Jeremiah 2

1 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

The word of Jehovah came to me, saying:

2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says Jehovah, I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, how thou went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, Thus saith Jehovah: I remember the kindness shown thee in thy youth, The love with which I espoused thee, When thou wast led by me through the wilderness, Through a land that was not sown.

3 Israel was holiness to Jehovah, the first-fruits of his increase. All who devour him shall be held guilty. Evil shall come upon them, says Jehovah.

Israel was a sacred thing to Jehovah, His first ripe fruit. All that devoured him were held guilty; Evil came upon them, saith Jehovah.

4 Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.

Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, And all the families of the house of Israel!

5 Thus says Jehovah: What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and have become vain?

Thus saith Jehovah: What fault did your fathers find in me, That they went far from me, And walked after vanity, and practised folly?

6 Nor did they say, Where is Jehovah who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death, through a land that none passed through, and where no man dwelt?

They said not, Where is Jehovah, Who brought us up from the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and pits, Through a land of drought and deathlike gloom, Through a land which no man passed through, And where no man dwelt?

7 And I brought you into a plentiful land, to eat the fruit of it and the goodness of it. But when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.

I brought you to a land of fruitful fields, To eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof; But when ye had come in, ye defiled my land, And made my inheritance an abomination.

8 The priests did not say, Where is Jehovah? And those who handle the law did not know me. The rulers also transgressed against me. And the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

The priests said not, Where is Jehovah? And the teachers of the law knew me not; The rulers also rebelled against me; The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal, And walked after things that could not profit.

9 Therefore I will yet contend with you, says Jehovah, and I will contend with your son's sons.

Therefore I will yet contend with you, saith Jehovah; Yea, with your children's children will I contend.

10 For pass over to the isles of Kittim, and see, and send to Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there has been such a thing.

For pass over to the islands of the Chittaeans, and see; Send ye to Kedar, and inform yourselves well; And see if such a thing hath been done!

11 Has a nation changed its gods, which yet are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.

Hath any nation changed their gods, even those that are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which cannot profit.

12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid. Be ye very desolate, says Jehovah.

Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this! Shudder, and be amazed! saith Jehovah.

13 For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

For my people have committed two evils; Me have they forsaken, the fountain of living water, And they have hewn out for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

14 Is Israel a servant? Is he a homebred one? Why has he become a prey?

Is Israel a slave? Is he a home-born servant? Why then hath he become a spoil?

15 The young lions have roared upon him, and yelled, and they have made his land waste. His cities are burned up, without inhabitant.

The young lions roar over him; They lift up their voice; They have made his land a desolation; His cities are burned so as to be without an inhabitant.

16 The sons also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of thy head.

Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes have consumed the crown of thy head.

17 Have thou not procured this to thyself, in that thou have forsaken Jehovah thy God when he led thee by the way?

Hath not this come upon thee, Because thou didst forsake Jehovah thy God, When he would have led thee in the way?

18 And now what have thou to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? Or what have thou to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?

And now what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of the Nile? Or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, To drink the waters of the Euphrates?

19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee. Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou have forsaken Jehovah thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, says the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.

Thy wickedness shall chasten thee, And thy transgressions reprove thee; And thou shalt know and see that it is an evil and bitter thing That thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, And that the fear of me is not with thee, Saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.

20 For from old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bonds. And thou said, I will not serve, for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou bowed thyself, playing the harlot.

Of old hast thou broken thy yoke, And burst thy bands, And said, “I will not be in subjection!” For upon every high hill, And under every green tree, Hast thou reclined, playing the harlot.

21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed. How then have thou turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?

Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, Wholly a genuine seed; How then art thou changed to the degenerate shoot of a strange vine?

22 For though thou wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, says the lord Jehovah.

For though thou wash thee with nitre, And take thee much soap, Yet is thine iniquity black before me, saith Jehovah.

23 How can thou say, I am not defiled; I have not gone after the Baalim? See thy way in the valley. Know what thou have done, a swift dromedary traversing her ways,

How canst thou say, “I am not polluted,” “I have not gone after Baals”? Behold thy way in the valley! Know what thou hast done, A swift young camel, traversing her ways.

24 a wild donkey used to the wilderness, that sniffs up the wind in her desire. In her time of estrus who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves. In her month they shall find her.

A wild ass, used to the wilderness, That in her desire snuffeth up the wind, In her occasion, who can turn her aside? All that seek her do not weary themselves; In her month they will find her.

25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou said, It is in vain. No, for I have loved strangers, and after them I will go.

Withhold thy feet from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst! But thou sayest, There is no remedy! No! For I love strangers, And after them I will go.

26 As the thief is shamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel shamed, they, their kings, their rulers, and their priests, and their prophets,

As a thief is ashamed when he is taken, So is the house of Israel ashamed, They, their kings, and their princes, And their priests, and their prophets;

27 who say to a block of wood, Thou are my father, and to a stone, Thou have brought me forth. For they have turned their back to me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

That say to a stock, Thou art my father, And to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth! For they turn the back to me, and not the face. Yet in the time of their trouble they say, Arise and save us!

28 But where are thy gods that thou have made thee? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble. For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.

But where are thy gods, which thou hast made thee? Let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble! For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah!

29 Why will ye contend with me? Ye have all transgressed against me, says Jehovah.

Why do ye enter into controversy with me? Ye have all rebelled against me, saith Jehovah.

30 In vain I have smitten your sons. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a destroying lion.

In vain have I smitten your children; They would receive no correction; Your own sword hath devoured your prophets, Like a destroying lion.

31 O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why do my people say, We have broken loose. We will come no more to thee?

O generation! Behold ye the word of Jehovah! Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of darkness? Why then say my people, “We will rove at pleasure, We will come no more to thee”?

32 Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her belt? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number!

33 How thou trim thy way to seek love! Therefore even the wicked women thou have taught thy ways.

Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? On this account hast thou accustomed thy ways to wickedness.

34 Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor. Thou did not find them breaking in. But it is because of all these things.

Upon thy skirts is found the blood of the innocent poor, Whom thou didst not find committing violence.

35 Yet thou said, I am innocent. Surely his anger is turned away from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee because thou say, I have not sinned.

But notwithstanding all this, thou sayest, I am innocent; Surely his anger is turned away from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee, Because thou sayest, “I have not sinned.”

36 Why do thou gad about so much to change thy way? Thou shall be ashamed of Egypt also, as thou were ashamed of Assyria.

Why dost thou run so eagerly, changing thy way? By Egypt also shalt thou be put to shame, Even as thou hast been put to shame by Assyria.

37 Thou shall also go forth from there with thy hands upon thy head. For Jehovah has rejected those in whom thou trust. And thou shall not prosper with them.

From Egypt also shalt thou go forth With thy hands upon thy head. For Jehovah hath rejected the objects of thy confidence, Therefore shalt thou not prosper in them.