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

وَأعطانِي اللهُ هَذِهِ الرِّسالَةَ:

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.

«اذْهَبْ وَأعلِنْ لِسُكّانِ القُدْسِ أنَّ هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ: «‹يا قُدْسُ، أتَذَكَّرُ وَلاءَكِ الَّذِي أظهَرْتِهِ فِي شَبابِكِ، وَأتَذَكَّرُ مَحَبَّتَكِ لِي كَعَرُوسٍ. وَكَيفَ مَشَيتِ وَرائِي فِي الصَّحراءِ، فِي أرْضٍ غَيرِ مَزرُوعَةٍ.

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.

إسْرائِيلُ مُخَصَّصٌ للهِ ، وَهُوَ أوَّلُ حَصادِهِ. كُلُّ مَنْ يُحاوِلُ أكلَهُ سَيُعاقَبُ، وَسَيَأتِي عَلَيهِ الشَّرُّ.›» يَقُولُ اللهُ.

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

اسمَعُوا كَلِمَةَ اللهِ يا نَسلَ يَعقُوبَ، وَيا جَميعَ عَشائِرِ بَيتِ إسْرائِيلَ.

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?

لأنَّ هَذا هُوَ ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ: «ما النَّقصُ الَّذِي وَجَدَهُ آباؤُكُمْ فِيَّ، حَتَّى إنَّهُمُ ابتَعَدُوا عَنِّي، وَذَهَبُوا وَراءَ ما لا قِيمَةَ لَهُ، فَخَسِرُوا هُمْ قِيمَتَهُمْ؟

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?

لَمْ يَقُولُوا: ‹أينَ اللهُ الَّذِي أخرَجَنا مِنْ أرْضِ مِصْرَ، الَّذِي قادَنا فِي البَرِّيَّةِ، فِي أرْضٍ قاحِلَةٍ وَمَلِيئَةٍ بِالوِديانِ، فِي أرْضٍ جافَّةٍ وَخَطِرَةٍ، فِي أرْضٍ مَهْجُورَةٍ، لا يَعِيشُ فِيها أحَدٌ؟›

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.

«أتَيتُ بِكُمْ إلَى أرْضٍ مُثمِرَةٍ، لِتَأكُلُوا ثَمَرَها وَخَيراتِها. لَكِنَّكُمْ دَخَلتُمْ وَنَجَّستُمْ أرْضِي، وَجَعَلْتُمُوها قَبيحَةً.

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.

«لَمْ يَقُلِ الكَهَنَةُ: ‹أينَ اللهُ ؟› وَالَّذِينَ يَعرِفُونَ الشَّرِيعَةَ لا يَعرِفُونَنِي. الرُّعاةُ أخطَأُوا ضِدِّي، وَالأنبِياءُ تَنَبَّأُوا بِاسْمِ البَعلِ، وَالباقُونَ ذَهَبُوا وَراءَ أُمُورٍ لا تَنفَعُ.»

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

يَقُولُ اللهُ: «لِذَلِكَ سَأُحاكِمُكُمْ ثانِيَةً، وَسَأُحاكِمُ أحفادَكُمْ.

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:

اذهَبُوا إلَى جُزُرِ كِتِّيمَ لِتَرَوا، أوْ أرسِلُوا شَخصاً إلَى أرْضِ قِيدارَ لِتَعرِفُوا. وَانظُرُوا إنْ حَدَثَ هُناكَ مِثلُ هَذا.

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.

هَلْ غَيَّرَتْ أُمَّةٌ آلِهَتَها مِنْ قَبلُ؟ مَعَ أنَّها لَيسَتْ آلِهَةً حَقِيقِيَّةً. أمّا شَعبِي فَقَدِ استَبدَلُوا مَجدِي بِما لَيسَ يَنْفَعُ.

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

يَقُولُ اللهُ: «أيَّتُها السَّماواتُ اندَهِشِي! ارتَعِبِي وَتَمَزَّقِي،

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.

