< Jeremias 2 >

1 And he said, Thus saith the Lord,
Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens:
2 I remember the kindness of thy youth, and the love of thine espousals,
Vade, et clama in auribus Ierusalem, dicens: Hæc dicit Dominus: Recordatus sum tui, miserans adolescentiam tuam, et charitatem desponsationis tuæ, quando secuta es me in deserto, in terra, quæ non seminatur.
3 in following the Holy One of Israel, saith 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, saith the Lord.
Sanctus Israel Domino, primitiæ frugum eius: omnes, qui devorant eum, delinquunt: mala venient super eos, dicit Dominus.
4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and every family of the house of Israel.
Audite verbum Domini domus Iacob, et omnes cognationes domus Israel:
5 Thus saith the Lord, What trespass have your fathers found in me, that they have revolted far from me, and gone after vanities, and become vain?
hæc dicit Dominus: Quid invenerunt patres vestri in me iniquitatis, quia elongaverunt a me, et ambulaverunt post vanitatem, et vani facti sunt?
6 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 dwelt there?
Et non dixerunt: Ubi est Dominus, qui ascendere nos fecit de Terra Ægypti: qui traduxit nos per desertum, per terram inhabitabilem et inviam, per terram sitis, et imaginem mortis, per terram, in qua non ambulavit vir, neque habitavit homo?
7 And I brought you to Carmel, that ye should eat the fruits thereof, and the good thereof; and ye went in, and defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
Et induxi vos in terram Carmeli, ut comederetis fructum eius, et optima illius: et ingressi contaminastis terram meam, et hereditatem meam posuistis in abominationem.
8 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.
Sacerdotes non dixerunt: Ubi est Dominus? et tenentes legem nescierunt me, et pastores prævaricati sunt in me: et prophetæ prophetaverunt in Baal, et idola secuti sunt.
9 Therefore I will yet plead with you, and will plead with your children's children.
Propterea adhuc iudicio contendam vobiscum, ait Dominus, et cum filiis vestris disceptabo.
10 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;
Transite ad insulas Cethim, et videte: et in Cedar mittite, et considerate vehementer: et videte si factum est huiuscemodi.
11 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.
Si mutavit gens deos suos, et certe ipsi non sunt dii: populus vero meus mutavit gloriam suam in idolum.
12 The heaven is amazed at this, and is very exceedingly horror-struck, saith the Lord.
Obstupescite cæli super hoc, et portæ eius desolamini vehementer, dicit Dominus.
13 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.
Duo enim mala fecit populus meus: Me dereliquerunt fontem aquæ vivæ, et foderunt sibi cisternas, cisternas dissipatas, quia continere non valent aquas.
14 Is Israel a servant, or a home-born slave? why has he become a spoil?
Numquid servus est Israel, aut vernaculus? quare ergo factus est in prædam?
15 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.
Super eum rugierunt leones, et dederunt vocem suam, posuerunt terram eius in solitudinem: civitates eius exustæ sunt, et non est qui habitet in eis.
16 Also the children of Memphis and Taphnas have known thee, and mocked thee.
Filii quoque Mempheos et Taphnes constupraverunt te usque ad verticem.
17 Has not thy forsaking me brought these things upon thee? saith the Lord thy God.
Numquid non istud factum est tibi, quia dereliquisti Dominum Deum tuum eo tempore, quo ducebat te per viam?
18 And now what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the water of Geon? and what hast thou to do with the way of the Assyrians, to drink the water of rivers?
Et nunc quid tibi vis in via Ægypti, ut bibas aquam turbidam? et quid tibi cum via Assyriorum, ut bibas aquam fluminis?
19 Thine apostasy shall correct thee, and thy wickedness shall reprove thee: know then, and see, that thy forsaking me [has been] bitter to thee, saith the Lord thy God; and I have taken no pleasure in thee, saith the Lord thy God.
Arguet te malitia tua, et aversio tua increpabit te. Scito, et vide quia malum et amarum est reliquisse te Dominum Deum tuum, et non esse timorem mei apud te, dicit Dominus Deus exercituum.
20 For of old thou hast broken thy yoke, and plucked asunder thy bands; and thou has said, I will not serve thee, but will go upon every high hill, and under every shady tree, there will I indulge in my fornication.
A sæculo confregisti iugum meum, rupisti vincula mea, et dixisti: Non serviam. In omni enim colle sublimi, et sub omni ligno frondoso tu prosternebaris meretrix.
