יִרְמְיָהוּ 2

1 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

The Lord's message came to me, saying,

2 הָלֹ֡ךְ וְקָֽרָאתָ֩ בְאָזְנֵי֙ יְרוּשָׁלַ֜͏ִם לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה זָכַ֤רְתִּי לָךְ֙ חֶ֣סֶד נְעוּרַ֔יִךְ אַהֲבַ֖ת כְּלוּלֹתָ֑יִךְ לֶכְתֵּ֤ךְ אַחֲרַי֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בְּאֶ֖רֶץ לֹ֥א זְרוּעָֽה׃

Go and announce to the people of Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: I remember when you were young how devoted to me you were. I remember how you loved me when you were my bride. I remember how you followed me in the desert, in a land where nothing is grown.

3 קֹ֤דֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לַיהוָ֔ה רֵאשִׁ֖ית תְּבוּאָתֹ֑ה כָּל־אֹכְלָ֣יו יֶאְשָׁ֔מוּ רָעָ֛ה תָּבֹ֥א אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃ פ

Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest. Anyone who ate this harvest was guilty of sin, and they experienced the disastrous results, declares the Lord.

4 שִׁמְע֥וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְכָֽל־מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ות בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Listen to the Lord's message, descendants of Jacob, all you Israelites.

5 כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה מַה־מָּצְא֨וּ אֲבֹותֵיכֶ֥ם בִּי֙ עָ֔וֶל כִּ֥י רָחֲק֖וּ מֵעָלָ֑י וַיֵּֽלְכ֛וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י הַהֶ֖בֶל וַיֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃

This is what the Lord says: What did your forefathers think was wrong with me that they went so far away from me? They went off to worship useless idols, and as a result became useless themselves!

6 וְלֹ֣א אָמְר֔וּ אַיֵּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה הַמַּעֲלֶ֥ה אֹתָ֖נוּ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הַמֹּולִ֨יךְ אֹתָ֜נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר בְּאֶ֨רֶץ עֲרָבָ֤ה וְשׁוּחָה֙ בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙ צִיָּ֣ה וְצַלְמָ֔וֶת בְּאֶ֗רֶץ לֹֽא־עָ֤בַר בָּהּ֙ אִ֔ישׁ וְלֹֽא־יָשַׁ֥ב אָדָ֖ם שָֽׁם׃

They didn't ask themselves, “Where is the Lord who led us from Egypt, who led us through the wasteland, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and darkness, a land that no one travels through and where no one lives?”

7 וָאָבִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַכַּרְמֶ֔ל לֶאֱכֹ֥ל פִּרְיָ֖הּ וְטוּבָ֑הּ וַתָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ וַתְּטַמְּא֣וּ אֶת־אַרְצִ֔י וְנַחֲלָתִ֥י שַׂמְתֶּ֖ם לְתֹועֵבָֽה׃

I led you into a productive land to eat all the good things that grow there. But you came and made my land unclean, making it offensive to me.

8 הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים לֹ֤א אָֽמְרוּ֙ אַיֵּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה וְתֹפְשֵׂ֤י הַתֹּורָה֙ לֹ֣א יְדָע֔וּנִי וְהָרֹעִ֖ים פָּ֣שְׁעוּ בִ֑י וְהַנְּבִיאִים֙ נִבְּא֣וּ בַבַּ֔עַל וְאַחֲרֵ֥י לֹֽא־יֹועִ֖לוּ הָלָֽכוּ׃

Your priests did not ask, “Where is the Lord?” Your teachers of the law no longer believed in me, and your leaders rebelled against me. Your prophets prophesied by calling on Baal and followed worthless idols.

9 לָכֵ֗ן עֹ֛ד אָרִ֥יב אִתְּכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֥י בְנֵיכֶ֖ם אָרִֽיב׃

So I'm going to confront you again, declares the Lord, and I will bring charges against your children's children.

10 כִּ֣י עִבְר֞וּ אִיֵּ֤י כִתִּיִּים֙ וּרְא֔וּ וְקֵדָ֛ר שִׁלְח֥וּ וְהִֽתְבֹּונְנ֖וּ מְאֹ֑ד וּרְא֕וּ הֵ֥ן הָיְתָ֖ה כָּזֹֽאת׃

Travel over to the islands of Cyprus and take a look; go to the land of Kedar and examine carefully to see if anything like this has ever happened before.

