Jeremiæ 2
1 Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens:
The word of Jehovah came to me, saying:
2 [Vade, et clama in auribus Jerusalem, dicens: Hæc dicit Dominus: Recordatus sum tui, miserans adolescentiam tuam, et caritatem desponsationis tuæ, quando secuta es me in deserto, in terra quæ non seminatur.
Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, Thus saith Jehovah: I remember the kindness shown thee in thy youth, The love with which I espoused thee, When thou wast led by me through the wilderness, Through a land that was not sown.
3 Sanctus Israël Domino, primitiæ frugum ejus: omnes qui devorant eum delinquunt: mala venient super eos, dicit Dominus.
Israel was a sacred thing to Jehovah, His first ripe fruit. All that devoured him were held guilty; Evil came upon them, saith Jehovah.
4 Audite verbum Domini, domus Jacob, et omnes cognationes domus Israël.
Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, And all the families of the house of Israel!
5 Hæc dicit Dominus: Quid invenerunt patres vestri in me iniquitatis, quia elongaverunt a me, et ambulaverunt post vanitatem, et vani facti sunt?
Thus saith Jehovah: What fault did your fathers find in me, That they went far from me, And walked after vanity, and practised folly?
6 Et non dixerunt: Ubi est Dominus qui ascendere nos fecit de terra Ægypti; qui traduxit nos per desertum, per terram inhabitabilem et inviam, per terram sitis, et imaginem mortis, per terram in qua non ambulavit vir, neque habitavit homo?
They said not, Where is Jehovah, Who brought us up from the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and pits, Through a land of drought and deathlike gloom, Through a land which no man passed through, And where no man dwelt?
7 Et induxi vos in terram Carmeli, ut comederetis fructum ejus et optima illius: et ingressi contaminastis terram meam, et hæreditatem meam posuistis in abominationem.
I brought you to a land of fruitful fields, To eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof; But when ye had come in, ye defiled my land, And made my inheritance an abomination.
8 Sacerdotes non dixerunt: Ubi est Dominus? et tenentes legem nescierunt me, et pastores prævaricati sunt in me, et prophetæ prophetaverunt in Baal, et idola secuti sunt.
The priests said not, Where is Jehovah? And the teachers of the law knew me not; The rulers also rebelled against me; The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal, And walked after things that could not profit.
9 Propterea adhuc judicio contendam vobiscum, ait Dominus, et cum filiis vestris disceptabo.
Therefore I will yet contend with you, saith Jehovah; Yea, with your children's children will I contend.
10 Transite ad insulas Cethim, et videte: et in Cedar mittite, et considerate vehementer: et videte si factum est hujuscemodi:
For pass over to the islands of the Chittaeans, and see; Send ye to Kedar, and inform yourselves well; And see if such a thing hath been done!
11 si mutavit gens deos suos, et certe ipsi non sunt dii: populus vero meus mutavit gloriam suam in idolum.
Hath any nation changed their gods, even those that are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which cannot profit.
12 Obstupescite, cæli, super hoc, et portæ ejus, desolamini vehementer, dicit Dominus.
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this! Shudder, and be amazed! saith Jehovah.
13 Duo enim mala fecit populus meus: me dereliquerunt fontem aquæ vivæ, et foderunt sibi cisternas, cisternas dissipatas, quia continere non valent aquas.
For my people have committed two evils; Me have they forsaken, the fountain of living water, And they have hewn out for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
14 Numquid servus est Israël, aut vernaculus? quare ergo factus est in prædam?
Is Israel a slave? Is he a home-born servant? Why then hath he become a spoil?
15 Super eum rugierunt leones, et dederunt vocem suam: posuerunt terram ejus in solitudinem. Civitates ejus exustæ sunt, et non est qui habitet in eis.
The young lions roar over him; They lift up their voice; They have made his land a desolation; His cities are burned so as to be without an inhabitant.
16 Filii quoque Mempheos et Taphnes constupraverunt te usque ad verticem.
Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes have consumed the crown of thy head.
17 Numquid non istud factum est tibi, quia dereliquisti Dominum Deum tuum eo tempore quo ducebat te per viam?
Hath not this come upon thee, Because thou didst forsake Jehovah thy God, When he would have led thee in the way?
18 Et nunc quid tibi vis in via Ægypti, ut bibas aquam turbidam? et quid tibi cum via Assyriorum, ut bibas aquam fluminis?
And now what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of the Nile? Or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, To drink the waters of the Euphrates?
19 Arguet te malitia tua, et aversio tua increpabit te. Scito et vide quia malum et amarum est reliquisse te Dominum Deum tuum, et non esse timorem mei apud te, dicit Dominus Deus exercituum.
Thy wickedness shall chasten thee, And thy transgressions reprove thee; And thou shalt know and see that it is an evil and bitter thing That thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, And that the fear of me is not with thee, Saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.
