Jeremiæ 2
1 Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens:
And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 Vade, et clama in auribus Ierusalem, dicens: Haec dicit Dominus: Recordatus sum tui, miserans adolescentiam tuam, et charitatem desponsationis tuae, quando secuta es me in deserto, in terra, quae non seminatur.
Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the Lord: I have remembered thee, pitying thy soul, pitying thy youth, and the love of thy espousals, when thou followedst me in the desert, in a land that is not sown.
3 Sanctus Israel Domino, primitiae frugum eius: omnes, qui devorant eum, delinquunt: mala venient super eos, dicit Dominus.
Israel is holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his increase: all they that devour him offend: evils shall come upon them, saith the Lord.
4 Audite verbum Domini domus Iacob, et omnes cognationes domus Israel:
Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all ye families of the house of Israel.
5 haec dicit Dominus: Quid invenerunt patres vestri in me iniquitatis, quia se elongaverunt a me, et ambulaverunt post vanitatem, et vani facti sunt?
Thus saith 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 Et non dixerunt: Ubi est Dominus, qui ascendere nos fecit de Terra Aegypti: 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?
And they have not said: Where is the Lord, that made us come up out of the land of Egypt? that led us through the desert, through a land uninhabited and unpassable, through a land of drought, and the image of death, through a land wherein no man walked, nor any man dwelt?
7 Et induxi vos in terram Carmeli, ut comederetis fructum eius, et optima illius: et ingressi contaminastis terram meam, et hereditatem meam posuistis in abominationem.
And I brought you into the land of Carmel, to eat the fruit thereof, and the best things thereof: and when ye entered in, you defiled my land, and made my inheritance an abomination.
8 Sacerdotes non dixerunt: Ubi est Dominus? et tenentes legem nescierunt me, et pastores praevaricati sunt in me: et prophetae prophetaverunt in Baal, et idola secuti sunt.
The priests did not say: Where is the Lord? and they that held the law knew me not, and the pastors transgressed against me: and the prophets prophesied in Baal, and followed idols.
9 Propterea adhuc iudicio contendam vobiscum, ait Dominus, et cum filiis vestris disceptabo.
Therefore will I yet contend in judgement with you, saith the Lord, and I will plead with your children.
10 Transite ad insulas Cethim, et videte: et in Cedar mittite, et considerate vehementer: et videte si factum est huiuscemodi.
Pass over to the isles of Cethim, and see: and send into Cedar, and consider diligently: and see if there hath been done any thing like this.
11 Si mutavit gens deos suos, et certe ipsi non sunt dii: populus vero meus mutavit gloriam suam in idolum.
If a nation hath changed their gods, and indeed they are not gods: but my people have changed their glory into an idol.
12 Obstupescite caeli super hoc, et portae eius desolamini vehementer, dicit Dominus.
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and ye gates thereof, be very desolate, saith the Lord.
13 Duo enim mala fecit populus meus: Me dereliquerunt fontem aquae vivae, et foderunt sibi cisternas, cisternas dissipatas, quia continere non valent aquas.
For my people have done two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
14 Numquid servus est Israel, aut vernaculus? quare ergo factus est in praedam?
Is Israel a bondman, or a homeborn slave? why then is he become prey?
15 Super eum rugierunt leones, et dederunt vocem suam, posuerunt terram eius in solitudinem: civitates eius exustae sunt, et non est qui habitet in eis.
The lions have roared upon him, and have made a noise, they have made his land a wilderness: his cities are burnt down and there is none to dwell in them.
16 Filii quoque Mempheos et Taphneos constupraverunt te usque ad verticem.
The children also of Memphis, and of Taphnes have deflowered thee, even to the crown of the head.
17 Numquid non istud factum est tibi, quia dereliquisti Dominum Deum tuum eo tempore, quo ducebat te per viam?
Hath not this been done to thee, because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God at that time, when he led thee by the way?
18 Et nunc quid tibi vis in via Aegypti, ut bibas aquam turbidam? et quid tibi cum via Assyriorum, ut bibas aquam fluminis?
And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the troubled water? And what hast thou to do with the way of the Assyrians, to drink the water of the river?
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 own wickedness shall reprove thee, and thy apostasy shall rebuke thee. Know thou, and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing for thee, to have left the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not with thee, saith the Lord the God of hosts.
20 A saeculo confregisti iugum meum, rupisti vincula mea, et dixisti: Non serviam. In omni enim colle sublimi, et sub omni ligno frondoso tu prosternebaris meretrix.