لأنَّ شَعبِي عَمِلَ شَرَّينِ: تَرَكُوا يُنبُوعَ المِياهِ المُنعِشَةِ، وَحَفَرُوا لأنفُسِهِمْ آباراً. لَكِنَّها آبارٌ مُشَقَّقَةٌ لا تَحتَفِظُ بِالماءِ.

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

«هَلْ إسْرائِيلُ عَبدٌ؟ هَلْ هُوَ خادِمٌ وُلِدَ فِي البَيتِ؟ فَلِماذا صارَ غَنِيمَةَ حَربٍ؟

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.

الأُسُودُ زَمجَرَتْ عَلَيهِ. زَمجَرَتْ بِصَوتٍ عالٍ. حَوَّلَ الأعداءُ أرْضَهُ إلَى تَلَّةٍ مِنَ الخَرائِبِ. أحرَقُوا مُدُنَهُ وَلَمْ يَترُكُوا فِيها أحَداً.

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.

حَتَّى شَعبُ مَمفِيسَ وَتَحفَنِيسَ سَحَقُوا تاجَ رَأسِكِ.

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

صَنَعْتِ هَذا بِنَفسِكِ لأنَّكِ تَرَكتِ إلَهَكِ ، بَينَما كانَ يَقُودُكِ فِي الطَّرِيقِ.

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?

وَالآنَ، لِماذا تُرِيدِينَ السَّيرَ فِي الطَّرِيقِ إلَى مِصرَ، أَلِتَشرَبِي ماءً مِنَ النِّيلِ؟ وَلِماذا تُرِيدِينَ السَّيرَ إلَى أشُّورَ، أَلِتَشرَبِي ماءً مِنَ الفُراتِ؟

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.

فَلتَتأدَّبِي بِسَبِبِ شَرِّكِ، وَلتَتَعَلَّمِي بِسَبِبِ تَمَرُّدُكِ، لِكَي تَعرِفِي وَتَرَي أنَّ تَركَكِ إلَهَكِ أمرٌ شِرِّيرٌ وَمُرٌّ. مَهابَتِي لَيسَتْ فِيكِ،» يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ القَديرُ.

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.

«لأنَّكِ مُنذُ القَدِيمِ كَسَرْتِ نِيرَكِ، وَنَزَعْتِ قُيُودَكِ. وَقُلْتِ: ‹لَنْ أعْبَدَهُ!› فَزَنَيتِ عَلَى كُلِّ تَلَّةٍ مُرتَفِعَةٍ، وَتَحتَ كُلِّ شَجَرَةٍ مُورِقَةٍ،

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?

وَكُنْتُ قَدْ زَرَعتُكِ مِثلَ كَرْمِ عِنَبٍ أحمَرَ جَيِّدٍ، مِنْ أحسَنِ بُذُورٍ. فَكَيفَ تَغَيَّرْتِ وَصِرْتِ رَدِيئَةً، وَكَأنَّكِ كَرمَةٌ بَرِّيَّةٌ؟

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.

فَحَتَّى لَو اغتَسَلتِ بِالنَّطرُونِ، أوِ بِالكَثِيرِ مِنَ الصّابُونِ، فَسَتَبقى أوْساخُ آثامِكِ أمامِي،» يَقُولُ الرَّبُّ الإلَهُ.

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,

«كَيفَ تَقُولِينَ: ‹لَستُ نَجِسَةً، وَلَمْ أذهَبْ وَراءَ البَعلِ؟› انظُرِي إلَى ما تَعمَلِينَهُ فِي الوادِي، وَاعتَرِفِي بِما عَمِلْتِ. كُنتِ مِثلَ ناقَةٍ سَرِيعَةٍ مَتَعَثِّرَةِ الخُطَى!

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.

مِثلَ أتانٍ بَرِّيَّةٍ فِي القَفرِ، فَمَنْ يَستَطِيعُ ضَبطَها إذْ تَلتَهِبُ شَهوَتُها. لا يَتْعَبُ الباحِثُونَ عَنها، بَلْ يَجِدُونَها فِي مَوسِمِ التَّزاوُجِ.

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.

