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

Now 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 proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “I remember concerning you the devotion of your youth, The love of your betrothals, Your following after Me in the wilderness, Through 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 holy to the Lord, The first of His harvest. All who ate of it became guilty; Evil came upon them,” declares 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 injustice did your fathers find in Me, That they went far from Me And walked after emptiness and became empty?

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?

“They did not 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 of pits, Through a land of drought and of deep darkness, Through a land that no one crossed And where no man dwelt?’

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.

“I brought you into the fruitful land To eat its fruit and its good things. But you came and defiled My land, And My inheritance you made 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 did not know Me; The rulers also transgressed against Me, And the prophets prophesied by Baal And walked after things that did 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 yet contend with you,” declares the Lord, “And with your sons’ sons I will 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 to the coastlands of Kittim and see, And send to Kedar and observe closely And see if 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 gods When they were 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 appalled, O heavens, at this, And shudder, be very desolate,” declares 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, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.

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

“Is Israel a slave? Or is he a homeborn servant? Why has he become 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 at him, They have roared loudly. And they have made his land a waste; His cities have been destroyed, without inhabitant.

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

“Also the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes Have shaved the crown of your head.

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 done this to yourself By your 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?

“But now what are you doing on the road to Egypt, To drink the waters of the Nile? Or what are you doing on the road to 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 will correct you, And your apostasies will reprove you; Know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter For you to forsake the Lord your God, And the dread of Me is not in you,” declares the Lord God 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 tore off your bonds; But you said, ‘I will not serve!’ For on every high hill And under every green tree You have lain down as a 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 planted you a choice vine, A completely faithful seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?

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.

“Although you wash yourself with lye And use much soap, The stain of your iniquity is before Me,” declares the Lord God.

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 swift young camel entangling her ways,

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.

A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion. In the time of her heat who can turn her away? All who seek her will not become weary; 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! No! For I have loved strangers, And after them I will walk.’

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 shamed when he is discovered, So the house of Israel is shamed; They, their kings, their princes And 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.

Who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their back to Me, And not their face; But in the time of their trouble they will 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 Which you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you In the time of your trouble; For according to 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 contend with Me? You have all transgressed against Me,” declares 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 I have struck your sons; They accepted no chastening. Your sword has 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, heed the word of the Lord. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of thick darkness? Why do My people say, ‘ We are free to roam; We will no longer come 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 virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? 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 well you prepare your way To seek love! Therefore even the wicked women You have taught your ways.

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 innocent poor; You did not find them breaking in. But in spite 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 said, ‘I am innocent; Surely His anger is turned away from me.’ Behold, I will enter into judgment with 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 go around so much Changing your way? Also, you will 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 this place also you will go out With your hands on your head; For the Lord has rejected those in whom you trust, And you will not prosper with them.”