21 Yet I planted thee a fruitful vine, entirely of the right sort: how art thou a strange vine turned to bitterness!
Ego autem plantavi te vineam electam, omne semen verum: quomodo ergo conversa es mihi in pravum vinea aliena?
22 Though thou shouldest wash thyself with nitre, and multiply to thyself soap, [still] thou art stained by thine iniquities before me, saith the Lord.
Si laveris te nitro, et multiplicaveris tibi herbam borith, maculata es in iniquitate tua coram me, dicit Dominus Deus.
23 How wilt thou say, I am not polluted, and have not gone after Baal? behold thy ways in the burial-ground, and know what thou hast done: her voice has howled in the evening:
Quomodo dicis: Non sum polluta, post Baalim non ambulavi? vide vias tuas in convalle, scito quid feceris: cursor levis explicans vias suas.
24 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.
Onager assuetus in solitudine, in desiderio animæ suæ attraxit ventum amoris sui: nullus avertet eam: omnes, qui quærunt eam, non deficient: in menstruis eius invenient eam.
25 Withdraw thy foot from a rough way, and thy throat from thirst: but she said I will strengthen myself: for she loved strangers, and went after them.
Prohibe pedem tuum a nuditate, et guttur tuum a siti. Et dixisti: Desperavi, nequaquam faciam: adamavi quippe alienos, et post eos ambulabo.
26 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.
Quomodo confunditur fur quando deprehenditur, sic confusi sunt domus Israel, ipsi et reges eorum, principes, et sacerdotes, et prophetæ eorum,
27 They said to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou 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.
dicentes ligno: Pater meus es tu: et lapidi: Tu me genuisti. verterunt ad me tergum, et non faciem, et in tempore afflictionis suæ dicent: Surge, et libera nos.
28 And where are thy gods, which thou madest for thyself? will they arise and save in the time of thine affliction? for according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Juda; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem they sacrificed to Baal.
Ubi sunt dii tui, quos fecisti tibi? surgant et liberent te in tempore afflictionis tuæ: secundum numerum quippe civitatum tuarum erant dii tui Iuda.
29 Wherefore do ye speak unto me? ye all have been ungodly, and ye all have transgressed against me, saith the Lord.
Quid vultis mecum iudicio contendere? omnes dereliquistis me, dicit Dominus.
30 In vain have I smitten your children; ye have not received correction: a sword has devoured your prophets as a destroying lion; yet ye feared not.
Frustra percussi filios vestros, disciplinam non receperunt: devoravit gladius vester prophetas vestros, quasi leo vastator
31 Hear ye the word of the Lord: thus saith the Lord, Have I been a wilderness or a dry land to Israel? wherefore has my people said, We will not be ruled over, and will not come to thee any more?
generatio vestra. Videte verbum Domini: Numquid solitudo factus sum Israeli, aut terra serotina? quare ergo dixit populus meus: Recessimus, non veniemus ultra ad te?
32 Will a bride forget her ornaments, or a virgin her girdle? but my people has forgotten me days without number.
Numquid obliviscetur virgo ornamenti sui, aut sponsa fasciæ pectoralis suæ? populus vero meus oblitus est mei diebus innumeris.
33 What fair device wilt thou yet employ in thy ways, so as to seek love? [it shall] not [be] so; moreover thou has done wickedly in corrupting thy ways;
Quid niteris bonam ostendere viam tuam ad quærendam dilectionem, quæ insuper et malitias tuas docuisti vias tuas,
34 and in thine hands has been found the blood of innocent souls; I have not found them in holes, but on every oak.
et in alis tuis inventus est sanguis animarum pauperum et innocentum? non in fossis inveni eos, sed in omnibus, quæ supra memoravi.
35 Yet thou saidst, I am innocent: only let his wrath be turned away from me. Behold, I [will] plead with thee, whereas thou sayest, I have not sinned.
Et dixisti: Absque peccato et innocens ego sum: et propterea avertatur furor tuus a me. Ecce ego iudicio contendam tecum, eo quod dixeris: Non peccavi.
36 For thou has been so exceedingly contemptuous as to repeat thy ways; but thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assur.
Quam vilis facta es nimis, iterans vias tuas! et ab Ægypto confunderis, sicut confusa es ab Assur.
37 For thou shalt go forth thence also with thine hands upon thine head; for the Lord has rejected thine hope, and thou shalt not prosper in it.
Nam et ab ista egredieris, et manus tuæ erunt super caput tuum: quoniam obtrivit Dominus confidentiam tuam, et nihil habebis prosperum in ea.

< Jeremias 2 >