ירמיה 2

1 וַיְהִי דְבַר־יְהֹוָה אֵלַי לֵאמֹֽר׃

And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

2 הָלֹךְ וְֽקָרָאתָ בְאׇזְנֵי יְרוּשָׁלַ͏ִם לֵאמֹר כֹּה אָמַר יְהֹוָה זָכַרְתִּי לָךְ חֶסֶד נְעוּרַיִךְ אַהֲבַת כְּלוּלֹתָיִךְ לֶכְתֵּךְ אַֽחֲרַי בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא זְרוּעָֽה׃

'Go, and thou hast called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said Jehovah: I have remembered for thee The kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, Thy going after Me in a wilderness, in a land not sown.

3 קֹדֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל לַיהֹוָה רֵאשִׁית תְּבוּאָתֹה כׇּל־אֹכְלָיו יֶאְשָׁמוּ רָעָה תָּבֹא אֲלֵיהֶם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃

Holy [is] Israel to Jehovah, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Evil cometh in unto them, an affirmation of Jehovah.

4 שִׁמְעוּ דְבַר־יְהֹוָה בֵּית יַעֲקֹב וְכׇֽל־מִשְׁפְּחוֹת בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Hear a word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, And all ye families of the house of Israel.

5 כֹּה ׀ אָמַר יְהֹוָה מַה־מָּצְאוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם בִּי עָוֶל כִּי רָחֲקוּ מֵעָלָי וַיֵּלְכוּ אַחֲרֵי הַהֶבֶל וַיֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃

Thus said Jehovah: What — have your fathers found in Me perversity, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after the vanity, and become vain,

6 וְלֹא אָֽמְרוּ אַיֵּה יְהֹוָה הַמַּעֲלֶה אֹתָנוּ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם הַמּוֹלִיךְ אֹתָנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר בְּאֶרֶץ עֲרָבָה וְשׁוּחָה בְּאֶרֶץ צִיָּה וְצַלְמָוֶת בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא־עָבַר בָּהּ אִישׁ וְלֹא־יָשַׁב אָדָם שָֽׁם׃

And have not said, Where [is] Jehovah, Who bringeth us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leadeth us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land — none hath passed through it, Nor dwelt hath man there?'

7 וָאָבִיא אֶתְכֶם אֶל־אֶרֶץ הַכַּרְמֶל לֶאֱכֹל פִּרְיָהּ וְטוּבָהּ וַתָּבֹאוּ וַתְּטַמְּאוּ אֶת־אַרְצִי וְנַחֲלָתִי שַׂמְתֶּם לְתוֹעֵבָֽה׃

Yea, I bring you in to a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And ye come in and defile My land, And Mine inheritance have made an abomination.

8 הַכֹּהֲנִים לֹא אָֽמְרוּ אַיֵּה יְהֹוָה וְתֹפְשֵׂי הַתּוֹרָה לֹא יְדָעוּנִי וְהָרֹעִים פָּשְׁעוּ בִי וְהַנְּבִאִים נִבְּאוּ בַבַּעַל וְאַחֲרֵי לֹֽא־יוֹעִלוּ הָלָֽכוּ׃

The priests have not said, 'Where [is] Jehovah?' And those handling the law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Baal, And after those who profit not have gone.

9 לָכֵן עֹד אָרִיב אִתְּכֶם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה וְאֶת־בְּנֵי בְנֵיכֶם אָרִֽיב׃

Therefore, yet I plead with you, An affirmation of Jehovah, And with your sons' sons I plead.

10 כִּי עִבְרוּ אִיֵּי כִתִּיִּים וּרְאוּ וְקֵדָר שִׁלְחוּ וְהִֽתְבּוֹנְנוּ מְאֹד וּרְאוּ הֵן הָיְתָה כָּזֹֽאת׃

For, pass to the isles of Chittim, and see, And to Kedar send, and consider well, And see if there hath been like this:

11 הַהֵימִיר גּוֹי אֱלֹהִים וְהֵמָּה לֹא אֱלֹהִים וְעַמִּי הֵמִיר כְּבוֹדוֹ בְּלוֹא יוֹעִֽיל׃

Hath a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people hath changed its honour For that which doth not profit.

12 שֹׁמּוּ שָׁמַיִם עַל־זֹאת וְשַׂעֲרוּ חׇרְבוּ מְאֹד נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃

Be astonished, ye heavens, at this, Yea, be frightened, be greatly wasted, An affirmation of Jehovah.

13 כִּֽי־שְׁתַּיִם רָעוֹת עָשָׂה עַמִּי אֹתִי עָזְבוּ מְקוֹר ׀ מַיִם חַיִּים לַחְצֹב לָהֶם בֹּארוֹת בֹּארֹת נִשְׁבָּרִים אֲשֶׁר לֹֽא־יָכִלוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃

For two evils hath My people done, Me they have forsaken, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells — broken wells, That contain not the waters.

