Your words penetrate my soul...

[ME]

7   When you pray, don't talk on and on as people do who don't know God. They think God likes to hear long prayers. 8 Don't be like them. Your Father knows what you need even before you ask.

9 You should pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

help us to honor

your name.

10Come and set up

your kingdom,

so that everyone on earth

will obey you,

as you are obeyed

in heaven.

11Give us our food for today.

12Forgive us for doing wrong,

as we forgive others.

13Keep us from being tempted

and protect us from evil.

Tuas palavras penetram a minha alma...

[ME]

7 — Nas suas orações, não fiquem repetindo o que vocês já disseram, como fazem os pagãos. Eles pensam que Deus os ouvirá porque fazem orações compridas. 8 Não sejam como eles, pois, antes de vocês pedirem, o Pai de vocês já sabe o que vocês precisam. 9 Portanto, orem assim:

“Pai nosso, que estás no céu,

que todos reconheçam

que o teu nome é santo.

10 Venha o teu Reino.

Que a tua vontade seja feita aqui na terra

como é feita no céu!

11 Dá-nos hoje o alimento que precisamos.

12 Perdoa as nossas ofensas

como também nós perdoamos

as pessoas que nos ofenderam.

13 E não deixes que sejamos tentados,

mas livra-nos do mal.

[Pois teu é o Reino, o poder e a glória,

para sempre. Amém!]”

The Lord gives me strength

Habakkuk's Prayer

1 This is my prayer: 

2 I know your reputation, Lord, and I am amazed at what you have done.

Please turn from your anger and be merciful; do for us what you did for our ancestors.

3 You are the same Holy God who came from Teman and Paran to help us.

The brightness of your glory covered the heavens, and your praises were heard everywhere on earth.

4 Your glory shone like the sun, and light flashed from your hands, hiding your mighty power.

5 Dreadful diseases and plagues marched in front and followed behind.

6 When you stopped, the earth shook; when you stared, nations trembled; when you walked

along your ancient paths, eternal mountains and hills crumbled and collapsed.

7 The tents of desert tribes in Cushan and Midian were ripped apart.

8 Our Lord, were you angry with the monsters of the deep?

You attacked in your chariot and wiped them out.

9 Your arrows were ready and obeyed your commands. You split the earth apart with rivers and streams; 10 mountains trembled at the sight of you; rain poured from the clouds; ocean waves roared and rose.

11 The sun and moon stood still, while your arrows and spears flashed like lightning.

12 In your furious anger, you trampled on nations 13 to rescue your people and save your chosen one.

You crushed a nation's ruler and stripped his evil kingdom of its power.

14 His troops had come like a storm, hoping to scatter us and glad to gobble us up.

To them we were refugees in hiding — but you smashed their heads with their own weapons.

15 Then your chariots churned the waters of the sea.

Habakkuk's Response to God's Message

16 When I heard this message, I felt weak from fear, and my lips quivered.

My bones seemed to melt, and I stumbled around.

But I will patiently wait. Someday those vicious enemies will be struck by disaster.

Trust in a Time of Trouble

17 Fig trees may no longer bloom, or vineyards produce grapes; olive trees may be fruitless,

and harvest time a failure; sheep pens may be empty, and cattle stalls vacant — 18 but I will still celebrate because the Lord God is my Savior.

19 The Lord gives me strength. He makes my feet as sure as those of a deer, and he helps me stand on the mountains.

O Senhor Deus é a minha força

A oração de Habacuque

1 Esta é uma oração do profeta Habacuque, feita em forma de hino.

2 Ó Senhor, ouvi falar do que tens feito e estou cheio de temor.

Faze agora, em nosso tempo, as coisas maravilhosas que fizeste no passado, para que nós também as vejamos. 

Mesmo que estejas irado, tem compaixão de nós!

3 Deus vem vindo da terra de Edom, o Santo Deus vem do monte Parã. A sua glória cobre os céus, e na terra todos o louvam.

4 Ele brilha como a luz, e raios de luz saltam da sua mão, onde se esconde o seu poder.

5 Na frente dele vão pragas terríveis, e atrás vêm doenças mortais.

6 Ele para, e a terra treme; ele olha para as nações, e elas ficam com medo.

Os montes antigos se abalam, caem as velhas montanhas por onde ele tem andado desde a eternidade.

7 Vi que os povos de Cuchã estão aflitos e que os moradores de Midiã estão com medo.

8 É contra os rios, ó Senhor, que estás irado? É contra o mar que estás furioso? É por isso que montas os teus cavalos e vens vitorioso no teu carro de guerra?

