Jeremiah 2

1 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says the LORD; I remember you, the kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, when you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

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.

3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, says the LORD.

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.

4 Hear all of you the word of the LORD, 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 the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

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?

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?

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?

7 And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when all of you entered, all of you defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.

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.

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

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.

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

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

10 For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.

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.

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

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

12 Be astonished, O all of you heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be all of you very desolate, says the LORD.

Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid. Be ye very desolate, says 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: They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

14 Is Israel a servant? is he a native slave? why is he spoiled?

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

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

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

16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of your head.

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

17 Have you not procured this unto yourself, in that you have forsaken the LORD your God, when he led you by the way?

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

18 And now what have you to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what have you to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

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?

19 your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backslidings shall reprove you: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that you have forsaken the LORD your God, and that my fear is not in you, says the Lord GOD of hosts.

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.

20 For of old time I have broken your yoke, and burst your bands; and you said, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree you wander, playing the harlot.

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.

21 Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then are you turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

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?

22 For though you wash you with alkali, and take you much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me, says the Lord GOD.

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

23 How can you say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see your way in the valley, know what you have done: you are a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

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,

24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffs up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

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.

25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst: but you said, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

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.

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

27 Saying to a stock, You are my father; and to a stone, You have brought me 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 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.

28 But where are your gods that you have made you? let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble: for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah.

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.

29 Wherefore will all of you plead with me? all of you all have transgressed against me, says the LORD.

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

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

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

31 O generation, see all of you the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto you?

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?

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

33 Why trim you your way to seek love? therefore have you also taught the wicked ones your ways.

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

34 Also in your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocent persons: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.

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.

35 Yet you say, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with you, because you say, I have not sinned.

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.

36 Why arm you about so much to change your way? you also shall be ashamed of Egypt, as you were ashamed of Assyria.

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

37 Yea, you shall go forth from him, and your hands upon your head: for the LORD has rejected your confidences, and you shall not prosper in them.

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.