إِرْمِيَا 2

١ 1 وَصَارَتْ إِلَيَّ كَلِمَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ قَائِلًا:

And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying,

٢ 2 «ٱذْهَبْ وَنَادِ فِي أُذُنَيْ أُورُشَلِيمَ قَائِلًا: هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: قَدْ ذَكَرْتُ لَكِ غَيْرَةَ صِبَاكِ، مَحَبَّةَ خِطْبَتِكِ، ذِهَابَكِ وَرَائِي فِي ٱلْبَرِّيَّةِ فِي أَرْضٍ غَيْرِ مَزْرُوعَةٍ.

“Go, and you have called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said YHWH: I have remembered for you The kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, Your going after Me in a wilderness, in a land not sown.

٣ 3 إِسْرَائِيلُ قُدْسٌ لِلرَّبِّ، أَوَائِلُ غَلَّتِهِ. كُلُّ آكِلِيهِ يَأْثَمُونَ. شَرٌّ يَأْتِي عَلَيْهِمْ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ».

Israel [is] holy to YHWH, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Calamity comes to them,” A declaration of YHWH.

٤ 4 اِسْمَعُوا كَلِمَةَ ٱلرَّبِّ يَا بَيْتَ يَعْقُوبَ، وَكُلَّ عَشَائِرِ بَيْتِ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

Hear a word of YHWH, O house of Jacob, And all you families of the house of Israel—

٥ 5 هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: «مَاذَا وَجَدَ فِيَّ آبَاؤُكُمْ مِنْ جَوْرٍ حَتَّى ٱبْتَعَدُوا عَنِّي وَسَارُوا وَرَاءَ ٱلْبَاطِلِ وَصَارُوا بَاطِلًا؟

Thus said YHWH: “What perversity have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after vanity, and become vain,

٦ 6 وَلَمْ يَقُولُوا: أَيْنَ هُوَ ٱلرَّبُّ ٱلَّذِي أَصْعَدَنَا مِنْ أَرْضِ مِصْرَ، ٱلَّذِي سَارَ بِنَا فِي ٱلْبَرِّيَّةِ فِي أَرْضِ قَفْرٍ وَحُفَرٍ، فِي أَرْضِ يُبُوسَةٍ وَظِلِّ ٱلْمَوْتِ، فِي أَرْضٍ لَمْ يَعْبُرْهَا رَجُلٌ وَلَمْ يَسْكُنْهَا إِنْسَانٌ؟

And have not said, Where [is] YHWH, Who brings us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leads us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land that none has passed through, Nor has man dwelt there?

٧ 7 وَأَتَيْتُ بِكُمْ إِلَى أَرْضِ بَسَاتِينَ لِتَأْكُلُوا ثَمَرَهَا وَخَيْرَهَا. فَأَتَيْتُمْ وَنَجَّسْتُمْ أَرْضِي وَجَعَلْتُمْ مِيرَاثِي رِجْسًا.

Indeed, I bring you into a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And you come in and defile My land, And have made My inheritance an abomination.

٨ 8 اَلْكَهَنَةُ لَمْ يَقُولُوا: أَيْنَ هُوَ ٱلرَّبُّ؟ وَأَهْلُ ٱلشَّرِيعَةِ لَمْ يَعْرِفُونِي، وَٱلرُّعَاةُ عَصَوْا عَلَيَّ، وَٱلْأَنْبِيَاءُ تَنَبَّأُوا بِبَعْلٍ، وَذَهَبُوا وَرَاءَ مَا لَا يَنْفَعُ.

The priests have not said, Where [is] YHWH? And those handling the Law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Ba‘al, And have gone after those who do not profit.

٩ 9 «لِذَلِكَ أُخَاصِمُكُمْ بَعْدُ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، وَبَنِي بَنِيكُمْ أُخَاصِمُ.

Therefore, I yet plead with you,” A declaration of YHWH, “And I plead with your sons’ sons.