قُلْتُ لَكِ لا تَركُضِي إلَى أنْ يَبلَى حِذاؤُكِ، أوْ حَتَّى يَجِفَّ حَلقُكِ. فَقُلْتِ: ‹لا يَهُمُّنِي، قَدْ أحبَبتُ غُرَباءَ، وَسَأذْهَبُ وَراءَهُمْ.›

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—

«فَكَما يُخزَى لِصٌّ حِينَ يُمسَكُ، هَكَذا خَزِيَ بَنو إسْرائِيلَ، هُمْ وَمُلُوكُهُمْ وَرُؤَساؤُهُمْ وَكَهَنَتُهُمْ وَأنبِياؤُهُمْ.

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!

فَهُمُ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ لِشَجَرَةٍ: ‹أنتِ أبِي،› وَيَقُولُونَ لِصَخرَةٍ: ‹أنتِ أُمِّي.› لأنَّهُمْ أعطُونِي ظُهُورَهُمْ لا وُجُوهَهُمْ. وَفِي ضِيقهِمْ يَقُولُونَ: ‹قُمْ وَأنقِذْنا.›

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.

أينَ آلِهَتُكَ الَّتِي صَنَعْتَها لِنَفسِكَ؟ لِيَقُومُوا وَيُخَلِّصُوكَ فِي وَقتِ الضِّيقِ. لأنَّ عَدَدَ آلِهَتِكَ بِعَدَدِ مُدُنِكَ يا يَهُوذا.

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

«لِماذا تُجادِلُونَنِي؟ كُلُّكُمْ تَمَرَّدْتُمْ عَلَيَّ،» يَقُولُ اللهُ.

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.

«ضَرَبتُ أولادَكُمْ، لَكِنَّ هَذا لَمْ يَنْفَعْ، لأنَّهُمْ لَمْ يَتَعَلَّمُوا مِنْ تَأدِيبِي. وَكَأسَدٍ مُهتاجٍ، قَتَلتُمْ أنبِياءَكُمْ بَسُيُوفِكُمْ.»

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?

يا أبناءَ هَذا الجِيلِ، انتَبِهُوا إلَى ما يَقُولُهُ اللهُ لَكُمْ: «هَلْ أنا كالصَحراءِ بالنِّسبَةِ إلَى بَنِي إسْرائِيلَ؟ هَلْ أنا كَأرْضٍ مُظلِمَةٍ؟ فَلِماذا يَقُولُ شَعبِي: ‹سَنَجُولَ كَما نَشاءُ، وَلَنْ نَأتِيَ إلَيكَ ثانِيَةً›؟

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

هَلْ تَنسَى العَذراءُ زِينَتَها؟ أوِ العَرُوسُ ثِيابَ الزِّفافِ؟ وَلَكِنَّ شَعبِي نَسِيَنِي أيّاماً كَثيرَةً!

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

«ما أمْهَرَكِ فِي اكْتِشافِ الطَّرِيقِ نَحوَ مُحِبِّيكِ! بَلْ عَلَّمْتِ الشِّرِّيراتِ طُرُقَكِ!

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—

عَلَى كَفَّيكِ دَمٌ، إنَّهُ حَياةُ المَساكِينِ الأبرِياءِ. لَمْ تَجِدِيهِمْ يَسرِقُونَ بَيتَكِ، بَلْ قَتَلتِهِمْ بِلا سَبَبٍ.

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.

وَقُلْتِ: ‹إنِّي بَرِيئَةٌ!› ها إنَّنِي سَآتِي بِكِ إلَى المُحاكَمَةِ. لأنَّكِ قُلْتِ: ‹لَمْ أُخطِئْ.›

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.

تَتَسَكَّعِينَ بِاستِخفافٍ. سَتَخِيبُ آمالُكِ فِي مِصْرَ، كَما خابَتْ فِي أشُّورَ.

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.

سَتَخرُجِينَ مِنْ مِصرَ وَيَداكِ فَوقَ رَأسِكِ. لأنَّ اللهَ قَدْ رَفَضَ تِلكَ الأُمَمَ الَّتِي وَثِقْتِ بِها، وَلَنْ تَنجَحِي حِينَ يُساعِدُونَكِ.