Jeremiah 2

1 And the word of the LORD came to me, saying:

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the LORD: I remember for thee the affection of thy youth, the love of thine espousals; how thou wentest after Me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

Go and call out before the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus hath said the Lord, I remember unto thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thy espousals, thy going after me in the wilderness, through a land that is not sown.

3 Israel is the LORD'S hallowed portion, His first-fruits of the increase; all that devour him shall be held guilty, evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.

A holy thing is Israel unto the Lord, the first of his fruits: all that devour him shall incur guilt; evil shall come over them, saith the Lord.

4 Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel;

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

5 Thus saith the LORD: What unrighteousness have your fathers found in Me, that they are gone far from Me, and have walked after things of nought, and are become nought?

Thus hath said the Lord, What fault did your fathers find in me, that they went away far from me, and walked after vanity, and became vain?

6 Neither said they: 'Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt; that 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 no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?'

That they said not, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of wildness, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land through which no one had passed, and where no man had dwelt?

7 And I brought you into a land of fruitful fields, to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled My land, and made My heritage an abomination.

And I brought you into the land of fruitful fields, to eat its fruit and its goodly products; but ye came and ye made unclean my land, and my heritage ye rendered an abomination.

8 The priests said not: 'Where is the LORD?' And they that handle the law knew Me not, and the rulers transgressed against Me; the prophets also prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not; and the shepherds transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied in the name of Ba'al, and after things that cannot profit did they walk.

9 Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.

Therefore will I contend yet farther with you, saith the Lord, and with your children's children will I contend.

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

For pass over to the isles of the Chittites, and see; and unto Kedar send, and consider well and see if any thing like this hath happened.

11 Hath a nation changed its gods, which yet are no gods? But My people hath changed its glory for that which doth not profit.

Hath a nation exchanged its gods, which are yet no gods? and [still] my people hath exchanged its glory for that which can not profit.

12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye exceeding amazed, saith the LORD.

Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and let your hair stand at an end, be ye greatly terrified, saith the Lord.

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 two evils have my people committed: me have they forsaken, the source of living waters, to hew out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that cannot hold water.

14 Is Israel a servant? Is he a home-born slave? Why is he become a prey?

Is Israel a servant? or one born [to servitude] in the house? why hath he been given up to plunder?

15 The young lions have roared upon him, and let their voice resound; and they have made his land desolate, his cities are laid waste, without inhabitant.

[That] over him young lions roared, let their voice resound, and changed his land into a waste, that his cities are burnt, left without an inhabitant?

16 The children also of Noph and Tahpanhes feed upon the crown of thy head.

Even the children of Noph and Thachpanches have crushed the crown of thy head.

17 Is it not this that doth cause it unto thee, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when He led thee by the way?

Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, through thy forsaking the Lord thy God, while he was leading thee on the [right] way?

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

And now what hast thou to do on the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shichor? and what hast thou to do on the way of Asshur, to drink the waters of the river?

19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, neither is My fear in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

Thy own wickedness shall chastise thee, and thy backslidings shall correct thee; and thou shalt know and see that evil and bitter was thy forsaking the Lord thy God, while the dread of me was not upon thee, saith the Lord Eternal of hosts.

20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands, and thou saidst: 'I will not transgress'; upon every high hill and under every leafy tree thou didst recline, playing the harlot.

Because from yore did I break thy yoke, did I burst asunder thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress: nevertheless upon every high hill and under every green tree thou makest thy bed, as harlot.

21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me?

Yet I had planted thee as a branch of a noble vine, wholly of the proper seed; but how art thou changed unto me into a degenerate plant of an ignoble vine?

22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before Me, saith the Lord GOD.

For though thou wash thyself with natron, and take for thyself much soap: yet would the stain of thy iniquity remain before me, saith the Lord Eternal.

23 How canst thou say: 'I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalim'? See thy way in the Valley, know what thou hast done; thou art a swift young camel traversing her ways;

How canst thou say, I am not become unclean, after the Be'alim have I not gone? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: [like] a swift dromedary bound fast to her ways;

24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire; her lust, who can hinder it? All they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

[Like] a wild ass used to the wilderness, that at her pleasure snuffeth up the wind; her lust—who can turn this away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month will they find her.

25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst; but thou saidst: 'There is no hope; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.'

“Prevent thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from being thirsty;” but thou saidst, It is useless; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets;

As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so have the house of Israel been made ashamed, they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,

27 Who say to a stock: 'Thou art my father', and to a stone: 'Thou hast brought us forth', for they have turned their back unto Me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say: 'Arise, and save us.'

Who say to the wood, Thou art my father; and to the stone, Thou hast brought us forth; for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their misfortune will they say, Arise, and save us.

28 But where are thy gods that 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.

But where are then thy gods that thou hast made for thyself? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy misfortune; for equal to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah.

29 Wherefore will ye contend with Me? Ye all have transgressed against Me, saith the LORD.

Wherefore will ye contend with me? all of you have transgressed against me, saith the Lord.

30 In vain have I smitten your children — they received no correction; your sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

To no purpose have I smitten your children; correction they accepted not: your sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

31 O generation, see ye the word of the LORD: have I been a wilderness unto Israel? or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore say My people: 'We roam at large; we will come no more unto Thee'?

O [present] generation, regard ye the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of deep darkness? wherefore say my people, We wander about; we cannot come any more unto thee?

32 Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number.

Can a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride her decorations? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

33 How trimmest thou thy way to seek love! Therefore — even the wicked women hast thou taught thy ways;

Why ornamentest thou thy way to seek for love? truly even the worst hast thou used thyself as thy ways.

34 Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor; thou didst not find them breaking in; yet for all these things

Also on thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent needy ones: not while breaking in [thy house] didst thou find them; but for all these things.

35 Thou saidst: '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.'

Yet thou sayest, Yea, I am innocent, surely his anger is already turned away from me. Behold, I will hold judgment with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.

36 How greatly dost thou cheapen thyself to change thy way? Thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt also, as thou wast ashamed of Asshur.

Why makest thou thyself so very low to change thy way? also because of Egypt shalt thou be made ashamed, as thou wast put to shame because of Assyria.

37 From him also shalt thou go forth, with thy hands upon thy head; for the LORD hath rejected them in whom thou didst trust, and thou shalt not prosper in them.

Also from this one shalt thou go forth, with thy hands [clasped] over thy head; for the Lord hath rejected those on whom thou trustest and thou shalt not prosper with them.