< Jeremias 2 >

1 HERRENS Ord kom til mig saaledes:
And the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying;
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;
Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying—Thus saith Yahweh, I remember in thy behalf, the lovingkindness of thy youthful days, The love of thy bridal estate, —Thy coming out after me, Through the desert, Through a land, not sown:
3 Israel var helliget HERREN, hans Førstegrøde, alle, som aad det, maatte bøde, Ulykke ramte dem, lyder det fra HERREN.
Holiness, was Israel unto Yahweh, The first-fruit of his increase, —All that devoured it, were held guilty, Calamity used to come upon them, —Declareth Yahweh.
4 Hør HERRENS Ord, Jakobs Hus og alle Slægter i Israels Hus:
Hear ye the word of Yahweh O house of Jacob, And all the families 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, saith Yahweh, —What did your fathers find in me by way of perversity, that they removed far from me, —and went after vanity, and became 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?«
Neither said they, Where is Yahweh, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, —Who led us Through the desert, Through a land of wastes and clefts, Through a land of parched places and of death-shade, Through a land, Along which no man had passed, And in which no son of earth dwelt?
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.
Then brought I you into a country of garden land, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof, —and yet when ye entered, then defiled ye my land, and mine inheritance, ye made 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 Yahweh? And, they who handled the law, did not acknowledge me, And the shepherds transgressed against me, —And the prophets, prophesied by Baal, And so after things that could not profit, did they walk.
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 yet further will I plead with you Declareth Yahweh, Yea with your children’s children, will I plead.
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—pass through the coastlands of the West and see, And unto Kedar, send ye and consider diligently, —And see—whether there hath been the like of this!
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.
Hath a nation, changed gods, although they were No-gods? Yet my people have changed my glory for that which could not profit!
12 Gys derover, I Himle, Skræk og Rædsel gribe eder, lyder det fra HERREN;
Be amazed, O ye heavens, at this, —And shudder, be dried up utterly, Urgeth Yahweh.
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 two wicked things, have my people committed, —Me, have they forsaken a fountain of living water, To hew out for themselves cisterns broken cisterns, that cannot hold water.
14 Er Israel da en Træl, en hjemmefødt Træl? Hvorfor er han blevet til Bytte?
Was Israel a servant? Born in the house, was he? Wherefore hath he become a prey?
15 Løver brøler imod ham med rungende Røst; hans Land har de gjort til en Ørk, hans Byer er brændt, saa ingen bor der.
Against him, have been roaring wild lions, They have uttered their voice, —and have made his land a desolation, His cities, have been burned, so as to have no inhabitant.
16 Selv Nofs og Takpankes's Sønner afgnaver din Isse.
Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes have been crushing the crown of the head.
17 Mon ikke det times dig, fordi du svigted mig? lyder det fra HERREN din Gud.
Is not this what thou wast certain to do for thyself, —in that thou didst forsake Yahweh thy God, when he was leading thee by the way?
18 Hvorfor skal du nu til Ægypten og drikke af Sjihor? Hvorfor skal du nu til Assur og drikke af Floden?
Now, therefore what hast thou to do with the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? Or what hast thou to do with the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River ["Euphrates"]?
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.
Let thy wickedness correct thee And thine apostasies, rebuke thee, Know therefore and see That it is a wicked thing and a bitter, that thou shouldest have forsaken Yahweh thy God, And that the dread of me should not have pertained to thee, Declareth My Lord, Yahweh of hosts.
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, in age-past time, I brake thy yoke, I tare off thy fetters, And thou saidst, I will not transgress, —Nevertheless, on every high hill, and under every green tree, wast thou lying down as an unchaste woman.
21 Som en Ædelranke planted jeg dig, en fuldgod Stikling; hvor kunde du da blive Vildskud, en uægte Ranke?
Yet, I, planted thee a precious vine, a wholly true seed, —How then didst thou change thyself towards me, into the degenerate plantings of the alien vine?
22 Om du end tor dig med Lud og ødsler med Sæbe, jeg ser dog din Brødes Snavs, saa lyder det fra HERREN.
For though thou wash thee with nitre, And take thee much soap, Yet is thine iniquity inscribed before me Declareth My Lord Yahweh.
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 canst thou say, I have not defiled myself, After the Baalim, have I not gone? See thy way, in the valley, Own what thou hast done, —A nimble young she-camel, crossing her own ways;
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.
A wild ass, taught of the desert, In the desire of her soul, she snuffeth the wind, In her occasion, who can turn her back? None who seek her, will weary themselves, In her month, 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.«
Withhold thy foot from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst! But thou saidst Hopeless! No! for I love foreigners and after them, will I go.
26 Som Tyven faar Skam, naar han gribes, saa Israels Hus, de, deres Konger og Fyrster, Præster og Profeter,
As the shame of a thief when he is found, So, hath been put to shame, the house of Israel, —They, their kings 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!«
Saying, to a tree, My father, art thou! And to a stone, Thou, didst give us birth, For they have turned unto me the back and not the face, —But in the time of their calamity, 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.
Where then are thy gods which thou hast made for thyself? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy calamity, —For according to the number of thy cities, have become thy gods O Judah.
29 Hvorfor tvistes I med mig? I har alle forbrudt jer imod mig, lyder det fra HERREN.
Wherefore, should ye plead against me, All of you, have transgressed against me Declareth Yahweh.
30 Forgæves slog jeg eders Børn, de tog ikke ved Lære, som hærgende Løve fortærede Sværdet Profeterne.
In vain, have I smitten your children, Correction, have they not accepted, —Your sword hath devoured your prophets, as a lion that destroyeth.
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.«
O generation see, ye, the word of Yahweh, A desert, became I unto Israel? Or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore, have my people said, We have roved about, We will not come in any more unto thee?
32 Glemmer en Jomfru sit Smykke, en Brud sit Bælte? Og mig har mit Folk dog glemt i talløse Dage.
Can, a virgin, forget, her ornaments, —A bride, her girdle? Yet, my people, have 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.
How thou dost make winsome thy way, to seek love! Therefore, even unto wicked women, hast thou taught thy ways.
34 Endog findes Blod paa dine Hænder af fattige, skyldfri Sjæle, Blod, jeg ej fandt hos en Tyv, men paa alle disse.
Even in thy skirts, is there found, The blood of the lives of the helpless innocents, —Not in the act of breaking in, didst thou find them, yet [the blood is] on all these.
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.«
Although thou saidst, Because I am innocent, surely hath his anger turned back from me, —Behold me! entering into judgment with thee, because thou sayest, 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;
How vigorously, thou goest about changing thy way! Even of Egypt, shalt thou be ashamed, just as thou wast ashamed of Assyria:
37 ogsaa derfra skal du gaa med Hænder paa Hoved, thi HERREN har forkastet dine Støtter, de baader dig intet.
Even from this one, shalt thou go forth, with thy hands upon thy head, —For Yahweh hath rejected those in whom thou confidest, and thou shalt not prosper with them.

< Jeremias 2 >