١٠ 10 فَٱعْبُرُوا جَزَائِرَ كِتِّيمَ، وَٱنْظُرُوا، وَأَرْسِلُوا إِلَى قِيدَارَ، وَٱنْتَبِهُوا جِدًّا، وَٱنْظُرُوا: هَلْ صَارَ مِثْلُ هَذَا؟

For pass to the islands of Chittim and see, And send to Kedar and consider well, And see if there has been [anything] like this:

١١ 11 هَلْ بَدَلَتْ أُمَّةٌ آلِهَةً، وَهِيَ لَيْسَتْ آلِهَةً؟ أَمَّا شَعْبِي فَقَدْ بَدَلَ مَجْدَهُ بِمَا لَا يَنْفَعُ!

Has a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people has changed its glory For that which does not profit.

١٢ 12 اِبْهَتِي أَيَّتُهَا ٱلسَّمَاوَاتُ مِنْ هَذَا، وَٱقْشَعِرِّي وَتَحَيَّرِي جِدًّا، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

Be astonished, you heavens, at this, Indeed, be frightened, be greatly desolated,” A declaration of YHWH.

١٣ 13 لِأَنَّ شَعْبِي عَمِلَ شَرَّيْنِ: تَرَكُونِي أَنَا يَنْبُوعَ ٱلْمِيَاهِ ٱلْحَيَّةِ، لِيَنْقُرُوا لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ أَبْآرًا، أَبْآرًا مُشَقَّقَةً لَا تَضْبُطُ مَاءً.

“For My people have done two evils, They have forsaken Me, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells—broken wells, That do not contain the waters.

١٤ 14 «أَعَبْدٌ إِسْرَائِيلُ، أَوْ مَوْلُودُ ٱلْبَيْتِ هُوَ؟ لِمَاذَا صَارَ غَنِيمَةً؟

[Is] Israel a servant? Is he a child of the house? Why has he been for a prey?

١٥ 15 زَمْجَرَتْ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْأَشْبَالُ. أَطْلَقَتْ صَوْتَهَا وَجَعَلَتْ أَرْضَهُ خَرِبَةً. أُحْرِقَتْ مُدُنُهُ فَلَا سَاكِنَ.

Young lions roar against him, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burned without inhabitant.

١٦ 16 وَبَنُو نُوفَ وَتَحْفَنِيسَ قَدْ شَجُّوا هَامَتَكِ.

Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume you—the crown of the head!

١٧ 17 أَمَا صَنَعْتِ هَذَا بِنَفْسِكِ، إِذْ تَرَكْتِ ٱلرَّبَّ إِلَهَكِ حِينَمَا كَانَ مُسَيِّرَكِ فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ؟

Do you not do this to yourself? [By] your forsaking your God YHWH, At the time He is leading you in the way?

١٨ 18 وَٱلْآنَ مَا لَكِ وَطَرِيقَ مِصْرَ لِشُرْبِ مِيَاهِ شِيحُورَ؟ وَمَا لَكِ وَطَرِيقَ أَشُّورَ لِشُرْبِ مِيَاهِ ٱلنَّهْرِ؟

And now, why do you [go] in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And why do you [go] in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters of the River?

١٩ 19 يُوَبِّخُكِ شَرُّكِ، وَعِصْيَانُكِ يُؤَدِّبُكِ. فَٱعْلَمِي وَٱنْظُرِي أَنَّ تَرْكَكِ ٱلرَّبَّ إِلَهَكِ شَرٌّ وَمُرٌّ، وَأَنَّ خَشْيَتِي لَيْسَتْ فِيكِ، يَقُولُ ٱلسَّيِّدُ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ.

Your wickedness instructs you, And your backslidings reprove you, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [is] your forsaking your God YHWH, And My fear not being on you,” A declaration of Lord YHWH of Hosts.

٢٠ 20 «لِأَنَّهُ مُنْذُ ٱلْقَدِيمِ كَسَرْتُ نِيرَكِ وَقَطَعْتُ قُيُودَكِ، وَقُلْتِ: لَا أَتَعَبَّدُ. لِأَنَّكِ عَلَى كُلِّ أَكَمَةٍ عَالِيَةٍ وَتَحْتَ كُلِّ شَجَرَةٍ خَضْرَاءَ أَنْتِ ٱضْطَجَعْتِ زَانِيَةً!

