אֲשֶׁ֨ר הָיָ֧ה דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶל־יִרְמְיָ֥הוּ הַנָּבִ֖יא עַל־הַגּוֹיִֽם׃ The word of the LORD to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the nations.
לְמִצְרַ֗יִם עַל־חֵ֨יל פַּרְעֹ֤ה נְכוֹ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם אֲשֶׁר־הָיָ֥ה עַל־נְהַר־פְּרָ֖ת בְּכַרְכְּמִ֑שׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר הִכָּ֗ה נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל בִּשְׁנַת֙ הָרְבִיעִ֔ית לִיהוֹיָקִ֥ים בֶּן־יֹאשִׁיָּ֖הוּ מֶ֥לֶךְ יְהוּדָֽה׃ Concerning Egypt, about the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was at the river Euphrates near Carchemish, and which was defeated by King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah.
עִרְכ֤וּ מָגֵן֙ וְצִנָּ֔ה וּגְשׁ֖וּ לַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ Get ready buckler and shield,
And move forward to battle!
אִסְר֣וּ הַסּוּסִ֗ים וַֽעֲלוּ֙ הַפָּ֣רָשִׁ֔ים וְהִֽתְיַצְּב֖וּ בְּכוֹבָעִ֑ים מִרְקוּ֙ הָרְמָחִ֔ים לִבְשׁ֖וּ הַסִּרְיֹנֹֽת׃ Harness the horses;
Mount, you horsemen!
Fall in line, helmets on!
Burnish the lances,
Don your armor!
מַדּ֣וּעַ רָאִ֗יתִי הֵ֣מָּה חַתִּים֮ נְסֹגִ֣ים אָחוֹר֒ וְגִבּוֹרֵיהֶ֣ם יֻכַּ֔תּוּ וּמָנ֥וֹס נָ֖סוּ וְלֹ֣א הִפְנ֑וּ מָג֥וֹר מִסָּבִ֖יב נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ Why do I see them dismayed,
Yielding ground?
Their fighters are crushed,
They flee in haste
And do not turn back—
Terror all around!
—declares the LORD.
אַל־יָנ֣וּס הַקַּ֔ל וְאַל־יִמָּלֵ֖ט הַגִּבּ֑וֹר צָפ֙וֹנָה֙ עַל־יַ֣ד נְהַר־פְּרָ֔ת כָּשְׁל֖וּ וְנָפָֽלוּ׃ aLit. “Let not the swift get away, / Let not the warrior escape.”The swift cannot get away,
The warrior cannot escape.-a
In the north, by the river Euphrates,
They stagger and fall.
מִי־זֶ֖ה כַּיְאֹ֣ר יַעֲלֶ֑ה כַּנְּהָר֕וֹת יִֽתְגָּעֲשׁ֖וּ מֵימָֽיו׃ Who is this that rises like the Nile,
Like streams whose waters surge?
מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ כַּיְאֹ֣ר יַעֲלֶ֔ה וְכַנְּהָר֖וֹת יִתְגֹּ֣עֲשׁוּ מָ֑יִם וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אַֽעֲלֶה֙ אֲכַסֶּה־אֶ֔רֶץ אֹבִ֥ידָה עִ֖יר וְיֹ֥שְׁבֵי בָֽהּ׃ It is Egypt that rises like the Nile,
Like streams whose waters surge,
That said, “I will rise,
I will cover the earth,
I will wipe out towns
And those who dwell in them.
עֲל֤וּ הַסּוּסִים֙ וְהִתְהֹלְל֣וּ הָרֶ֔כֶב וְיֵצְא֖וּ הַגִּבּוֹרִ֑ים כּ֤וּשׁ וּפוּט֙ תֹּפְשֵׂ֣י מָגֵ֔ן וְלוּדִ֕ים תֹּפְשֵׂ֖י דֹּ֥רְכֵי קָֽשֶׁת׃ Advance, O horses,
Dash madly, O chariots!
Let the warriors go forth,
Cush and Put, that grasp the shield,
And the Ludim who grasp and draw the bow!”
וְֽהַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא לַֽאדֹנָ֧י יֱהֹוִ֣ה צְבָא֗וֹת י֤וֹם נְקָמָה֙ לְהִנָּקֵ֣ם מִצָּרָ֔יו וְאָכְלָ֥ה חֶ֙רֶב֙ וְשָׂ֣בְעָ֔ה וְרָוְתָ֖ה מִדָּמָ֑ם כִּ֣י זֶ֠בַח לַאדֹנָ֨י יֱהֹוִ֧ה צְבָא֛וֹת בְּאֶ֥רֶץ צָפ֖וֹן אֶל־נְהַר־פְּרָֽת׃ But that day shall be for the Lord GOD of Hosts a day when He exacts retribution from His foes. The sword shall devour; it shall be sated and drunk with their blood. For the Lord GOD of Hosts is preparing a sacrifice in the northland, by the river Euphrates.