11 הַהֵימִ֥יר גֹּוי֙ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהֵ֖מָּה לֹ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעַמִּ֛י הֵמִ֥יר כְּבֹודֹ֖ו בְּלֹ֥וא יֹועִֽיל׃

Has a nation ever changed its gods? —even though they're not gods at all! Yet my people have traded their glorious God for worthless idols.

12 שֹׁ֥מּוּ שָׁמַ֖יִם עַל־זֹ֑את וְשַׂעֲר֛וּ חָרְב֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

You heavens, you should be appalled, shocked and horrified! declares the Lord.

13 כִּֽי־שְׁתַּ֥יִם רָעֹ֖ות עָשָׂ֣ה עַמִּ֑י אֹתִ֨י עָזְב֜וּ מְקֹ֣ור ׀ מַ֣יִם חַיִּ֗ים לַחְצֹ֤ב לָהֶם֙ בֹּארֹ֔ות בֹּארֹת֙ נִשְׁבָּרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָכִ֖לוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃

For my people have done two evil things. They have abandoned me, the source of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that can't hold water.

14 הַעֶ֙בֶד֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִם־יְלִ֥יד בַּ֖יִת ה֑וּא מַדּ֖וּעַ הָיָ֥ה לָבַֽז׃

Are Israelites slaves? Were they born into slavery? So why have they become victims?

15 עָלָיו֙ יִשְׁאֲג֣וּ כְפִרִ֔ים נָתְנ֖וּ קֹולָ֑ם וַיָּשִׁ֤יתוּ אַרְצֹו֙ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה עָרָ֥יו נִצְּתָה (נִצְּת֖וּ) מִבְּלִ֥י יֹשֵֽׁב׃

The young lions roared at you; they growled loudly. They have devastated your country; your towns lie in ruins. No one lives there.

16 גַּם־בְּנֵי־נֹ֖ף וְתַחְפְּנֵס (וְתַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס) יִרְע֖וּךְ קָדְקֹֽד׃

The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved your heads.

17 הֲלֹוא־זֹ֖את תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֑ךְ עָזְבֵךְ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֔יִךְ בְּעֵ֖ת מֹולִיכֵ֥ךְ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃

Didn't you bring this on yourself by abandoning the Lord your God when he was leading you in the right way?

18 וְעַתָּ֗ה מַה־לָּךְ֙ לְדֶ֣רֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֖ות מֵ֣י שִׁחֹ֑ור וּמַה־לָּךְ֙ לְדֶ֣רֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר לִשְׁתֹּ֖ות מֵ֥י נָהָֽר׃

Now what will you benefit as you travel back to Egypt to drink the waters of Shihor River? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates River?

19 תְּיַסְּרֵ֣ךְ רָעָתֵ֗ךְ וּמְשֻֽׁבֹותַ֙יִךְ֙ תֹּוכִחֻ֔ךְ וּדְעִ֤י וּרְאִי֙ כִּי־רַ֣ע וָמָ֔ר עָזְבֵ֖ךְ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יִךְ וְלֹ֤א פַחְדָּתִי֙ אֵלַ֔יִךְ נְאֻם־אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה צְבָאֹֽות׃

Your own wickedness will discipline you; your own disobedience will teach you a lesson. Think about it and you'll recognize what a bitter evil it is for you to abandon the Lord your God and not to respect me, declares the Lord God Almighty.

20 כִּ֣י מֵעֹולָ֞ם שָׁבַ֣רְתִּי עֻלֵּ֗ךְ נִתַּ֙קְתִּי֙ מֹוסְרֹתַ֔יִךְ וַתֹּאמְרִ֖י לֹ֣א אֶעֱבֹד (אֶעֱבֹ֑ור) כִּ֣י עַֽל־כָּל־גִּבְעָ֞ה גְּבֹהָ֗ה וְתַ֙חַת֙ כָּל־עֵ֣ץ רַעֲנָ֔ן אַ֖תְּ צֹעָ֥ה זֹנָֽה׃

You broke off your yoke and ripped off your chains long ago. “I won't worship you!” you declared. On the contrary, you lay down like a prostitute on every high hill and under every green tree.

