1 A nd there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,

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

2 ` Go, and thou hast called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said Jehovah: I have remembered for thee The kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, Thy going after Me in a wilderness, in a land not sown.

“Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I remember you, The kindness of your youth, The love of your betrothal, When you went after Me in the wilderness, In a land not sown.

3 H oly Israel to Jehovah, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Evil cometh in unto them, an affirmation of Jehovah.

Israel was holiness to the Lord, The firstfruits of His increase. All that devour him will offend; Disaster will come upon them,” says the Lord.’”

4 H ear a word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, And all ye 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 said Jehovah: What -- have your fathers found in Me perversity, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after the vanity, and become vain,

Thus says the Lord: “What injustice have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far from Me, Have followed idols, And have become idolaters?

6 A nd have not said, Where Jehovah, Who bringeth us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leadeth us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land -- none hath passed through it, Nor dwelt hath man there?'

Neither 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 the shadow of death, Through a land that no one crossed And where no one dwelt?’

7 Y ea, I bring you in to a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And ye come in and defile My land, And Mine inheritance have made an abomination.

I brought you into a bountiful country, To eat its fruit and its goodness. But when you entered, you defiled My land And made My heritage an abomination.

8 T he priests have not said, `Where Jehovah?' And those handling the law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Baal, And after those who profit not have gone.

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; The prophets prophesied by Baal, And walked after things that do not profit.

9 T herefore, yet I plead with you, An affirmation of Jehovah, And with your sons' sons I plead.

“Therefore I will yet bring charges against you,” says the Lord, “And against your children’s children I will bring charges.

10 F or, pass to the isles of Chittim, and see, And to Kedar send, and consider well, And see if there hath been like this:

For pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus and see, Send to Kedar and consider diligently, And see if there has been such a thing.

11 H ath a nation changed gods? (And they no gods!) And My people hath changed its honour For that which doth not profit.

Has a nation changed its gods, Which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory For what does not profit.

12 B e astonished, ye heavens, at this, Yea, be frightened, be greatly wasted, An affirmation of Jehovah.

Be astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate,” says the Lord.

13 F or two evils hath My people done, Me they have forsaken, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells -- broken wells, That contain not the waters.

“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.

14 A servant Israel? Is he a child of the house? Wherefore hath he been for a prey?

“ Is Israel a servant? Is he a homeborn slave? Why is he plundered?

15 A gainst him roar do young lions, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burnt without inhabitant.

The young lions roared at him, and growled; They made his land waste; His cities are burned, without inhabitant.

16 A lso sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume thee -- the crown of the head!

Also the people of Noph and Tahpanhes Have broken the crown of your head.

17 D ost thou not do this to thyself? thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, At the time He is leading thee in the way?

Have you not brought this on yourself, In that you have forsaken the Lord your God When He led you in the way?

18 A nd now, what -- to thee in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And what -- to thee in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters of the River?

And now why take the road to Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? Or why take the road to Assyria, To drink the waters of the River?

19 I nstruct thee doth thy wickedness, And thy backslidings reprove thee, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, And My fear not being on thee, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah of Hosts.

Your own wickedness will correct you, And your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing That you have forsaken the Lord your God, And the fear of Me is not in you,” Says the Lord God of hosts.

20 F or from of old thou hast broken thy yoke, Drawn away thy bands, and sayest, `I do not serve,' For, on every high height, and under every green tree, Thou art wandering -- a harlot.

“For of old I have broken your yoke and burst your bonds; And you said, ‘I will not transgress,’ When on every high hill and under every green tree You lay down, playing the harlot.

21 A nd I planted thee a choice vine, wholly a true seed, And how hast thou been turned to Me, To the degenerate shoots of a strange vine?

Yet I had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me Into the degenerate plant of an alien vine?

22 B ut though thou dost wash with nitre, And dost multiply to thyself soap, Marked is thine iniquity before Me, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.

For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, Yet your iniquity is marked before Me,” says the Lord God.

23 H ow sayest thou, `I have not been defiled, After the Baalim I have not gone?' See thy way in a valley, know what thou hast done, A swift dromedary winding her ways,

“How can you say, ‘I am not polluted, I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley; Know what you have done: You are a swift dromedary breaking loose in her ways,

24 A wild ass accustomed to a wilderness, In the desire of her soul she hath swallowed up wind, Her meeting -- who doth turn her back? None seeking her do weary themselves, In her month they find her.

A wild donkey used to the wilderness, That sniffs at the wind in her desire; In her time of mating, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves; In her month they will find her.

25 W ithhold thy foot from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst, And thou sayest, `It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and after them I go.'

Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘There is no hope. No! For I have loved aliens, and after them I will go.’

26 A s the shame of a thief when he is found, So put to shame have been the house of Israel, They, their kings, their heads, And their priests, and their prophets,

“As the thief is ashamed when he is found out, So is the house of Israel ashamed; They and their kings and their princes, and their priests and their prophets,

27 S aying to wood, `My father thou!' And to a stone, `Thou hast brought me forth,' For they turned unto me the back and not the face, And in the time of their vexation, They say, `Arise Thou, and save us.'

Saying to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ And to a stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’ 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 A nd where thy gods, that thou hast made to thyself? Let them arise, if they may save thee, In the time of thy vexation, For -- the number of thy cities have been thy gods, O Judah,

But where are your gods that you have made for yourselves? 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 W hy do ye strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.

“Why will you plead with Me? You all have transgressed against Me,” says the Lord.

30 I n vain I have smitten your sons, Instruction they have not accepted, Devoured hath your sword your prophets, As a destroying lion.

“In vain I have chastened your children; They received no correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion.

31 O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah: A wilderness have I been to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Wherefore have My people said, `We mourned, We come not in again unto Thee.'

“O generation, see the word of the Lord! Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are lords; We will come no more to You’?

32 D oth a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And 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 hat -- dost thou make pleasing thy ways to seek love? Therefore even the wicked thou hast taught thy ways.

“Why do you beautify your way to seek love? Therefore you have also taught The wicked women your ways.

34 A lso in thy skirts hath been found the blood of innocent needy souls, Not by digging have I found them, but upon all these.

Also on your skirts is found The blood of the lives of the poor innocents. I have not found it by secret search, But plainly on all these things.

35 A nd thou sayest, `Because I have been innocent, Surely turned back hath His anger from me?' Lo, I have been judged with thee, Because of thy saying, `I have not sinned.'

Yet you say, ‘Because I am innocent, Surely His anger shall turn from me.’ Behold, I will plead My case against you, Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

36 W hat? thou art very vile to repeat thy way, Even of Egypt thou art ashamed, As thou hast been ashamed of Asshur,

Why do you gad about so much to change your way? Also you shall be ashamed of Egypt as you were ashamed of Assyria.

37 A lso from this thou goest out, And thy hands on thy head, For Jehovah hath kicked at thy confidences, And thou dost not give prosperity to them!

Indeed you will go forth from him With your hands on your head; For the Lord has rejected your trusted allies, And you will not prosper by them.