(KJV) Jeremiah 20¹

⥃Pashhur Persecutes Jeremiah

[1] Now Pashur the son of Immer² the priest, who [was] also chief³ governor in the house of the Lord, heard that Jeremiah prophesied these things. [2] Then Pashur smote⁴ Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks⁵ that [were] in the high⁶ gate of Benjamin, which [was] by the house of the Lord. [3] And it came to pass on the morrow, that Pashur⁷ brought forth Jeremiah out of the stocks. Then said Jeremiah unto him, The Lord hath⁸ not called thy name Pashur, but Magor–missabib⁹. [4] For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will make¹⁰ thee a terror to thyself, and to all thy friends: and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies, and thine¹¹ eyes shall behold [it]: and I will give¹² 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. [5] Moreover I will deliver¹³ all the strength of this city, and all the labours¹⁴ 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. [6] And thou, Pashur¹⁵, 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 friends¹⁶, to whom thou hast¹⁷ prophesied lies.

⥃Jeremiah’s Complaint

[7] O Lord, thou hast deceived¹⁸ me, and I was deceived: thou art¹⁹ stronger than I, and hast prevailed: I am²⁰ in derision daily, every one mocketh me. [8] For since I spake, I cried²¹ out, I cried violence and spoil; because the word²² of the Lord was made a reproach unto me, and a derision, daily. [9] Then I said, I will²³ not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name. But [his word] was in²⁴ mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not [stay].

[10] [¶]For I heard²⁵ the defaming of many, fear²⁶ on every side. Report²⁷, [say they], and we will report it. All my familiars²⁸ watched for my halting, [saying], Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall²⁹ prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him. [11] But the Lord³⁰ [is] with me as a mighty³¹ terrible one: therefore my³² persecutors shall stumble, and they³³ shall not prevail: they shall be greatly ashamed; for they shall not prosper: [their] everlasting³⁴ confusion shall never be forgotten. [12] But, O Lord of hosts, that³⁵ triest the righteous, [and] seest the reins and the heart, let me³⁶ see thy vengeance on them: for³⁷ unto thee have I opened my cause. [13] Sing unto the Lord, praise ye the Lord: for³⁸ he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of evildoers.

[14] Cursed [be] the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.³⁹ [15] Cursed [be] the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man⁴⁰ child is born unto thee; making him very glad. [16] And let that man be as⁴¹ the cities which the Lord overthrew, and repented⁴² not: and let him⁴³ hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide; [17] Because he slew⁴⁴ me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb [to be] always great [with me]. [18] Wherefore came⁴⁵ I forth out of the womb to see⁴⁶ labour and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with⁴⁷ shame?