20 A sæculo confregisti jugum meum: rupisti vincula mea, et dixisti: Non serviam. In omni enim colle sublimi, et sub omni ligno frondoso, tu prosternebaris meretrix.
Of old hast thou broken thy yoke, And burst thy bands, And said, “I will not be in subjection!” For upon every high hill, And under every green tree, Hast thou reclined, playing the harlot.
21 Ego autem plantavi te vineam electam, omne semen verum: quomodo ergo conversa es mihi in pravum, vinea aliena?
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, Wholly a genuine seed; How then art thou changed to the degenerate shoot of a strange vine?
22 Si laveris te nitro, et multiplicaveris tibi herbam borith, maculata es in iniquitate tua coram me, dicit Dominus Deus.
For though thou wash thee with nitre, And take thee much soap, Yet is thine iniquity black before me, saith Jehovah.
23 Quomodo dicis: Non sum polluta; post Baalim non ambulavi? Vide vias tuas in convalle; scito quid feceris: cursor levis explicans vias suas.
How canst thou say, “I am not polluted,” “I have not gone after Baals”? Behold thy way in the valley! Know what thou hast done, A swift young camel, traversing her ways.
24 Onager assuetus in solitudine, in desiderio animæ suæ attraxit ventum amoris sui: nullus avertet eam: omnes qui quærunt eam non deficient: in menstruis ejus invenient eam.
A wild ass, used to the wilderness, That in her desire snuffeth up the wind, In her occasion, who can turn her aside? All that seek her do not weary themselves; In her month they will find her.
25 Prohibe pedem tuum a nuditate, et guttur tuum a siti. Et dixisti: Desperavi: nequaquam faciam: adamavi quippe alienos, et post eos ambulabo.]
Withhold thy feet from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst! But thou sayest, There is no remedy! No! For I love strangers, And after them I will go.
26 [Quomodo confunditur fur quando deprehenditur, sic confusi sunt domus Israël, ipsi et reges eorum, principes, et sacerdotes, et prophetæ eorum,
As a thief is ashamed when he is taken, So is the house of Israel ashamed, They, their kings, and their princes, And their priests, and their prophets;
27 dicentes ligno: Pater meus es tu: et lapidi: Tu me genuisti. Verterunt ad me tergum et non faciem, et in tempore afflictionis suæ dicent: Surge, et libera nos.
That say to a stock, Thou art my father, And to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth! For they turn the back to me, and not the face. Yet in the time of their trouble they say, Arise and save us!
28 Ubi sunt dii tui quos fecisti tibi? surgant, et liberent te in tempore afflictionis tuæ: secundum numerum quippe civitatum tuarum erant dii tui, Juda.
But where are thy gods, which thou hast 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 Quid vultis mecum judicio contendere? omnes dereliquistis me, dicit Dominus.
Why do ye enter into controversy with me? Ye have all rebelled against me, saith Jehovah.
30 Frustra percussi filios vestros: disciplinam non receperunt. Devoravit gladius vester prophetas vestros: quasi leo vastator
In vain have I smitten your children; They would receive no correction; Your own sword hath devoured your prophets, Like a destroying lion.
31 generatio vestra. Videte verbum Domini: numquid solitudo factus sum Israëli, aut terra serotina? quare ergo dixit populus meus: Recessimus; non veniemus ultra ad te?
O generation! Behold ye the word of Jehovah! Have I been a wilderness to Israel? Or a land of darkness? Why then say my people, “We will rove at pleasure, We will come no more to thee”?
32 Numquid obliviscetur virgo ornamenti sui, aut sponsa fasciæ pectoralis suæ? populus vero meus oblitus est mei diebus innumeris.
Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her belt? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number!
33 Quid niteris bonam ostendere viam tuam ad quærendam dilectionem, quæ insuper et malitias tuas docuisti vias tuas,
Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? On this account hast thou accustomed thy ways to wickedness.
34 et in alis tuis inventus est sanguis animarum pauperum et innocentum? non in fossis inveni eos, sed in omnibus quæ supra memoravi.
Upon thy skirts is found the blood of the innocent poor, Whom thou didst not find committing violence.
35 Et dixisti: Absque peccato et innocens ego sum, et propterea avertatur furor tuus a me. Ecce ego judicio contendam tecum, eo quod dixeris: Non peccavi.
But notwithstanding all this, thou sayest, I am innocent; Surely his anger is turned away from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee, Because thou sayest, “I have not sinned.”
36 Quam vilis facta es nimis, iterans vias tuas! et ab Ægypto confunderis, sicut confusa es ab Assur.
Why dost thou run so eagerly, changing thy way? By Egypt also shalt thou be put to shame, Even as thou hast been put to shame by Assyria.
37 Nam et ab ista egredieris, et manus tuæ erunt super caput tuum: quoniam obtrivit Dominus confidentiam tuam, et nihil habebis prosperum in ea.]
From Egypt also shalt thou go forth With thy hands upon thy head. For Jehovah hath rejected the objects of thy confidence, Therefore shalt thou not prosper in them.
