Jeremiah 2

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

And there is a word of YHWH 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 you have called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said YHWH: I have remembered for you The kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, Your going after Me in a wilderness, in a land 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.

Israel [is] holy to YHWH, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Calamity comes to them,” A declaration of YHWH.

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

Hear a word of YHWH, O house of Jacob, And all you 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 said YHWH: “What perversity have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after vanity, and become 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?'

And have not said, Where [is] YHWH, Who brings us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leads us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land that none has passed through, Nor has man dwelt there?

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.

Indeed, I bring you into a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And you come in and defile My land, And have made My inheritance 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 have not said, Where [is] YHWH? And those handling the Law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Ba‘al, And have gone after those who do not profit.

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

Therefore, I yet plead with you,” A declaration of YHWH, “And I plead with your sons’ sons.

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 to the islands of Chittim and see, And send to Kedar and consider well, And see if there has been [anything] like this:

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.

Has a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people has changed its glory For that which does not profit.

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

Be astonished, you heavens, at this, Indeed, be frightened, be greatly desolated,” A declaration of YHWH.

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 done two evils, They have forsaken Me, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells—broken wells, That do not contain the waters.

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

[Is] Israel a servant? Is he a child of the house? Why has he been for a prey?

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.

Young lions roar against him, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burned without inhabitant.

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

Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume you—the crown of the 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?

Do you not do this to yourself? [By] your forsaking your God YHWH, At the time He is leading you in the 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, why do you [go] in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And why do you [go] in 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.

Your wickedness instructs you, And your backslidings reprove you, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [is] your forsaking your God YHWH, And My fear not being on you,” A declaration of Lord YHWH 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.

“For from of old you have broken your yoke, Drawn away your bands, and say, I do not serve, For on every high height, and under every green tree, You are wandering—a 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?

And I planted you [as] a choice vine, wholly of true seed, And how have you been turned Into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine to Me?

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

But though you wash with natron, And multiply soap to yourself, Your iniquity is marked before Me,” A declaration of Lord YHWH.

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 can you say, I have not been defiled, I have not gone after the Ba‘alim? See your way in a valley, know what you have done, A swift dromedary winding 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.

A wild donkey accustomed to a wilderness, She has swallowed up wind in the desire of her soul, Her meeting—who turns her back? None seeking her weary themselves, In her month 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.'

Withhold your foot from being unshod, And your throat from thirst, And you say, It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and I go after them.

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 shame of a thief when he is found, So has the house of Israel been put to shame, They, their kings, their heads, 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.'

Saying to wood, You [are] my father! And to a stone, You have brought me forth, For they turned to me the back and not the face, And in the time of their distress, 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.

And where [are] your gods, that you have made to yourself? Let them arise, if they may save you, In the time of your distress, For—the number of your cities have been your gods, O Judah,

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

Why do you strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me,” A declaration of YHWH.

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

“I have struck your sons in vain, They have not accepted instruction, Your sword has devoured your prophets, As 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 generation, see the word of YHWH: Have I been a wilderness to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Why have My people said, We wandered freely, We do not come to You again.

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

Does a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And My people have forgotten Me [for] days without number.

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

Why do you make your ways pleasing to seek love? Therefore you have even taught the wicked your 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 the blood of innocent needy souls Has been found on your skirts, I have not found them by digging, But on all these.

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.'

And you say, Because I have been innocent, Surely His anger has turned back from me? Behold, I have been judged with you, Because of your saying, 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.

What? You are very vile to repeat your way, You are even ashamed of Egypt, As you have been ashamed of Asshur,

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 you go out from this, And your hands on your head, For YHWH has kicked at your confidences, And you do not give prosperity to them!”