“For from of old you have broken your yoke, Drawn away your bands, and say, I do not serve, For on every high height, and under every green tree, You are wandering—a harlot.

٢١ 21 وَأَنَا قَدْ غَرَسْتُكِ كَرْمَةَ سُورَقَ، زَرْعَ حَقٍّ كُلَّهَا. فَكَيْفَ تَحَوَّلْتِ لِي سُرُوغَ جَفْنَةٍ غَرِيبَةٍ؟

And I planted you [as] a choice vine, wholly of true seed, And how have you been turned Into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine to Me?

٢٢ 22 فَإِنَّكِ وَإِنِ ٱغْتَسَلْتِ بِنَطْرُونٍ، وَأَكْثَرْتِ لِنَفْسِكِ ٱلْأُشْنَانَ، فَقَدْ نُقِشَ إِثْمُكِ أَمَامِي، يَقُولُ ٱلسَّيِّدُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

But though you wash with natron, And multiply soap to yourself, Your iniquity is marked before Me,” A declaration of Lord YHWH.

٢٣ 23 كَيْفَ تَقُولِينَ: لَمْ أَتَنَجَّسْ. وَرَاءَ بَعْلِيمَ لَمْ أَذْهَبْ؟ ٱنْظُرِي طَرِيقَكِ فِي ٱلْوَادِي. اِعْرِفِي مَا عَمِلْتِ، يَا نَاقَةً خَفِيفَةً ضَبِعَةً فِي طُرُقِهَا!

“How can you say, I have not been defiled, I have not gone after the Ba‘alim? See your way in a valley, know what you have done, A swift dromedary winding her ways,

٢٤ 24 يَا أَتَانَ ٱلْفَرَا، قَدْ تَعَوَّدَتِ ٱلْبَرِّيَّةَ! فِي شَهْوَةِ نَفْسِهَا تَسْتَنْشِقُ ٱلرِّيحَ. عِنْدَ ضَبَعِهَا مَنْ يَرُدُّهَا؟ كُلُّ طَالِبِيهَا لَا يُعْيُونَ. فِي شَهْرِهَا يَجِدُونَهَا.

A wild donkey accustomed to a wilderness, She has swallowed up wind in the desire of her soul, Her meeting—who turns her back? None seeking her weary themselves, In her month they find her.

٢٥ 25 اِحْفَظِي رِجْلَكِ مِنَ ٱلْحَفَا وَحَلْقَكِ مِنَ ٱلظَّمَإِ. فَقُلْتِ: بَاطِلٌ! لَا! لِأَنِّي قَدْ أَحْبَبْتُ ٱلْغُرَبَاءَ وَوَرَاءَهُمْ أَذْهَبُ.

Withhold your foot from being unshod, And your throat from thirst, And you say, It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and I go after them.

٢٦ 26 كَخِزْيِ ٱلسَّارِقِ إِذَا وُجِدَ هَكَذَا خِزْيُ بَيْتِ إِسْرَائِيلَ، هُمْ وَمُلُوكُهُمْ وَرُؤَسَاؤُهُمْ وَكَهَنَتُهُمْ وَأَنْبِيَاؤُهُمْ،

As the shame of a thief when he is found, So has the house of Israel been put to shame, They, their kings, their heads, And their priests, and their prophets,

٢٧ 27 قَائِلِينَ لِلْعُودِ: أَنْتَ أَبِي، وَلِلْحَجَرِ: أَنْتَ وَلَدْتَنِي. لِأَنَّهُمْ حَوَّلُوا نَحْوِي ٱلْقَفَا لَا ٱلْوَجْهَ، وَفِي وَقْتِ بَلِيَّتِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ: قُمْ وَخَلِّصْنَا.

Saying to wood, You [are] my father! And to a stone, You have brought me forth, For they turned to me the back and not the face, And in the time of their distress, They say, Arise, and save us.