Of old time thou hast broken my yoke, thou hast burst my bands, and thou saidst: I will not serve. For on every high hill, and under every green tree thou didst prostitute thyself.
21 Ego autem plantavi te vineam electam, omne semen verum: quomodo ergo conversa es mihi in pravum vinea aliena?
Yet I planted thee a chosen vineyard, all true seed: how then art thou turned unto me into that which is good for nothing, O strange vineyard?
22 Si laveris te nitro, et multiplicaveris tibi herbam borith, maculata es in iniquitate tua coram me, dicit Dominus Deus.
Though thou wash thyself with nitre, and multiply to thyself the herb borith, thou art stained in thy iniquity before me, saith the Lord God.
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, and I have not walked after Baalim? see thy ways in the valley, know what thou hast done: as a swift runner pursuing his course.
24 Onager assuetus in solitudine, in desiderio animae suae attraxit ventum amoris sui: nullus avertet eam: omnes, qui quaerunt eam, non deficient: in menstruis eius invenient eam.
A wild ass accustomed to the wilderness in the desire of his heart, snuffed up the wind of his love: none shall turn her away: all that seek her shall not fail: in her monthly filth they shall 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.
Keep thy foot from being bare, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst: I have lost all hope, I will not do it: for I have loved strangers, and I will walk after them.
26 Quomodo confunditur fur quando deprehenditur, sic confusi sunt domus Israel, ipsi et reges eorum, principes, et sacerdotes, et prophetae eorum,
As the thief is confounded when he is taken, so is the house of Israel confounded, they and their kings, 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 suae dicent: Surge, et libera nos.
Saying to a stock: Thou art my father: and to a stone: thou hast begotten me: they have turned their back to me, and not their face: and in the time of their affliction they will say: Arise, and deliver us.
28 Ubi sunt dii tui, quos fecisti tibi? surgant et liberent te in tempore afflictionis tuae: secundum numerum quippe civitatum tuarum erant dii tui Iuda.
Where are the gods, whom thou hast made thee? let them arise and deliver thee in the time of thy affliction: for according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Juda.
29 Quid vultis mecum iudicio contendere? omnes dereliquistis me, dicit Dominus.
Why will you contend with me in judgement? you have all forsaken me, saith the Lord.
30 Frustra percussi filios vestros, disciplinam non receperunt: devoravit gladius vester prophetas vestros, quasi leo vastator
In vain have I struck your children, they have not received correction: your sword hath devoured your prophets, your generation is like a ravaging lion.
31 generatio vestra. Videte verbum Domini: Numquid solitudo factus sum Israeli, aut terra serotina? quare ergo dixit populus meus: Recessimus, non veniemus ultra ad te?
See ye the word of the Lord: Am I become a wilderness to Israel, or a lateward springing land? why then have my people said: We are revolted, we will come to thee no more.
32 Numquid obliviscetur virgo ornamenti sui, aut sponsa fasciae pectoralis suae? populus vero meus oblitus est mei diebus innumeris.
Will a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride her stomacher? but my people hath forgotten me days without number.
33 Quid niteris bonam ostendere viam tuam ad quaerendam dilectionem, quae insuper et malitias tuas docuisti vias tuas,
Why dost thou endeavour to shew thy way good to seek my love, thou who has also taught thy malices to be thy ways,
34 et in alis tuis inventus est sanguis animarum pauperum et innocentum? non in fossis inveni eos, sed in omnibus, quae supra memoravi.
And in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor and innocent? not in ditches have I found them, but in all places, which I mentioned before.
35 Et dixisti: Absque peccato et innocens ego sum: et propterea avertatur furor tuus a me. Ecce ego iudicio contendam tecum, eo quod dixeris: Non peccavi.
And thou hast said: I am without sin and am innocent: and therefore let thy anger be turned away from me. Behold, I will contend with thee in judgement, because thou hast said: I have not sinned.
36 Quam vilis facta es nimis, iterans vias tuas! et ab Aegypto confunderis, sicut confusa es ab Assur.
How exceeding base art thou become, going the same ways over again! and thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
37 Nam et ab ista egredieris, et manus tuae erunt super caput tuum: quoniam obtrivit Dominus confidentiam tuam, et nihil habebis prosperum in ea.
For from thence thou shalt go, and thy hand shall be upon thy head: for the Lord hath destroyed thy trust, and thou shalt have nothing prosperous therein.
