Jeremiah, 2

1. The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

1. Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2. 'Go and shout this in Jerusalem's ears: 'Yahweh says this: "I remember your faithful love, the affection of your bridal days, when you followed me through the desert, through a land unsown.

2. Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land [that was] not sown.

3. Israel was sacred to Yahweh; the first-fruits of his harvest; all who ate this incurred guilt, disaster befell them, Yahweh declares." '

3. Israel [was] holiness unto the LORD, [and] the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.

4. Listen to Yahweh's word, House of Jacob and all the families of the House of Israel.

4. Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

5. Yahweh says this, 'What did your ancestors find wrong in me for them to have deserted me so far as to follow Futility and become futile themselves?

5. 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. They never said, "Where is Yahweh, who brought us out of Egypt and led us through the desert, through a land of plains and ravines, through a land of drought, of shadow dark as death, a land through which no one passes and where no human being lives?"

6. Neither said they, 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 pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?

7. I brought you to a country of plenty, to enjoy its produce and good things; but when you entered you defiled my country and made my heritage loathsome.

7. And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.

8. The priests never asked, "Where is Yahweh?" Those skilled in the Law did not know me, the shepherds too rebelled against me and the prophets prophesied by Baal and followed the Useless Ones.

8. The priests said not, Where [is] the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after [things that] do not profit.

9. So I must state my case against you once more, Yahweh declares, and state my case against your children's children:

9. Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.

10. Cross to the isles of the Kittim and look, send to Kedar and carefully observe, see if anything like this has happened before!

10. For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.

11. Does a nation change its gods? - and these are not gods at all! Yet my people have exchanged their Glory for the Useless One!

11. Hath a nation changed [their] gods, which [are] yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for [that which] doth not profit.

12. You heavens, stand aghast at this, horrified, utterly appalled, Yahweh declares.

12. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.

13. For my people have committed two crimes: they have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, and dug water-tanks for themselves, cracked water-tanks that hold no water.

13. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, [and] hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

14. 'Is Israel a slave? Was he born into serfdom, for him to be preyed on like this?

14. [Is] Israel a servant? [is] he a homeborn [slave]? why is he spoiled?

15. Lions have roared at him, they have made their voices heard. They have left this country a desert, his towns lie burnt and uninhabited.

15. The young lions roared upon him, [and] yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.

16. The people of Noph and Tahpanhes have shaved your skull!

16. Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.

17. Have you not brought this on yourself, by abandoning Yahweh your God, when he was guiding you on your way?

17. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?

18. What is the good of going to Egypt now to drink the water of the Nile? What is the good of going to Assyria to drink the water of the River?

18. And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

19. Your wickedness will bring its own punishment, your infidelities will bring you to book, so give thought and see how evil and bitter it is to abandon Yahweh your God and not to stand in awe of me, the Lord Yahweh Sabaoth declares.

19. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that [it is] an evil [thing] and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear [is] not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

20. 'It is long ago now since you broke your yoke, burst your bonds and said, "I will not serve!" Yet on every high hill and under every green tree you have sprawled and played the whore.

20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

21. Yet I had planted you, a red vine of completely sound stock. How is it you have turned into seedlings of a vine that is alien to me?

21. Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

22. Even though you scrub yourself with soda and put in quantities of soap, the stain of your guilt would still be visible to me, the Lord Yahweh declares.

22. For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, [yet] thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.

23. How dare you say, "I am not defiled, I have not run after the Baals?" Look at your behaviour in the Valley, realise what you have done.

23. How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: [thou art] a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

24. A wild she-donkey, at home in the desert, snuffing the breeze in desire; who can control her when she is on heat? Males need not trouble to look for her, they will find her in her month.

24. A wild ass used to the wilderness, [that] snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

25. Beware! Your own foot will go unshod, your own throat grow dry! But you said, "It is no use! No! For I love the Strangers and they are the ones I shall follow."

25. Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

26. 'Like a thief ashamed at being caught, so will the House of Israel be: they, their kings, their chief men, their priests and their prophets,

26. As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,

27. who say to a piece of wood, "You are my father," and to a stone, "You gave birth to me." For they turn to me their backs, never their faces; yet when trouble comes they shout, "Get up! Save us!"

27. Saying to a stock, Thou [art] my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned [their] back unto me, and not [their] face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

28. Where are your gods you made for yourself? Let them get up if they can save you when trouble comes! For you have as many gods as you have towns, Judah!

28. But where [are] thy gods that 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. Why make out a case against me? You have all rebelled against me, Yahweh declares.

29. Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.

30. In vain I have struck your children, they have not accepted correction; your own sword has devoured your prophets like a marauding lion.

30. In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

31. Now you of this generation, listen to what Yahweh says: Have I been a desert for Israel, or a land of gloom? Why do my people say, "We are our own masters, we will come to you no more"?

31. O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?

32. Does a girl forget her ornaments, a bride her sash? And yet my people have forgotten me, days beyond number.

32. Can a maid forget her ornaments, [or] a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

33. 'How well you set your course in pursuit of love! And so you have schooled your ways to wicked deeds.

33. Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.

34. The very skirts of your robe are stained with the blood of the poor, of innocent men you never caught breaking and entering! And in spite of all this,

34. Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.

35. you say, "I am innocent, let his anger turn from me!" Now I pass sentence on you for saying, "I have not sinned."

35. Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.

36. 'How frivolously you undertake a change of course! But you will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.

36. Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

37. You will have to leave there too with your hands on your head, for Yahweh has rejected those that you rely on, you will come to no good with them.'

37. Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.