1 A nd the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

2 G o and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus says the Lord: I remember the kindness and devotion of your youth, your love after your betrothal and marriage when you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

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

3 I srael was holiness to the Lord, the firstfruits of His harvest; all who ate of it offended and became guilty; evil came upon them, says the Lord.

Israel was holiness unto Jehovah, the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him shall be held guilty; evil shall come upon them, saith Jehovah.

4 H ear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.

Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

5 T hus says the Lord: What unrighteousness did your fathers find in Me, that they went far from Me and went after emptiness, falseness, and futility and themselves became fruitless and worthless?

thus saith Jehovah, What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

6 N or did they say, Where is the Lord, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death and deep darkness, through a land that no man passes through and where no man dwells?

Neither said they, Where is Jehovah 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 none passed through, and where no man dwelt?

7 A nd I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and good things. But when you entered, you defiled My land and made My heritage an abomination.

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

8 t he priests did not say, Where is the Lord? And those who handle the law knew Me not. The rulers and secular shepherds also transgressed against Me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and followed after things that do not profit.

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

9 T herefore I will still contend with you, says the Lord, and with your children’s children will I contend.

Wherefore I will yet contend with you, saith Jehovah, and with your children's children will I contend.

10 F or cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and see, send also to Kedar and carefully consider; and see whether there has been such a thing as this:

For pass over to the isles of Kittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently; and see if there hath been such a thing.

11 H as a nation changed its gods, even though they are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory for that which does not profit.

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

12 B e astonished and appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked and shrivel up with horror, says the Lord.

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

13 F or My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and they have hewn for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns which cannot hold water.

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 I s Israel a servant? Is he a homeborn slave? Why has he become a captive and a prey?

Is Israel a servant? is he a home-born slave? why is he become a prey?

15 T he young lions have roared over him and made their voices heard. And they have made his land a waste; his cities are burned ruins without inhabitant.

The young lions have roared upon him, and yelled; and they have made his land waste: his cities are burned up, without inhabitant.

16 M oreover, the children of Memphis and Tahpanhes (Egypt) have broken and fed on the crown of your head —so do not rely on them as an ally now.

The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of thy head.

17 H ave you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the Lord your God when He led you in the way?

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

18 A nd now what have you to gain by allying yourself with Egypt and going her way, to drink the waters of the Nile? Or what have you to gain in going the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the Euphrates?

And now what hast thou to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? or what hast thou to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?

19 Y our own wickedness shall chasten and correct you, and your backslidings and desertion of faith shall reprove you. Know therefore and recognize that this is an evil and bitter thing: you have forsaken the Lord your God; you are indifferent to Me and the fear of Me is not in you, says the Lord of hosts.

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

20 F or long ago I broke your yoke and burst your bonds and long ago you shattered the yoke and snapped the bonds; you said, I will not serve and obey You! For upon every high hill and under every green tree you prostrated yourself, playing the harlot.

For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bonds; and thou saidst, I will not serve; for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou didst bow thyself, playing the harlot.

21 Y et I had planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned into degenerate shoots of wild vine alien to Me?

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

22 F or though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, yet your iniquity and guilt are still spotted, dirty, and stained before Me, says the Lord.

For though thou wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord Jehovah.

23 H ow can you say, I am not defiled; I have not gone after the Baals ? Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done. You are a restive young female camel running hither and thither,

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

24 O r a wild donkey used to the desert, in her heat sniffing the wind. In her mating season who can restrain her? No males seeking her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her.

a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire; 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 K eep your feet from being unshod and your throat from thirst. But you said, It is hopeless! For I have loved strangers and foreigners, and after them I will go.

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

26 A s the thief is brought to shame when he is caught, so shall the house of Israel be brought to shame—they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets—

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 t hey say to a tree, You are my father, and to a stone, You gave me birth. For they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces; but in the time of their trouble, they say, Arise and save us!

who say 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 B ut where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them arise if they can save you in the time of your trouble! For the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah.

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 W hy do you complain and remonstrate against My wrath? You all have rebelled and revolted against Me, says the Lord.

Wherefore will ye contend with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith Jehovah.

30 I n vain have I stricken your children (your people); they received no discipline (no correction). Your own sword devoured your prophets like a destroying lion.

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

31 O generation! Behold, consider, and regard the word of the Lord: Have I been a wilderness to Israel ? A land of deep darkness ? Why do My people say, We have broken loose; we will come no more to You?

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

32 C an a maid forget and neglect her ornaments, or a bride her girdle ? Yet My people have forgotten Me, days without number.

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

33 H ow you deck yourself and direct your way to procure love! Because of it even wicked women have learned ways from you.

How trimmest thou thy way to seek love! therefore even the wicked women hast thou taught thy ways.

34 A lso on your skirts is found the lifeblood of the persons of the innocent poor; you did not find them housebreaking, nor have I found it out by secret search. But it is because of all these things—

Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor: thou didst not find them breaking in; but it is because of all these things.

35 Y et you keep saying, I am innocent; surely His anger has turned away from Me. Behold, I will bring you to judgment and will plead against you because you say, I have not sinned.

Yet thou saidst, 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 W hy do you gad or wander about so much to change your way? You shall be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria.

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

37 F rom also you will come away with your hands upon your head, for the Lord has rejected those in whom you confide, and you will not prosper with them.

From thence also shalt thou go forth, with thy hands upon thy head: for Jehovah hath rejected those in whom thou trustest, and thou shalt not prosper with them.