1Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was the chief officer in Yahweh’s house, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things.
2So Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet and put him in the stocks that were at the Upper Gate of Benjamin, which was in Yahweh’s house.
3The next day, Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks. Then Jeremiah said to him, “Yahweh has not called you Pashhur, but Magor-Missabib.”
4For Yahweh says, ‘Listen, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They will fall by the sword of their enemies, and you will see it with your own eyes. And I will hand over all Judah to the king of Babylon, and he will take them captive to Babylon and kill them with the sword.
5Furthermore, I will give all the wealth of this city—all its gains and all its valuable things, indeed, all the treasures of the kings of Judah—into the hands of their enemies. They will plunder them, seize them, and carry them off to Babylon.
6You, Pashhur, and everyone who lives in your house will go into captivity. You will go to Babylon, and there you will die and be buried, both you and all your friends to whom you have spoken false prophecies.’
7Yahweh, you tricked me, and I was tricked; you are stronger than I, and you have won. I have become a laughingstock all day long; everyone mocks me.
8For whenever I speak, I cry out; I shout, “Violence and destruction!” because the word of Yahweh has brought me only insult and ridicule all day long.
9If I say, “I will not mention him or speak any more in his name,” then there is in my heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones. I am tired of holding it in, and I cannot.
10For I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” All my close friends are watching for my downfall. They say, “Perhaps he will be tricked, and we can overpower him and take our revenge.”
11But Yahweh is with me like a powerful warrior. Therefore my persecutors will stumble and will not succeed. They will be utterly disgraced, because they did not act wisely, with an everlasting dishonor that will never be forgotten.
12But, Yahweh of Armies, who tests the righteous and sees into the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for I have presented my case to you.
13Sing to Yahweh! Praise Yahweh! For he has rescued the life of the needy from the power of evil people.
14I curse the day I was born. May the day my mother gave birth to me never be blessed.
15I curse the man who made my father so happy when he told him, 'You have a new son!'
16May that man be like the cities Yahweh completely destroyed without regret. Let him hear screams in the morning and shouts at noon.
17Because he didn't kill me before I was born. Then my mother's womb would have been my grave, always carrying me.
18Why did I ever leave my mother's womb, just to experience trouble and sorrow, and have my days end in shame?