1 The priest Pashhur was chief officer in the Lord's temple. He was the son of Immer. Pashhur heard me prophesying that Jerusalem would be destroyed.
2 So he had me beaten. Then he put me in prison at the Upper Gate of Benjamin at the Lord's temple.
3 The next day Pashhur set me free. I said to him, "The Lord's name for you isn't Pashhur. It's Magor-Missabib. That name means Terror on Every Side.
4 "The Lord says to you, 'I will make you a terror to yourself. You will also be a terror to all of your friends. With your own eyes you will see them die. Their enemies will kill them with swords. I will hand all of the people of Judah over to the king of Babylonia. He will carry them away to Babylonia or kill them with swords.
5 " 'I will hand all of the wealth of this city over to Judah's enemies. I will give them all of its products and everything of value. I will turn over to them all of the treasures that belonged to the kings of Judah. They will take those things and carry them off to Babylon.
6 " 'Pashhur, you and everyone who lives in your house will also be forced to go there. You have prophesied lies to all of your friends. So all of you will die in Babylonia. And that's where your bodies will be buried.' "
7 Lord, you tricked me, and I was tricked. You overpowered me and won. People make fun of me all day long. Everyone laughs at me.
8 Every time I speak, I cry out. All you ever tell me to talk about is fighting and trouble. Your message has brought me nothing but dishonor. It has made me suffer shame all day long.
9 Sometimes I think, "I won't talk about him anymore. I'll never speak in his name again." But then your message burns in my heart. It's like a fire inside my very bones. I'm tired of holding it in. In fact, I can't.
10 I hear many people whispering, "There is terror on every side! Report Jeremiah! Let's report him to the authorities!" All of my friends are waiting for me to slip. They are saying, "Perhaps he will be tricked into making a mistake. Then we'll win out over him. We'll get even with him."
11 But you are with me like a mighty warrior. So those who are trying to harm me will trip and fall. They won't win out over me. They will fail. They'll be totally put to shame. Their dishonor will never be forgotten.
12 Lord, you rule over all. You test those who do what is right. You see what is in people's hearts and minds. So pay them back for what they've done. I've committed my cause to you.
13 Sing to the Lord, you people! Give praise to him! He saves the lives of those who are in need. He saves them from the powerful hands of sinful people.
14 May the day I was born be under a curse! May the day I was born to my mother not be blessed!
15 May the man who brought my father the news be under a curse! He's the one who made my father very glad. He said, "You have had a baby! It's a boy!"
16 May that man be like the towns the Lord destroyed without pity. May that man hear loud sobs in the morning. May he hear a battle cry at noon.
17 He should have killed me in my mother's body. He should have made my mother my grave. He should have let her body stay large forever.
18 Why did I ever come out of my mother's body? I've seen nothing but trouble and sorrow. My days will end in shame.