9 Pegas o teu arco e te preparas para atirar as tuas flechas.

Tu cavas a terra com enchentes.

10 As montanhas te viram e tremeram; uma tromba-d'água caiu do céu.

As águas debaixo da terra rugiram; as suas ondas imensas se levantaram.

11 O sol e a lua deixaram de brilhar quando viram o brilho das tuas flechas e a luz brilhante da tua lança.

12 Na tua ira, marchaste pela terra inteira, na tua fúria, pisaste as nações.

13 Saíste para salvar o teu povo, para salvar o rei que escolheste.

Feriste o chefe dos maus e acabaste completamente com o seu exército.

14 Com as tuas flechas, mataste o comandante dos soldados quando avançavam como uma tempestade para nos atacar; eles vinham orgulhosos, querendo nos destruir como quem mata um pobre em segredo.

15 Montado nos teus cavalos marchaste pelo mar, pelas ondas furiosas do mar.

16 Quando ouvi tudo isso, fiquei assustado, e os meus lábios tremeram de medo.

Perdi todas as forças e não pude ficar de pé.

Portanto, vou esperar, tranquilo, o dia em que Deus castigará aqueles que nos atacam.

17 Ainda que as figueiras não produzam frutas, e as parreiras não deem uvas; ainda que não haja azeitonas para apanhar nem trigo para colher; ainda que não haja mais ovelhas nos campos nem gado nos currais, 18 mesmo assim eu darei graças ao Senhor e louvarei a Deus, o meu Salvador.

19 O Senhor Deus é a minha força. 

Ele torna o meu andar firme como o de uma corça e me leva para as montanhas, onde estarei seguro.

The love of the son and the justice of the father ...

A Prayer for God's Protection
1 I run to you, Lord, for protection.
Don't disappoint me.
2 You do what is right, so come to my rescue.
Listen to my prayer and keep me safe.
3 Be my mighty rock, the place where I can always run for protection.
Save me by your command! 
You are my mighty rock and my fortress.
4 Come and save me, Lord God, from vicious and cruel and brutal enemies!
5 I depend on you, and I have trusted you since I was young.
6 I have relied on you from the day I was born.
You brought me safely through birth, and I always praise you.
7 Many people think of me as something evil.
But you are my mighty protector, 8 and I praise and honor you all day long.
9 Don't throw me aside when I am old; don't desert me when my strength is gone.
10 My enemies are plotting because they want me dead.
11 They say, “Now we'll catch you!
God has deserted you, and no one can save you.”
12 Come closer, God! Please hurry and help.
13 Embarrass and destroy all who want me dead; disgrace and confuse all who want to hurt me.

14 I will never give up hope or stop praising you.
15 All day long I will tell the wonderful things you do to save your people.
But you have done much more than I could possibly know.
16 I will praise you, Lord God, for your mighty deeds and your power to save.
17 You have taught me since I was a child, and I never stop telling about your marvelous deeds.
18 Don't leave me when I am old and my hair turns gray.
Let me tell future generations about your mighty power.
19 Your deeds of kindness are known in the heavens.
No one is like you!
20 You made me suffer a lot, but you will bring me back from this deep pit and give me new life.
21 You will make me truly great and take my sorrow away.
22 I will praise you, God, the Holy One of Israel.
You are faithful.
I will play the harp and sing your praises.
23 You have rescued me! I will celebrate and shout, singing praises to you with all my heart.
24 All day long I will announce your power to save.
I will tell how you disgraced and disappointed those who wanted to hurt me.

O amor do filho e a justiça do pai...

1 Ó Senhor Deus, tu és a minha segurança; nunca deixes que eu sofra a vergonha da derrota.

2 Ajuda-me e livra-me, pois tu és justo; ouve-me e salva-me.

3 Ó Deus, sê a minha rocha de abrigo e uma fortaleza para me proteger!

Tu és a minha rocha e a minha fortaleza.

4 Ó meu Deus, livra-me dos maus, livra-me do poder dos homens perversos e violentos!

5 Ó Senhor, meu Deus, em ti ponho a minha esperança; desde jovem tenho confiado em ti.

6 Toda a minha vida tenho me apoiado em ti; desde o meu nascimento tu tens me protegido.

Eu sempre te louvarei.

7 A minha vida tem sido um exemplo para muitos porque tu tens sido o meu forte defensor.

8 O dia inteiro, eu te louvo e anuncio a tua glória.

9 Não me rejeites agora que sou velho; não me abandones agora que estou fraco.

10 Os meus inimigos querem me matar; eles falam contra mim e planejam a minha morte.

11 Eles dizem: “Deus o abandonou; vamos persegui-lo e agarrá-lo, pois ninguém o salvará.”

12 Ó Deus, não fiques longe de mim! Ajuda-me agora, meu Deus!

