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 call out before the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus hath said the Lord, I remember unto thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thy espousals, thy going after me in the wilderness, through a land that is not sown.
3 Sanctus Israel Domino, primitiae frugum eius: omnes, qui devorant eum, delinquunt: mala venient super eos, dicit Dominus.
A holy thing is Israel unto the Lord, the first of his fruits: all that devour him shall incur guilt; evil shall come over 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 hath said the Lord, What fault did your fathers find in me, that they went away far from me, and walked after vanity, and became 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?
That they said not, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of wildness, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land through which no one had passed, and where no man had 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 fruitful fields, to eat its fruit and its goodly products; but ye came and ye made unclean my land, and my heritage ye rendered 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 said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not; and the shepherds transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied in the name of Ba'al, and after things that cannot profit did they walk.
9 Propterea adhuc iudicio contendam vobiscum, ait Dominus, et cum filiis vestris disceptabo.
Therefore will I contend yet farther with you, saith the Lord, and 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 huiuscemodi.
For pass over to the isles of the Chittites, and see; and unto Kedar send, and consider well and see if any thing like this hath happened.
11 Si mutavit gens deos suos, et certe ipsi non sunt dii: populus vero meus mutavit gloriam suam in idolum.
Hath a nation exchanged its gods, which are yet no gods? and [still] my people hath exchanged its glory for that which can not profit.
12 Obstupescite caeli super hoc, et portae eius desolamini vehementer, dicit Dominus.
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and let your hair stand at an end, be ye greatly terrified, 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 two evils have my people committed: me have they forsaken, the source of living waters, to hew out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that cannot hold water.
14 Numquid servus est Israel, aut vernaculus? quare ergo factus est in praedam?
Is Israel a servant? or one born [to servitude] in the house? why hath he been given up to plunder?
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.
[That] over him young lions roared, let their voice resound, and changed his land into a waste, that his cities are burnt, left without an inhabitant?
16 Filii quoque Mempheos et Taphneos constupraverunt te usque ad verticem.
Even the children of Noph and Thachpanches have crushed the crown of thy head.
17 Numquid non istud factum est tibi, quia dereliquisti Dominum Deum tuum eo tempore, quo ducebat te per viam?
Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, through thy forsaking the Lord thy God, while he was leading thee on the [right] 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 on the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shichor? and what hast thou to do on the way of Asshur, to drink the waters 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 chastise thee, and thy backslidings shall correct thee; and thou shalt know and see that evil and bitter was thy forsaking the Lord thy God, while the dread of me was not upon thee, saith the Lord Eternal 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.
Because from yore did I break thy yoke, did I burst asunder thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress: nevertheless upon every high hill and under every green tree thou makest thy bed, as 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 as a branch of a noble vine, wholly of the proper seed; but how art thou changed unto me into a degenerate plant of an ignoble 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 thyself with natron, and take for thyself much soap: yet would the stain of thy iniquity remain before me, saith the Lord Eternal.
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 become unclean, after the Be'alim have I not gone? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: [like] a swift dromedary bound fast to her ways;
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.
[Like] a wild ass used to the wilderness, that at her pleasure snuffeth up the wind; her lust—who can turn this away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month will they 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.
“Prevent thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from being thirsty;” but thou saidst, It is useless; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
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 ashamed when he is found, so have the house of Israel been made ashamed, they, 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.
Who say to the wood, Thou art my father; and to the stone, Thou hast brought us forth; for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their misfortune will they say, Arise, and save 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.
But where are then thy gods that thou hast made for thyself? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy misfortune; for equal to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah.
29 Quid vultis mecum iudicio contendere? omnes dereliquistis me, dicit Dominus.
Wherefore will ye contend with me? all of you have transgressed against me, saith the Lord.
30 Frustra percussi filios vestros, disciplinam non receperunt: devoravit gladius vester prophetas vestros, quasi leo vastator
To no purpose have I smitten your children; correction they accepted not: your sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying 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?
O [present] generation, regard ye the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of deep darkness? wherefore say my people, We wander about; we cannot come any more unto thee?
32 Numquid obliviscetur virgo ornamenti sui, aut sponsa fasciae pectoralis suae? populus vero meus oblitus est mei diebus innumeris.
Can a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride her decorations? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
33 Quid niteris bonam ostendere viam tuam ad quaerendam dilectionem, quae insuper et malitias tuas docuisti vias tuas,
Why ornamentest thou thy way to seek for love? truly even the worst hast thou used thyself as 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.
Also on thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent needy ones: not while breaking in [thy house] didst thou find them; but for all these things.
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.
Yet thou sayest, Yea, I am innocent, surely his anger is already turned away from me. Behold, I will hold judgment with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
36 Quam vilis facta es nimis, iterans vias tuas! et ab Aegypto confunderis, sicut confusa es ab Assur.
Why makest thou thyself so very low to change thy way? also because of Egypt shalt thou be made ashamed, as thou wast put to shame because 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.
Also from this one shalt thou go forth, with thy hands [clasped] over thy head; for the Lord hath rejected those on whom thou trustest and thou shalt not prosper with them.
