Jeremias 2

1 And he said, Thus says the Lord,

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

2 I remember the kindness of your youth, and the love of your espousals,

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.

3 in following the Holy One of Israel, says 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, says the Lord.

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

4 Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and every family of the house of Israel.

Hear you the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

5 Thus says the Lord, What trespass have your fathers found in me, that they have revolted far from me, and gone after vanities, and become vain?

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?

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 lived there?

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 dwelled?

7 And I brought you to Carmel, that you should eat the fruits thereof, and the good thereof; and you went in, and defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.

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

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.

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.

9 Therefore I will yet plead with you, and will plead with your children's children.

Why I will yet plead with you, says the LORD, and with your children’s children will I plead.

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;

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

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.

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

12 The heaven is amazed at this, and is very exceedingly horror-struck, says the Lord.

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

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.

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, or a home-born slave? why has he become a spoil?

Is Israel a servant? is he a home born slave? why is he spoiled?

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.

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

16 Also the children of Memphis and Taphnas have known you, and mocked you.

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

17 Has not your forsaking me brought these things upon you? says the Lord your God.

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

18 And now what have you to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the water of Geon? and what have you to do with the way of the Assyrians, to drink the water of rivers?

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?

19 Your apostasy shall correct you, and your wickedness shall reprove you: know then, and see, that your forsaking me [has been] bitter to you, says the Lord your God; and I have taken no pleasure in you, says the Lord your God.

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.

20 For of old you have broken your yoke, and plucked asunder your bands; and you has said, I will not serve you, but will go upon every high hill, and under every shady tree, there will I indulge in my fornication.

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

21 Yet I planted you a fruitful vine, entirely of the right sort: how are you a strange vine turned to bitterness!

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 to me?

22 Though you should wash yourself with nitre, and multiply to yourself soap, [still] you are stained by your iniquities before me, says the Lord.

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

23 How will you say, I am not polluted, and have not gone after Baal? behold your ways in the burial-ground, and know what you have done: her voice has howled in the evening:

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;

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.

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.

25 Withdraw your foot from a rough way, and your throat from thirst: but she said I will strengthen myself: for she loved strangers, and went after them.

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.

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.

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.

27 They said to a stock, You are my father; and to a stone, You 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.

Saying to a stock, You are my father; and to a stone, You 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 And where are your gods, which you made for yourself? will they arise and save in the time of your affliction? for according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Juda; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem they sacrificed to Baal.

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.

29 Therefore do you speak to me? you all have been ungodly, and you all have transgressed against me, says the Lord.

Why will you plead with me? you all have transgressed against me, says the LORD.

30 In vain have I struck your children; you have not received correction: a sword has devoured your prophets as a destroying lion; yet you feared not.

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

31 Hear you the word of the Lord: thus says the Lord, Have I been a wilderness or a dry land to Israel? therefore has my people said, We will not be ruled over, and will not come to you any more?

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

32 Will a bride forget her ornaments, or a virgin her girdle? but my people has forgotten me days without number.

Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

33 What fair device will you yet employ in your ways, so as to seek love? [it shall] not [be] so; moreover you has done wickedly in corrupting your ways;

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

34 and in your hands has been found the blood of innocent souls; I have not found them in holes, but on every oak.

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

35 Yet you said, I am innocent: only let his wrath be turned away from me. Behold, I [will] plead with you, whereas you say, I have not sinned.

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.

36 For you has been so exceedingly contemptuous as to repeat your ways; but you shall be ashamed of Egypt, as you were ashamed of Assur.

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

37 For you shall go forth thence also with your hands upon your head; for the Lord has rejected your hope, and you shall not prosper in it.

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