Jeremiah 2

1 The word of YHWH came to me, saying,

And he said, Thus says the Lord,

2 "Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says YHWH, "I remember you, the devotion of your youth, the love of your weddings; how you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

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

3 Israel was holiness to YHWH, the first fruits of his increase. All who devour him shall be held guilty. Evil shall come on them,"' says YHWH."

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.

4 Hear the word of YHWH, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.

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

5 Thus says YHWH, "What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they have gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

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?

6 Neither did they say, 'Where is YHWH 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 lived?'

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?

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

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.

8 The priests did not say, 'Where is YHWH?' 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.

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.

9 "Therefore I will yet contend with you," says YHWH, "and I will contend with your children's children.

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

10 For pass over to the islands of Kittim, and see; and send to Kedar, and consider diligently; and see if there has been such a thing.

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;

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

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.

12 "Be astonished, you heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid. Be very desolate," says YHWH.

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

13 "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living waters, and cut them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

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.

14 Is Israel a servant? Is he a native-born slave? Why has he become a prey?

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

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

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.

16 The people of Memphis and Tahpanhes have also shaved the crown of your head.

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

17 "Haven't you brought this on yourself, in that you have forsaken YHWH your God, when he led you by the way?

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

18 Now what have you to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? Or what have you to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?

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?

19 "Your own wickedness shall correct you, and your backsliding shall reprove you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that you have forsaken YHWH your God, and that my fear is not in you," says YHWH of hosts.

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.

20 "For of old time I have broken your yoke, and burst your bonds; and you said, 'I will not serve;' for on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed yourself, playing the prostitute.

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.

21 Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed. How then have you turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?

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

22 For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me," says YHWH.

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

23 "How can you say, 'I am not defiled. I have not gone after the Baals'? See your way in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

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:

24 a wild donkey used to the wilderness, that snuffs up the wind in her desire. When she is in heat, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves. In her month, they will find her.

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.

25 "Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst. But you said, 'It is in vain. No, for I have loved strangers, and I will go after them.'

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.

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

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.

27 who tell wood, 'You are my father;' and a stone, 'You have brought me out:' 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.'

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.

28 "But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? 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, Judah. And according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem they were sacrificing to Baal.

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.

29 "Why will you contend with me? You all have transgressed against me," says YHWH.

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

30 "I have struck your children in vain. They received no correction. Your own sword has devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

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.

31 Generation, consider the word of YHWH. 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 to you no more?'

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?

32 "Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number.

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

33 How well you prepare your way to seek love. Therefore you have taught even the wicked women your ways.

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;

34 Also the blood of the souls of the innocent poor is found in your skirts. You did not find them breaking in; but it is because of all these things.

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

35 "Yet you said, 'I am innocent. Surely his anger has turned away from me.' "Look, I will judge you, because you say, 'I have not sinned.'

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.

36 Why do you go about so much to change your way? You will be ashamed of Egypt also, as you were ashamed of Assyria.

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.

37 From there also you shall go forth, with your hands on your head; for YHWH has rejected those in whom you trust, and you shall not prosper with them.

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.