עֲלִ֤י גִלְעָד֙ וּקְחִ֣י צֳרִ֔י בְּתוּלַ֖ת בַּת־מִצְרָ֑יִם לַשָּׁוְא֙ (הרביתי) [הִרְבֵּ֣ית] רְפֻא֔וֹת תְּעָלָ֖ה אֵ֥ין לָֽךְ׃ Go up to Gilead and get balm,
Fair Maiden Egypt.
In vain do you seek many remedies,
There is no healing for you.
שָׁמְע֤וּ גוֹיִם֙ קְלוֹנֵ֔ךְ וְצִוְחָתֵ֖ךְ מָלְאָ֣ה הָאָ֑רֶץ כִּֽי־גִבּ֤וֹר בְּגִבּוֹר֙ כָּשָׁ֔לוּ יַחְדָּ֖יו נָפְל֥וּ שְׁנֵיהֶֽם׃ {פ}
Nations have heard your shame;
The earth resounds with your screams.
For warrior stumbles against warrior;
The two fall down together.
הַדָּבָר֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר דִּבֶּ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶֽל־יִרְמְיָ֖הוּ הַנָּבִ֑יא לָב֗וֹא נְבֽוּכַדְרֶאצַּר֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ בָּבֶ֔ל לְהַכּ֖וֹת אֶת־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ The word which the LORD spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about the coming of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon to attack the land of Egypt:
הַגִּ֤ידוּ בְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙ וְהַשְׁמִ֣יעֽוּ בְמִגְדּ֔וֹל וְהַשְׁמִ֥יעוּ בְנֹ֖ף וּבְתַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס אִמְר֗וּ הִתְיַצֵּב֙ וְהָכֵ֣ן לָ֔ךְ כִּֽי־אָכְלָ֥ה חֶ֖רֶב סְבִיבֶֽיךָ׃ Declare in Egypt, proclaim in Migdol,
Proclaim in Noph and Tahpanhes!
Say: Take your posts and stand ready,
For the sword has devoured all around you!
מַדּ֖וּעַ נִסְחַ֣ף אַבִּירֶ֑יךָ לֹ֣א עָמַ֔ד כִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה הֲדָפֽוֹ׃ Why are your stalwarts swept away?
They did not stand firm,
For the LORD thrust them down;
הִרְבָּ֖ה כּוֹשֵׁ֑ל גַּם־נָפַ֞ל אִ֣ישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵ֗הוּ וַיֹּֽאמְרוּ֙ ק֣וּמָה ׀ וְנָשֻׁ֣בָה אֶל־עַמֵּ֗נוּ וְאֶל־אֶ֙רֶץ֙ מוֹלַדְתֵּ֔נוּ מִפְּנֵ֖י חֶ֥רֶב הַיּוֹנָֽה׃ He made many stumble,
They fell over one another.
They said:
“Up! let us return to our people,
To the land of our birth,
Because of the deadlybMeaning of Heb. uncertain. sword.”
קָרְא֖וּ שָׁ֑ם פַּרְעֹ֤ה מֶֽלֶךְ־מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ שָׁא֔וֹן הֶעֱבִ֖יר הַמּוֹעֵֽד׃ There they called Pharaoh king of Egypt:
bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.“Braggart who let the hour go by.”-b
חַי־אָ֙נִי֙ נְאֻם־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ יְהֹוָ֥ה צְבָא֖וֹת שְׁמ֑וֹ כִּ֚י כְּתָב֣וֹר בֶּהָרִ֔ים וּכְכַרְמֶ֖ל בַּיָּ֥ם יָבֽוֹא׃ As I live—declares the King,
Whose name is LORD of Hosts—
bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.As surely as Tabor is among the mountains
And Carmel is by the sea,
So shall this come to pass.-b
כְּלֵ֤י גוֹלָה֙ עֲשִׂ֣י לָ֔ךְ יוֹשֶׁ֖בֶת בַּת־מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּי־נֹף֙ לְשַׁמָּ֣ה תִֽהְיֶ֔ה וְנִצְּתָ֖ה מֵאֵ֥ין יוֹשֵֽׁב׃ {ס} Equip yourself for exile,
Fair Egypt, you who dwell secure!
For Noph shall become a waste,
Desolate, without inhabitants.