14 הַעֶבֶד יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם־יְלִיד בַּיִת הוּא מַדּוּעַ הָיָה לָבַֽז׃

A servant [is] Israel? Is he a child of the house? Wherefore hath he been for a prey?

15 עָלָיו יִשְׁאֲגוּ כְפִרִים נָתְנוּ קוֹלָם וַיָּשִׁיתוּ אַרְצוֹ לְשַׁמָּה עָרָיו (נצתה) [נִצְּתוּ] מִבְּלִי יֹשֵֽׁב׃

Against him roar do young lions, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burnt without inhabitant.

16 גַּם־בְּנֵי־נֹף (ותחפנס) [וְתַחְפַּנְחֵס] יִרְעוּךְ קׇדְקֹֽד׃

Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume thee — the crown of the head!

17 הֲלוֹא־זֹאת תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּךְ עׇזְבֵךְ אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהַיִךְ בְּעֵת מוֹלִכֵךְ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃

Dost thou not do this to thyself? [By] thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, At the time He is leading thee in the way?

18 וְעַתָּה מַה־לָּךְ לְדֶרֶךְ מִצְרַיִם לִשְׁתּוֹת מֵי שִׁחוֹר וּמַה־לָּךְ לְדֶרֶךְ אַשּׁוּר לִשְׁתּוֹת מֵי נָהָֽר׃

And now, what — to thee in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And what — to thee in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters of the River?

19 תְּיַסְּרֵךְ רָעָתֵךְ וּמְשֻׁבוֹתַיִךְ תּֽוֹכִחֻךְ וּדְעִי וּרְאִי כִּֽי־רַע וָמָר עׇזְבֵךְ אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהָיִךְ וְלֹא פַחְדָּתִי אֵלַיִךְ נְאֻם־אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִה צְבָאֽוֹת׃

Instruct thee doth thy wickedness, And thy backslidings reprove thee, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [Is] thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, And My fear not being on thee, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah of Hosts.

20 כִּי מֵעוֹלָם שָׁבַרְתִּי עֻלֵּךְ נִתַּקְתִּי מוֹסְרוֹתַיִךְ וַתֹּאמְרִי לֹא (אעבוד) [אֶעֱבוֹר] כִּי עַֽל־כׇּל־גִּבְעָה גְּבֹהָה וְתַחַת כׇּל־עֵץ רַעֲנָן אַתְּ צֹעָה זֹנָֽה׃

For from of old thou hast broken thy yoke, Drawn away thy bands, and sayest, 'I do not serve,' For, on every high height, and under every green tree, Thou art wandering — a harlot.

21 וְאָֽנֹכִי נְטַעְתִּיךְ שׂוֹרֵק כֻּלֹּה זֶרַע אֱמֶת וְאֵיךְ נֶהְפַּכְתְּ לִי סוּרֵי הַגֶּפֶן נׇכְרִיָּֽה׃

And I planted thee a choice vine, wholly a true seed, And how hast thou been turned to Me, To the degenerate shoots of a strange vine?

22 כִּי אִם־תְּכַבְּסִי בַּנֶּתֶר וְתַרְבִּי־לָךְ בֹּרִית נִכְתָּם עֲוֺנֵךְ לְפָנַי נְאֻם אֲדֹנָי יֱהֹוִֽה׃

But though thou dost wash with nitre, And dost multiply to thyself soap, Marked is thine iniquity before Me, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

23 אֵיךְ תֹּאמְרִי לֹא נִטְמֵאתִי אַחֲרֵי הַבְּעָלִים לֹא הָלַכְתִּי רְאִי דַרְכֵּךְ בַּגַּיְא דְּעִי מֶה עָשִׂית בִּכְרָה קַלָּה מְשָׂרֶכֶת דְּרָכֶֽיהָ׃

How sayest thou, 'I have not been defiled, After the Baalim I have not gone?' See thy way in a valley, know what thou hast done, A swift dromedary winding her ways,

24 פֶּרֶה ׀ לִמֻּד מִדְבָּר בְּאַוַּת (נפשו) [נַפְשָׁהּ] שָׁאֲפָה רוּחַ תַּאֲנָתָהּ מִי יְשִׁיבֶנָּה כׇּל־מְבַקְשֶׁיהָ לֹא יִיעָפוּ בְּחׇדְשָׁהּ יִמְצָאֽוּנְהָ׃

A wild ass accustomed to a wilderness, In the desire of her soul she hath swallowed up wind, Her meeting — who doth turn her back? None seeking her do weary themselves, In her month they find her.

25 מִנְעִי רַגְלֵךְ מִיָּחֵף (וגורנך) [וּגְרוֹנֵךְ] מִצִּמְאָה וַתֹּאמְרִי נוֹאָשׁ לוֹא כִּֽי־אָהַבְתִּי זָרִים וְאַחֲרֵיהֶם אֵלֵֽךְ׃

Withhold thy foot from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst, And thou sayest, 'It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and after them I go.'