٢٨ 28 فَأَيْنَ آلِهَتُكَ ٱلَّتِي صَنَعْتَ لِنَفْسِكَ؟ فَلْيَقُومُوا إِنْ كَانُوا يُخَلِّصُونَكَ فِي وَقْتِ بَلِيَّتِكَ. لِأَنَّهُ عَلَى عَدَدِ مُدُنِكَ صَارَتْ آلِهَتُكَ يَا يَهُوذَا.

And where [are] your gods, that you have made to yourself? Let them arise, if they may save you, In the time of your distress, For—the number of your cities have been your gods, O Judah,

٢٩ 29 لِمَاذَا تُخَاصِمُونَنِي؟ كُلُّكُمْ عَصَيْتُمُونِي، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

Why do you strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me,” A declaration of YHWH.

٣٠ 30 لِبَاطِلٍ ضَرَبْتُ بَنِيكُمْ. لَمْ يَقْبَلُوا تَأْدِيبًا. أَكَلَ سَيْفُكُمْ أَنْبِيَاءَكُمْ كَأَسَدٍ مُهْلِكٍ.

“I have struck your sons in vain, They have not accepted instruction, Your sword has devoured your prophets, As a destroying lion.

٣١ 31 «أَنْتُمْ أَيُّهَا ٱلْجِيلُ، ٱنْظُرُوا كَلِمَةَ ٱلرَّبِّ. هَلْ صِرْتُ بَرِّيَّةً لِإِسْرَائِيلَ أَوْ أَرْضَ ظَلَامٍ دَامِسٍ؟ لِمَاذَا قَالَ شَعْبِي: قَدْ شَرَدْنَا، لَا نَجِيءُ إِلَيْكَ بَعْدُ؟

O generation, see the word of YHWH: Have I been a wilderness to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Why have My people said, We wandered freely, We do not come to You again.

٣٢ 32 هَلْ تَنْسَى عَذْرَاءُ زِينَتَهَا، أَوْ عَرُوسٌ مَنَاطِقَهَا؟ أَمَّا شَعْبِي فَقَدْ نَسِيَنِي أَيَّامًا بِلَا عَدَدٍ.

Does a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And My people have forgotten Me [for] days without number.

٣٣ 33 لِمَاذَا تُحَسِّنِينَ طَرِيقَكِ لِتَطْلُبِي ٱلْمَحَبَّةَ؟ لِذَلِكَ عَلَّمْتِ ٱلشِّرِّيرَاتِ أَيْضًا طُرُقَكِ.

Why do you make your ways pleasing to seek love? Therefore you have even taught the wicked your ways.

٣٤ 34 أَيْضًا فِي أَذْيَالِكِ وُجِدَ دَمُ نُفُوسِ ٱلْمَسَاكِينِ ٱلْأَزْكِيَاءِ. لَا بِٱلنَّقْبِ وَجَدْتُهُ، بَلْ عَلَى كُلِّ هَذِهِ.

Also the blood of innocent needy souls Has been found on your skirts, I have not found them by digging, But on all these.

٣٥ 35 وَتَقُولِينَ: لِأَنِّي تَبَرَّأْتُ ٱرْتَدَّ غَضَبُهُ عَنِّي حَقًّا. هَأَنَذَا أُحَاكِمُكِ لِأَنَّكِ قُلْتِ: لَمْ أُخْطِئْ.

And you say, Because I have been innocent, Surely His anger has turned back from me? Behold, I have been judged with you, Because of your saying, I have not sinned.

٣٦ 36 لِمَاذَا تَرْكُضِينَ لِتَبْدُلِي طَرِيقَكِ؟ مِنْ مِصْرَ أَيْضًا تَخْزَيْنَ كَمَا خَزِيتِ مِنْ أَشُّورَ.

What? You are very vile to repeat your way, You are even ashamed of Egypt, As you have been ashamed of Asshur,

٣٧ 37 مِنْ هُنَا أَيْضًا تَخْرُجِينَ وَيَدَاكِ عَلَى رَأْسِكِ، لِأَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ قَدْ رَفَضَ ثِقَاتِكِ، فَلَا تَنْجَحِينَ فِيهَا.

Also you go out from this, And your hands on your head, For YHWH has kicked at your confidences, And you do not give prosperity to them!”