עֶגְלָ֥ה יְפֵה־פִיָּ֖ה מִצְרָ֑יִם קֶ֥רֶץ מִצָּפ֖וֹן בָּ֥א בָֽא׃ Egypt is a handsome heifer—
A gadflycOr “butcher”; meaning of Heb. uncertain. from the north dMany mss. read “will come upon her.”is coming, coming!-d
גַּם־שְׂכִרֶ֤יהָ בְקִרְבָּהּ֙ כְּעֶגְלֵ֣י מַרְבֵּ֔ק כִּֽי־גַם־הֵ֧מָּה הִפְנ֛וּ נָ֥סוּ יַחְדָּ֖יו לֹ֣א עָמָ֑דוּ כִּ֣י י֥וֹם אֵידָ֛ם בָּ֥א עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם עֵ֥ת פְּקֻדָּתָֽם׃ The mercenaries, too, in her midst
Are like stall-fed calves;
They too shall turn tail,
Flee as one, and make no stand.
Their day of disaster is upon them,
The hour of their doom.
קוֹלָ֖הּ כַּנָּחָ֣שׁ יֵלֵ֑ךְ כִּֽי־בְחַ֣יִל יֵלֵ֔כוּ וּבְקַרְדֻּמּוֹת֙ בָּ֣אוּ לָ֔הּ כְּחֹטְבֵ֖י עֵצִֽים׃ bMeaning of Heb. uncertain.She shall rustle away like a snake-b
As they come marching in force;
They shall come against her with axes,
Like hewers of wood.
כָּרְת֤וּ יַעְרָהּ֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֖י לֹ֣א יֵחָקֵ֑ר כִּ֤י רַבּוּ֙ מֵֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה וְאֵ֥ין לָהֶ֖ם מִסְפָּֽר׃ They shall cut down her forest
—declares the LORD—
Though it cannot be measured;
For they are more numerous than locusts,
And cannot be counted.
הֹבִ֖ישָׁה בַּת־מִצְרָ֑יִם נִתְּנָ֖ה בְּיַ֥ד עַם־צָפֽוֹן׃ Fair Egypt shall be shamed,
Handed over to the people of the north.
אָמַר֩ יְהֹוָ֨ה צְבָא֜וֹת אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הִנְנִ֤י פוֹקֵד֙ אֶל־אָמ֣וֹן מִנֹּ֔א וְעַל־פַּרְעֹה֙ וְעַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם וְעַל־אֱלֹהֶ֖יהָ וְעַל־מְלָכֶ֑יהָ וְעַ֨ל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְעַ֥ל הַבֹּטְחִ֖ים בּֽוֹ׃ The LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, has said: I will inflict punishment on AmoneTutelary deity of the city No (Thebes); cf. Nah. 3.8. of No and on Pharaoh—on Egypt, her gods, and her kings—on Pharaoh and all who rely on him.
וּנְתַתִּ֗ים בְּיַד֙ מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשָׁ֔ם וּבְיַ֛ד נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֥ר מֶלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֖ל וּבְיַד־עֲבָדָ֑יו וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֛ן תִּשְׁכֹּ֥ן כִּֽימֵי־קֶ֖דֶם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
I will deliver them into the hands of those who seek to kill them, into the hands of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and into the hands of his subjects. But afterward she shall be inhabited again as in former days, declares the LORD.
וְ֠אַתָּ֠ה אַל־תִּירָ֞א עַבְדִּ֤י יַֽעֲקֹב֙ וְאַל־תֵּחַ֣ת יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֠י הִנְנִ֤י מוֹשִֽׁעֲךָ֙ מֵרָח֔וֹק וְאֶֽת־זַרְעֲךָ֖ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ שִׁבְיָ֑ם וְשָׁ֧ב יַעֲק֛וֹב וְשָׁקַ֥ט וְשַׁאֲנַ֖ן וְאֵ֥ין מַחֲרִֽיד׃ But you,
Have no fear, My servant Jacob,
Be not dismayed, O Israel!
I will deliver you from far away,
Your folk from their land of captivity;
And Jacob again shall have calm
And quiet, with none to trouble him.
אַ֠תָּ֠ה אַל־תִּירָ֞א עַבְדִּ֤י יַֽעֲקֹב֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֥י אִתְּךָ֖ אָ֑נִי כִּי֩ אֶעֱשֶׂ֨ה כָלָ֜ה בְּכׇֽל־הַגּוֹיִ֣ם ׀ אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִדַּחְתִּ֣יךָ שָּׁ֗מָּה וְאֹֽתְךָ֙ לֹא־אֶעֱשֶׂ֣ה כָלָ֔ה וְיִסַּרְתִּ֙יךָ֙ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֔ט וְנַקֵּ֖ה לֹ֥א אֲנַקֶּֽךָּ׃ {פ}
But you, have no fear,
My servant Jacob
—declares the LORD—
For I am with you.
I will make an end of all the nations
Among which I have banished you,
But I will not make an end of you!
I will not leave you unpunished,
But I will chastise you in measure.