21 וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ נְטַעְתִּ֣יךְ שֹׂרֵ֔ק כֻּלֹּ֖ה זֶ֣רַע אֱמֶ֑ת וְאֵיךְ֙ נֶהְפַּ֣כְתְּ לִ֔י סוּרֵ֖י הַגֶּ֥פֶן נָכְרִיָּֽה׃

I was the one who planted you like the finest vine, grown from the very best seed. How could you degenerate into a useless wild vine?

22 כִּ֤י אִם־תְּכַבְּסִי֙ בַּנֶּ֔תֶר וְתַרְבִּי־לָ֖ךְ בֹּרִ֑ית נִכְתָּ֤ם עֲוֹנֵךְ֙ לְפָנַ֔י נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃

Even bleach and plenty of soap can't get rid of your guilty stains. I still see them, declares the Lord God.

23 אֵ֣יךְ תֹּאמְרִ֞י לֹ֣א נִטְמֵ֗אתִי אַחֲרֵ֤י הַבְּעָלִים֙ לֹ֣א הָלַ֔כְתִּי רְאִ֤י דַרְכֵּךְ֙ בַּגַּ֔יְא דְּעִ֖י מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑ית בִּכְרָ֥ה קַלָּ֖ה מְשָׂרֶ֥כֶת דְּרָכֶֽיהָ׃

How dare you say, “I'm not unclean! I haven't gone to worship the Baals!” Look at what you've been doing down in the valley. Admit what you've done! You're a young female camel, racing around everywhere.

24 פֶּ֣רֶה ׀ לִמֻּ֣ד מִדְבָּ֗ר בְּאַוַּ֤ת נַפשֹׁו (נַפְשָׁהּ֙) שָׁאֲפָ֣ה ר֔וּחַ תַּאֲנָתָ֖הּ מִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נָּה כָּל־מְבַקְשֶׁ֙יהָ֙ לֹ֣א יִיעָ֔פוּ בְּחָדְשָׁ֖הּ יִמְצָאֽוּנְהָ׃

You're a female donkey living in the desert, sniffing the wind for a mate because she's in heat. No one can control her at mating time. All those who're looking for her won't have trouble finding her when she's in heat.

25 מִנְעִ֤י רַגְלֵךְ֙ מִיָּחֵ֔ף וּגֹורֹנֵךְ (וּגְרֹונֵ֖ךְ) מִצִּמְאָ֑ה וַתֹּאמְרִ֣י נֹואָ֔שׁ לֹ֕וא כִּֽי־אָהַ֥בְתִּי זָרִ֖ים וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֥ם אֵלֵֽךְ׃

You don't have to run around barefoot or have your throat go dry. But you reply, “No, it's impossible! I'm in love with foreign gods—I must go to them.”

26 כְּבֹ֤שֶׁת גַּנָּב֙ כִּ֣י יִמָּצֵ֔א כֵּ֥ן הֹבִ֖ישׁוּ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הֵ֤מָּה מַלְכֵיהֶם֙ שָֽׂרֵיהֶ֔ם וְכֹהֲנֵיהֶ֖ם וּנְבִיאֵיהֶֽם׃

In the same way that a thief feels guilty when they're caught, so the people of Israel have been shamed. All of them—their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets.

27 אֹמְרִ֨ים לָעֵ֜ץ אָ֣בִי אַ֗תָּה וְלָאֶ֙בֶן֙ אַ֣תְּ יְלִדְתִּני (יְלִדְתָּ֔נוּ) כִּֽי־פָנ֥וּ אֵלַ֛י עֹ֖רֶף וְלֹ֣א פָנִ֑ים וּבְעֵ֤ת רָֽעָתָם֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ ק֖וּמָה וְהֹושִׁיעֵֽנוּ׃

They say to an idol made of wood, “You are my father,” and one made of stone, “You gave birth to me.” They turn their backs on me, and hide their faces from me. But when they're in trouble they come begging to me, saying, “Please come and save us!”

28 וְאַיֵּ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔ךְ יָק֕וּמוּ אִם־יֹושִׁיע֖וּךָ בְּעֵ֣ת רָעָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֚י מִסְפַּ֣ר עָרֶ֔יךָ הָי֥וּ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יְהוּדָֽה׃ ס

So where are these “gods” of yours that you made for yourselves? Let them come and help you when you're in trouble! Let them save you if they can, because you Israelites have as many gods as you have towns.