13 Que sejam derrotados e destruídos aqueles que me atacam!

Que fiquem arruinados e envergonhados os que querem a minha desgraça!

14 Eu sempre porei a minha esperança em ti e te louvarei mais e mais.

15 Anunciarei que tu és fiel; o dia inteiro falarei da tua salvação, embora não seja capaz de entendê-la.

16 Falarei do teu poder, ó Senhor, meu Deus; anunciarei a tua fidelidade, a tua fidelidade somente.

17 Tu tens me ensinado desde a minha mocidade, e eu continuo a falar das coisas maravilhosas que fazes.

18 Agora que estou velho, e os meus cabelos ficaram brancos, não me abandones, ó Deus!

Fica comigo enquanto anuncio o teu poder e a tua força a este povo e aos seus descendentes.

19 A tua fidelidade, ó Deus, chega até o céu.

Tu tens feito grandes coisas, e não há ninguém igual a ti.

20 Tu me tens feito passar por aflições e sofrimentos, mas me darás forças novamente e me livrarás da sepultura.

21 Tu me tornarás cada vez mais famoso e sempre me consolarás.

22 Prometo que te louvarei com harpa. Ó meu Deus, eu te louvarei porque és fiel. Na minha lira tocarei hinos a ti, ó Santo Deus de Israel.

23 Cantarei de alegria quando tocar hinos a ti, cantarei com todas as minhas forças porque tu me salvaste.

24 O dia inteiro falarei da tua justiça, pois os que me queriam prejudicar foram derrotados e arruinados.

I am on your side, and I will take revenge ...

Babylon Will Be Destroyed

1 I, the Lord, am sending a wind to destroy the people of Babylonia and Babylon, its capital.

2 Foreign soldiers will come from every direction, and when the disaster is over, Babylonia will be empty and worthless.

3 I will tell these soldiers, “Attack quickly, before the Babylonians can string their bows or put on their armor.

Kill their best soldiers and destroy their army!”

4 Their troops will fall wounded in the streets of Babylon.

5 Everyone in Israel and Judah is guilty.

But I, the Lord All-Powerful, their holy God, have not abandoned them.

6 Get out of Babylon! Run for your lives! If you stay, you will be killed when I take revenge on the city and punish it for its sins.

7 Babylon was my golden cup, filled with the wine of my anger.

The nations of the world got drunk on this wine and went insane.

8 But suddenly, Babylon will fall and be destroyed.

I, the Lord, told the foreigners who lived there, “Weep for the city!

Get medicine for its wounds; maybe they will heal.”

9 The foreigners answered, “We have already tried to treat Babylon's wounds, but they would not heal. Come on, let's all go home to our own countries.

Nothing is left in Babylonia; everything is destroyed.”

10 The people of Israel said, “Tell everyone in Zion!

The Lord has taken revenge for what Babylon did to us.”

The Lord Wants Babylon Destroyed 

11 I, the Lord, want Babylon destroyed, because its army destroyed my temple.

So, you kings of Media, sharpen your arrows and pick up your shields.

12 Raise the signal flag and attack the city walls.

Post more guards.

Have soldiers watch the city and set up ambushes.

I have made plans to destroy Babylon, and nothing will stop me.

13 People of Babylon, you live along the Euphrates River and are surrounded by canals.

You are rich, but now the time has come for you to die.

14 I, the Lord All-Powerful, swear by my own life that enemy soldiers will fill your streets

like a swarm of locusts.

They will shout and celebrate their victory.

A Hymn of Praise

(Jeremiah 10.12-16)

15 God used his wisdom and power to create the earth and spread out the heavens.

16 The waters in the heavens roar at his command.

He makes clouds appear; he sends the wind from his storehouse and makes lightning flash

in the rain.

17 People who make idols are stupid!

They will be disappointed, because their false gods cannot breathe.

18 Idols are merely a joke, and when the time is right, they will be destroyed.

19 But the Lord, Israel's God, is all-powerful.

He created everything, and he chose Israel to be his very own.

God's Hammer

The Lord said:

20 Babylonia, you were my hammer; I used you to pound nations and break kingdoms, 21 to shatter cavalry and chariots, 22 as well as men and women, young and old, 23 shepherds and their flocks, farmers and their oxen, and governors and leaders.

24 But now, my people will watch, while I repay you for what you did to Zion.

25 You destroyed the nations and seem strong as a mountain, but I am your enemy.

I might even grab you and roll you off a cliff.

When I am finished, you'll only be a pile of scorched bricks.

