Jeremias 2
1 HERRENS Ord kom til mig saaledes:
And he said, Thus says the Lord,
2 Gaa hen og raab Jerusalem i Ørene: Saa siger HERREN: Jeg mindes din Kærlighed som ung, din Elskov som Brud, at du fulgte mig i Ørkenen, et Land, hvor der ikke saas;
I remember the kindness of your youth, and the love of your espousals,
3 Israel var helliget HERREN, hans Førstegrøde, alle, som aad det, maatte bøde, Ulykke ramte dem, lyder det fra HERREN.
in following the Holy One of Israel, says the Lord, Israel was the holy [people] to the Lord, [and] the first fruits of his increase: all that devoured him shall offend; evils shall come upon them, says the Lord.
4 Hør HERRENS Ord, Jakobs Hus og alle Slægter i Israels Hus:
Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and every family of the house of Israel.
5 Saa siger HERREN: Hvad ondt fandt eders Fædre hos mig, siden de gik bort fra mig og holdt sig til Tomhed, til de selv blev tomme?
Thus says the Lord, What trespass have your fathers found in me, that they have revolted far from me, and gone after vanities, and become vain?
6 De spurgte ikke: »Hvor er HERREN, som førte os op fra Ægypten og ledte os i Ørkenen, Ødemarkens og Kløfternes Land, Tørkens og Mulmets Land, Landet, hvor ingen færdes eller bor?«
And they said not, Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who guided us in the wilderness, in an untried and trackless land, in a land which no man at all went through, and no man lived there?
7 Jeg bragte eder til Frugthavens Land, at I kunde nyde dets Frugt og Goder; men da I kom derind, gjorde I mit Land urent og min Arvelod vederstyggelig.
And I brought you to Carmel, that you should eat the fruits thereof, and the good thereof; and you went in, and defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
8 Præsterne spurgte ikke: »Hvor er HERREN?« De, der syslede med Loven, kendte mig ikke, Hyrderne faldt fra mig, og Profeterne profeterede ved Ba'al og holdt sig til Guder, som intet evner.
The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that held by the law knew me not: the shepherds also sinned against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after that which profited not.
9 Derfor maa jeg fremdeles gaa i Rette med eder, lyder det fra HERREN, og med eders Sønners Sønner maa jeg gaa i Rette.
Therefore I will yet plead with you, and will plead with your children's children.
10 Drag engang over til Kittæernes Strande og se efter, send Bud til Kedar og spørg jer nøje for; se efter, om sligt er hændet før!
For go to the isles of the Chettians, and se; and send to Kedar, and observe accurately, and see if such things have been done;
11 Har et Hedningefolk nogen Sinde skiftet Guder? Og saa er de endda ikke Guder. Men mit Folk har skiftet sin Ære bort for det, der intet gavner.
if the nations will change their gods, though they are not gods: but my people have changed their glory, [for that] from which they shall not be profited.
12 Gys derover, I Himle, Skræk og Rædsel gribe eder, lyder det fra HERREN;
The heaven is amazed at this, and is very exceedingly horror-struck, says the Lord.
13 thi to onde Ting har mit Folk gjort: Mig, en Kilde med levende Vand, har de forladt for at hugge sig Cisterner, sprukne Cisterner, der ikke kan holde Vand.
For my people has committed two [faults], and evil ones: they have forsaken me, the fountain of water of life, and hewn out for themselves broken cisterns, which will not be able to hold water.
14 Er Israel da en Træl, en hjemmefødt Træl? Hvorfor er han blevet til Bytte?
Is Israel a servant, or a home-born slave? why has he become a spoil?
15 Løver brøler imod ham med rungende Røst; hans Land har de gjort til en Ørk, hans Byer er brændt, saa ingen bor der.
The lions roared upon him, and uttered their voice, which have made his land a wilderness: and his cities are broken down, that they should not be inhabited.
16 Selv Nofs og Takpankes's Sønner afgnaver din Isse.
Also the children of Memphis and Taphnas have known you, and mocked you.
17 Mon ikke det times dig, fordi du svigted mig? lyder det fra HERREN din Gud.
Has not your forsaking me brought these things upon you? says the Lord your God.
18 Hvorfor skal du nu til Ægypten og drikke af Sjihor? Hvorfor skal du nu til Assur og drikke af Floden?
And now what have you to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the water of Geon? and what have you to do with the way of the Assyrians, to drink the water of rivers?
19 Lad din Ulykke gøre dig klog og lær af dit Frafald, kend og se, hvor ondt og bittert det er, at du svigted HERREN din Gud; Frygt for mig findes ikke hos dig, saa lyder det fra Herren, Hærskarers HERRE.
Your apostasy shall correct you, and your wickedness shall reprove you: know then, and see, that your forsaking me [has been] bitter to you, says the Lord your God; and I have taken no pleasure in you, says the Lord your God.
20 Thi længst har du brudt dit Aag og sprængt dine Baand. Du siger: »Ej vil jeg tjene!« Nej, Skøgeleje har du paa hver en Høj, under alle de grønne Træer.