29 לָ֥מָּה תָרִ֖יבוּ אֵלָ֑י כֻּלְּכֶ֛ם פְּשַׁעְתֶּ֥ם בִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

Why are you complaining to me? It's all of you who have all rebelled against me! declares the Lord.

30 לַשָּׁוְא֙ הִכֵּ֣יתִי אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֔ם מוּסָ֖ר לֹ֣א לָקָ֑חוּ אָכְלָ֧ה חַרְבְּכֶ֛ם נְבִֽיאֵיכֶ֖ם כְּאַרְיֵ֥ה מַשְׁחִֽית׃

It was pointless of me to punish your children because they refused to accept any discipline. You used your own swords to kill your prophets, destroying them like a ferocious lion.

31 הַדֹּ֗ור אַתֶּם֙ רְא֣וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֔ה הֲמִדְבָּ֤ר הָיִ֙יתִי֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֛ם אֶ֥רֶץ מַאְפֵּ֖לְיָ֑ה מַדּ֜וּעַ אָמְר֤וּ עַמִּי֙ רַ֔דְנוּ לֹֽוא־נָבֹ֥וא עֹ֖וד אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

You people of today, think about what the Lord is saying: Israel, have I treated you like an empty desert, or a land of thick darkness? Why are my people saying, “We can go where we like! We don't have to come and worship you any more”?

32 הֲתִשְׁכַּ֤ח בְּתוּלָה֙ עֶדְיָ֔הּ כַּלָּ֖ה קִשֻּׁרֶ֑יהָ וְעַמִּ֣י שְׁכֵח֔וּנִי יָמִ֖ים אֵ֥ין מִסְפָּֽר׃

Does a girl forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding dress? Yet my people have forgotten me for too many years to count.

33 מַה־תֵּיטִ֥בִי דַּרְכֵּ֖ךְ לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה לָכֵן֙ גַּ֣ם אֶת־הָרָעֹ֔ות לִמַּדְתִּי (לִמַּ֖דְתְּ) אֶת־דְּרָכָֽיִךְ׃

How cleverly you look for your lovers! Even prostitutes could learn something from you!

34 גַּ֤ם בִּכְנָפַ֙יִךְ֙ נִמְצְא֔וּ דַּ֛ם נַפְשֹׁ֥ות אֶבְיֹונִ֖ים נְקִיִּ֑ים לֹֽא־בַמַּחְתֶּ֥רֶת מְצָאתִ֖ים כִּ֥י עַל־כָּל־אֵֽלֶּה׃

On top of that, your clothes are stained with the blood of the poor and the innocent. It's not like you killed them breaking into your homes. Despite all this,

35 וַתֹּֽאמְרִי֙ כִּ֣י נִקֵּ֔יתִי אַ֛ךְ שָׁ֥ב אַפֹּ֖ו מִמֶּ֑נִּי הִנְנִי֙ נִשְׁפָּ֣ט אֹותָ֔ךְ עַל־אָמְרֵ֖ךְ לֹ֥א חָטָֽאתִי׃

you go on saying, “I'm innocent! Surely he can't still be upset with me!” Watch out! I'm going to punish you because you go on saying, “I haven't sinned.”

36 מַה־תֵּזְלִ֥י מְאֹ֖ד לְשַׁנֹּ֣ות אֶת־דַּרְכֵּ֑ךְ גַּ֤ם מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ תֵּבֹ֔ושִׁי כַּאֲשֶׁר־בֹּ֖שְׁתְּ מֵאַשּֽׁוּר׃

You're just so fickle—you keep on changing your mind! You will end up just as disappointed by your alliance with Egypt as you were with Assyria.

37 גַּ֣ם מֵאֵ֥ת זֶה֙ תֵּֽצְאִ֔י וְיָדַ֖יִךְ עַל־רֹאשֵׁ֑ךְ כִּֽי־מָאַ֤ס יְהֹוָה֙ בְּמִבְטַחַ֔יִךְ וְלֹ֥א תַצְלִ֖יחִי לָהֶֽם׃

In fact you will go into exile with your hands on your head as prisoners, because the Lord will have nothing to do with those you trust; they will be no help to you.