26 Your stone blocks won't be reused for cornerstones or foundations, and I promise that forever you will be a desert.

I, the Lord, have spoken.

The Nations Will Attack Babylon 

The Lord said:

27 Signal the nations to get ready to attack. Raise a flag and blow a trumpet. Send for the armies of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz.

Choose a commander; let the cavalry attack like a swarm of locusts.

28 Tell the kings and governors, the leaders and the people of the kingdoms of the Medes to prepare for war!

29 The earth twists and turns in torment, because I have decided to make Babylonia a desert

where no one can live, and I won't change my mind.

30 The Babylonian soldiers have lost their strength and courage.

They stay in their fortresses, unable to fight, while the enemy breaks through the city gates,

then sets their homes on fire.

31 One messenger after another announces to the king, “Babylon has been captured!

32 The enemy now controls the river crossings!

The marshes are on fire!

Your army has panicked!”

33 I am the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, and I make this promise — “Soon Babylon will be leveled and packed down like a threshing place at harvest time.”

Babylonia Will Pay!

34 The people of Jerusalem say, “King Nebuchadnezzar made us panic.

That monster stuffed himself with us and our treasures, leaving us empty — he gobbled up what he wanted and spit out the rest.

35 The people of Babylonia harmed some of us and killed others.

Now, Lord, make them pay!”

The Lord Will Take Revenge on Babylon 

36 My people, I am on your side, and I will take revenge on Babylon.

I will cut off its water supply, and its stream will dry up.

37 Babylon will be a pile of rubble where only jackals live, and everyone will be afraid to walk among the ruins.

38 The Babylonians roar and growl like young lions.

39 And since they are hungry, I will give them a banquet.

They will celebrate, get drunk, then fall asleep, never to wake up!

40 I will lead them away to die, like sheep, lambs, and goats being led to the butcher.

41 All nations now praise Babylon, but when it is captured, those same nations will be horrified.

42 Babylon's enemies will rise like ocean waves and flood the city.

43 Horrible destruction will strike the nearby towns.

The land will become a barren desert, where no one can live or even travel.

44 I will punish Marduk, the god of Babylon, and make him vomit out everything he gobbled up. Then nations will no longer bring him gifts, and Babylon's walls will crumble.

The Lord Offers Hope to His People

45 Get out of Babylon, my people, and run for your lives, before I strike the city in my anger!

46 Don't be afraid or lose hope, though year after year there are rumors of leaders fighting for control in the city of Babylon.

47 The time will come when I will punish Babylon's false gods.

Everyone there will die, and the whole nation will be disgraced, 48 when an army attacks from the north and brings destruction.

Then the earth and the heavens and everything in them will celebrate.

49 Babylon must be overthrown, because it slaughtered the people of Israel and of many other nations.

50 My people, you escaped death when Jerusalem fell.

Now you live far from home, but you should trust me and think about Jerusalem.

Leave Babylon! Don't stay!

51 You feel ashamed and disgraced, because foreigners have entered my sacred temple.

52 Soon I will send a war to punish Babylon's idols and leave its wounded people moaning everywhere.

53 Although Babylon's walls reach to the sky, the army I send will destroy that city.

I, the Lord, have spoken.

Babylon Will Be Destroyed 

The Lord said:

54 Listen to the cries for help coming from Babylon.

Everywhere in the country the sounds of destruction can be heard.

55 The shouts of the enemy, like crashing ocean waves, will drown out Babylon's cries as I level the city.

56 An enemy will attack and destroy Babylon.

Its soldiers will be captured and their weapons broken, because I am a God who takes revenge against nations for what they do.

57 I, the Lord All-Powerful, the true King, promise that the officials and advisors, the governors and leaders, and the soldiers of Babylon will get drunk, fall asleep, and never wake up.

58 The thick walls of that city will be torn down, and its huge gates burned.

Everything that nation worked so hard to gain will go up in smoke.

Jeremiah Gives Seraiah a Scroll

59 During Zedekiah's fourth year as king of Judah, he went to Babylon. And Baruch's brother Seraiah went along as the officer in charge of arranging for places to stay overnight.

60 Before they left, I wrote on a scroll all the terrible things that would happen to Babylon. 61 I gave the scroll to Seraiah and said:

When you get to Babylon, read this scroll aloud, 62 then pray, “Our Lord, you promised to destroy this place and make it into a desert where no people or animals will ever live.”

63 When you finish praying, tie the scroll to a rock and throw it in the Euphrates River. Then say, 64 “This is how Babylon will sink when the Lord destroys it. Everyone in the city will die, and it won't have the strength to rise again.”

The End of Jeremiah's Writing