they shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: their everlasting confusion shall never be forgotten.

¹²But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

¹³Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

¹⁴Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

¹⁵Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.

¹⁶And let that man be as the cities which the Lord overthrew, and repented not: and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide;

¹⁷Because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me.

¹⁸Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?