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

And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

2 G o and cry out in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD: I remember thee, the mercy of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou didst go after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

Go 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.

3 I srael was holiness unto the LORD and the firstfruits of his increase; all that devour him shall be found guilty; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.

Israel 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.

4 H ear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel;

Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.

5 t hus hath the LORD said, What iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me and have walked after vanity and are become vain?

Thus 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?

6 N either did they say, 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?

Nor 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?

7 A nd 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 my heritage an abomination.

And 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.

8 T he priests did not say, Where is the LORD? and those that handled the law did not know me; the pastors also rebelled against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and walked after things that do not profit.

the 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.

9 ¶ Therefore I will yet enter into judgment with you, saith the LORD, and I will plead with your children’s children.

Therefore I will still contend with you, says the Lord, and with your children’s children will I contend.

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

For 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:

11 H as a nation changed their gods? Even though they are not gods. But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.

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

12 B e astonished, O ye heavens, at this; and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, said the LORD.

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

13 F or my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters to hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

For 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.

14 ¶ Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn slave? Why has he been given over as a prey?

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

15 T he young lions roared upon him and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are deserted without inhabitant.

The 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.

16 E ven the sons of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.

Moreover, 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.

17 C ould this not have come upon you peradventure because thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?

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

18 A nd now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt? to drink the waters of the Nile? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria? to drink the waters of the river Eufrates?

And 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?

19 T hine own wickedness shall chastise thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee; know therefore and see how evil and bitter it is, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God and that my fear is lacking in thee, saith the Lord GOD of the hosts.

Your 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.

20 ¶ For of old time I have broken thy yoke and burst thy bands; and thou didst say, I will not serve sin. With all this, upon every high hill and under every green tree thou dost wander, playing the harlot.

For 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.

21 Y et I had planted thee a noble vine, a seed of Truth, all of her; how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

Yet 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?

22 F or though thou wash thee with nitre and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is sealed before me, saith the Lord GOD.

For 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.

23 H ow 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;

How 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,

24 a wild ass used to the wilderness that breaths according to the desire of her soul; from her lust, who shall stop her? All those that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

Or 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.

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

Keep 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.

26 A s the thief is ashamed when he is taken, so shall the house of Israel be ashamed: they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,

As 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—

27 s aying to a piece of firewood, 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 say, Arise and deliver us.

they 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!

28 B ut 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 were thy gods, O Judah.

But 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.

29 ¶ Why will ye plead with me? Ye have all rebelled against me, saith the LORD.

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

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

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

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

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?

32 S hall the virgin, perchance, forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

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

33 W hy dost thou trim thy way to seek love? therefore thou hast also taught the wicked ones thy ways.

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

34 E ven in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents; thou didst not find them in any trespass, but by all these things.

Also 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—

35 Y et thou didst say, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee because thou hast said, I did not sin.

Yet 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.

36 W hy dost thou talk so much, changing thy ways? Thou shalt also be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

Why 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.

37 T hou shalt also go forth from him with thine hands upon thine head; for the LORD has rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.

From 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.