For of old you have broken your yoke, and plucked asunder your bands; and you has said, I will not serve you, but will go upon every high hill, and under every shady tree, there will I indulge in my fornication.
21 Som en Ædelranke planted jeg dig, en fuldgod Stikling; hvor kunde du da blive Vildskud, en uægte Ranke?
Yet I planted you a fruitful vine, entirely of the right sort: how are you a strange vine turned to bitterness!
22 Om du end tor dig med Lud og ødsler med Sæbe, jeg ser dog din Brødes Snavs, saa lyder det fra HERREN.
Though you should wash yourself with nitre, and multiply to yourself soap, [still] you are stained by your iniquities before me, says the Lord.
23 Hvor kan du sige: »Ej er jeg uren, til Ba'alerne holdt jeg mig ikke!« Se paa din Færd i Dalen, kend, hvad du gjorde, en let Kamelhoppe, løbende hid og did,
How will you say, I am not polluted, and have not gone after Baal? behold your ways in the burial-ground, and know what you have done: her voice has howled in the evening:
24 et Vildæsel, kendt med Steppen! Den snapper i Brynde efter Luft, hvo tæmmer dens Brunst? At søge den trætter ingen, den findes i sin Maaned.
she has extended her ways over the waters of the desert; she was hurried along by the lusts of her soul; she is given up [to them], who will turn her back? none that seek her shall be weary; at [the time of] her humiliation they shall find her.
25 Spar dog din Fod for Slid, din Strube for Tørst! Dog siger du: »Nej, lad mig være! Jeg elsker de fremmede, dem vil jeg holde mig til.«
Withdraw your foot from a rough way, and your throat from thirst: but she said I will strengthen myself: for she loved strangers, and went after them.
26 Som Tyven faar Skam, naar han gribes, saa Israels Hus, de, deres Konger og Fyrster, Præster og Profeter,
As is the shame of a thief when he is caught, so shall the children of Israel be ashamed; they, and their kings, and their princes, and their priests, and their prophets.
27 som siger til Træ: »Min Fader!« til Sten: »Du har født mig.« Thi Ryggen og ikke Ansigtet vender de til mig, men siger i Ulykkestid: »Staa op og frels os!«
They said to a stock, You are my father; and to a stone, You has begotten me: and they have turned [their] backs to me, and not their faces: yet in the time of their afflictions they will say, Arise, and save us.
28 Hvor er de da, dine Guder, dem, du har gjort dig? Lad dem staa op! Kan de frelse dig i Ulykkestiden? Thi som dine Byers Tal er dine Guders, Juda.
And where are your gods, which you made for yourself? will they arise and save in the time of your affliction? for according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Juda; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem they sacrificed to Baal.
29 Hvorfor tvistes I med mig? I har alle forbrudt jer imod mig, lyder det fra HERREN.
Therefore do you speak to me? you all have been ungodly, and you all have transgressed against me, says the Lord.
30 Forgæves slog jeg eders Børn, de tog ikke ved Lære, som hærgende Løve fortærede Sværdet Profeterne.
In vain have I struck your children; you have not received correction: a sword has devoured your prophets as a destroying lion; yet you feared not.
31 Du onde Slægt, saa mærk jer dog HERRENS Ord! Har jeg været en Ørk for Israel, et bælgmørkt Land? Hvorfor mon mit Folk da siger: »Vi gaar, hvor vi vil, og kommer ej mer til dig.«
Hear you the word of the Lord: thus says the Lord, Have I been a wilderness or a dry land to Israel? therefore has my people said, We will not be ruled over, and will not come to you any more?
32 Glemmer en Jomfru sit Smykke, en Brud sit Bælte? Og mig har mit Folk dog glemt i talløse Dage.
Will a bride forget her ornaments, or a virgin her girdle? but my people has forgotten me days without number.
33 Hvor snildt du dog gaar til Værks for at søge dig Elskov! Du vænned dig derfor ogsaa til ondt i din Færd.
What fair device will you yet employ in your ways, so as to seek love? [it shall] not [be] so; moreover you has done wickedly in corrupting your ways;
34 Endog findes Blod paa dine Hænder af fattige, skyldfri Sjæle, Blod, jeg ej fandt hos en Tyv, men paa alle disse.
and in your hands has been found the blood of innocent souls; I have not found them in holes, but on every oak.
35 Og du siger: »Jeg er frikendt, hans Vrede har vendt sig fra mig.« Se, med dig gaar jeg i Rette, da du siger: »Jeg har ikke syndet.«
Yet you said, I am innocent: only let his wrath be turned away from me. Behold, I [will] plead with you, whereas you say, I have not sinned.
36 Hvor let det dog falder for dig at skifte din Vej! Du skal ogsaa faa Skam af Ægypten, som du fik det af Assur;
For you has been so exceedingly contemptuous as to repeat your ways; but you shall be ashamed of Egypt, as you were ashamed of Assur.
37 ogsaa derfra skal du gaa med Hænder paa Hoved, thi HERREN har forkastet dine Støtter, de baader dig intet.
For you shall go forth thence also with your hands upon your head; for the Lord has rejected your hope, and you shall not prosper in it.
