1 Pashhur son of Immer was a priest and the chief of temple security. He heard what I had said,
2 and so he hit me. Then he had me arrested and put in chains at the Benjamin Gate in the Lord's temple.
3 The next day, when Pashhur let me go free, I told him that the Lord had said:No longer will I call you Pashhur. Instead, I will call you Afraid-of-Everything.
4 You will be afraid, and you will bring fear to your friends as well. You will see enemies kill them in battle. Then I will make the king of Babylonia take everyone in Judah prisoner, killing some and dragging the rest away to Babylonia.
5 He will clean out the royal treasury and take everything else of value from Jerusalem.
6 Pashhur, you are guilty of telling lies and claiming they were messages from me. That's why I will make the Babylonians take you, your family, and your friends as prisoners to Babylonia, where you will all die and be buried.
7 You tricked me, Lord,and I was really fooled.You are stronger than I am,and you have defeated me.People never stop sneeringand insulting me.
8 You have let me announceonly destruction and death.Your message has brought menothing but insultsand trouble.
9 Sometimes I tell myselfnot to think about you, Lord,or even mention your name.But your message burnsin my heart and bones,and I cannot keep silent.
10 I heard the crowds whisper,“Everyone is afraid.Now's our chanceto accuse Jeremiah!”All of my so called friendsare just waitingfor me to make a mistake.They say, “Perhaps Jeremiahcan be tricked.Then we can overpower himand get even at last.”
11 But you, Lord,are a mighty soldier,standing at my side.Those troublemakerswill fall down and fail—terribly embarrassed,for ever ashamed.
12 Lord All-Powerful,you test those who do right,and you know every heartand mind.I have told you my complaints,so let me watch youtake revenge on my enemies.
13 I sing praises to you, Lord.You rescue the oppressedfrom the wicked.
14 Put a curse on the day I was born!Don't bless my mother.
15 Put a curse on the manwho told my father, “Good news!You have a son.”
16 May that man be like the townsyou destroyed without pity.Let him hear shouts of alarmin the morningand battle cries at midday.
17 He deserves to diefor not killing mebefore I was born.Then my mother's bodywould have been my grave.
18 Why did I have to be born?Was it just to sufferand die in shame?