26 כְּבֹשֶׁת גַּנָּב כִּי יִמָּצֵא כֵּן הֹבִישׁוּ בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל הֵמָּה מַלְכֵיהֶם שָׂרֵיהֶם וְכֹהֲנֵיהֶם וּנְבִיאֵיהֶֽם׃

As the shame of a thief when he is found, So put to shame have been the house of Israel, They, their kings, their heads, And their priests, and their prophets,

27 אֹמְרִים לָעֵץ אָבִי אַתָּה וְלָאֶבֶן אַתְּ (ילדתני) [יְלִדְתָּנוּ] כִּֽי־פָנוּ אֵלַי עֹרֶף וְלֹא פָנִים וּבְעֵת רָעָתָם יֹֽאמְרוּ קוּמָה וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ׃

Saying to wood, 'My father [art] thou!' And to a stone, 'Thou hast brought me forth,' For they turned unto me the back and not the face, And in the time of their vexation, They say, 'Arise Thou, and save us.'

28 וְאַיֵּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתָ לָּךְ יָקוּמוּ אִם־יוֹשִׁיעוּךָ בְּעֵת רָעָתֶךָ כִּי מִסְפַּר עָרֶיךָ הָיוּ אֱלֹהֶיךָ יְהוּדָֽה׃

And where [are] thy gods, that thou hast made to thyself? Let them arise, if they may save thee, In the time of thy vexation, For — the number of thy cities have been thy gods, O Judah,

29 לָמָּה תָרִיבוּ אֵלָי כֻּלְּכֶם פְּשַׁעְתֶּם בִּי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃

Why do ye strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.

30 לַשָּׁוְא הִכֵּיתִי אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶם מוּסָר לֹא לָקָחוּ אָכְלָה חַרְבְּכֶם נְבִיאֵיכֶם כְּאַרְיֵה מַשְׁחִֽית׃

In vain I have smitten your sons, Instruction they have not accepted, Devoured hath your sword your prophets, As a destroying lion.

31 הַדּוֹר אַתֶּם רְאוּ דְבַר־יְהֹוָה הֲמִדְבָּר הָיִיתִי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִם אֶרֶץ מַאְפֵּלְיָה מַדּוּעַ אָמְרוּ עַמִּי רַדְנוּ לֽוֹא־נָבוֹא עוֹד אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah: A wilderness have I been to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Wherefore have My people said, 'We mourned, We come not in again unto Thee.'

32 הֲתִשְׁכַּח בְּתוּלָה עֶדְיָהּ כַּלָּה קִשֻּׁרֶיהָ וְעַמִּי שְׁכֵחוּנִי יָמִים אֵין מִסְפָּֽר׃

Doth a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And My people have forgotten Me days without number.

33 מַה־תֵּיטִבִי דַרְכֵּךְ לְבַקֵּשׁ אַהֲבָה לָכֵן גַּם אֶת־הָרָעוֹת (למדתי) [לִמַּדְתְּ] אֶת־דְּרָכָֽיִךְ׃

What — dost thou make pleasing thy ways to seek love? Therefore even the wicked thou hast taught thy ways.

34 גַּם בִּכְנָפַיִךְ נִמְצְאוּ דַּם נַפְשׁוֹת אֶבְיוֹנִים נְקִיִּים לֹֽא־בַמַּחְתֶּרֶת מְצָאתִים כִּי עַל־כׇּל־אֵֽלֶּה׃

Also in thy skirts hath been found the blood of innocent needy souls, Not by digging have I found them, but upon all these.

35 וַתֹּֽאמְרִי כִּי נִקֵּיתִי אַךְ שָׁב אַפּוֹ מִמֶּנִּי הִנְנִי נִשְׁפָּט אוֹתָךְ עַל־אׇמְרֵךְ לֹא חָטָֽאתִי׃

And thou sayest, 'Because I have been innocent, Surely turned back hath His anger from me?' Lo, I have been judged with thee, Because of thy saying, 'I have not sinned.'

36 מַה־תֵּזְלִי מְאֹד לְשַׁנּוֹת אֶת־דַּרְכֵּךְ גַּם מִמִּצְרַיִם תֵּבֹשִׁי כַּאֲשֶׁר־בֹּשְׁתְּ מֵאַשּֽׁוּר׃

What? thou art very vile to repeat thy way, Even of Egypt thou art ashamed, As thou hast been ashamed of Asshur,

37 גַּם מֵאֵת זֶה תֵּֽצְאִי וְיָדַיִךְ עַל־רֹאשֵׁךְ כִּֽי־מָאַס יְהֹוָה בְּמִבְטַחַיִךְ וְלֹא תַצְלִיחִי לָהֶֽם׃

Also from this thou goest out, And thy hands on thy head, For Jehovah hath kicked at thy confidences, And thou dost not give prosperity to them!