Jeremiah

¹ Now the word of Yahweh came to me saying,

² The love of your betrothals, Your walking after Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown.

³ The first of His produce. All who ate of it became guilty; Evil came upon them,” declares Yahweh.’”

⁴ Hear the word of Yahweh, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel.

⁵ That they went far from Me And walked after vanity and became vain?

⁶ 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 the shadow of death, Through a land that no one crossed And where no man inhabited?’

⁷ To eat its fruit and its good things. But you came and defiled My land, And My inheritance you made an abomination.

⁸ And those who handle the law did not know Me; The shepherds also transgressed against Me, And the prophets prophesied by Baal And walked after things that did not profit.

⁹ “And with your sons’ sons I will contend.

¹⁰ And send to Kedar and perceive closely And see if there has been such a thing as this!

¹¹ Though they were not gods? But My people have changed their glory For that which does not profit.

¹² And be horribly afraid, be very devastated,” declares Yahweh.

¹³ They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water.

¹⁴ Why has he become plunder?

¹⁵ They have given forth their voice. And they have made his land a desolation; His cities have been turned into ruin, without inhabitant.

¹⁶ Have shaved the top of your head.

¹⁷ By your forsaking Yahweh your God When He led you in the way?

¹⁸ To drink the waters of the Nile? Or what are you doing on the road to Assyria, To drink the waters of the River?

¹⁹ And your acts of faithlessness will reprove you; Know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter For you to forsake Yahweh your God, And the dread of Me is not in you,” declares Lord Yahweh of hosts.

²⁰ 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 A completely true seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?

²² And use much soap, The stain of your iniquity is before Me,” declares Lord Yahweh.

²³ I have not walked 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 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 And your throat from thirst; But you said, ‘It is hopeless! No! For I have loved strangers, And after them I will walk.’

²⁶ So the house of Israel is shamed; They, their kings, their princes, And their priests and their prophets,

²⁷ And to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their back to Me And not their face; But in the time when their evil comes they will say, ‘Arise and save us.’

²⁸ Which you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you In the time when your evil comes; For according to the number of your cities Are your gods, O Judah.

²⁹ You have all transgressed against Me,” declares Yahweh.

³⁰ They received no discipline. Your sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion.

³¹ 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 Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me Days without number.

³³ To seek love! Therefore even the wicked women You have taught your ways.

³⁴ The lifeblood of the innocent needy; You did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things,

³⁵ Surely His anger is turned away from me.’ Behold, I will enter into judgment with you Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

³⁶ In changing your way? Also, you will be put to shame by Egypt As you were put to shame by Assyria.

³⁷ With your hands on your head; For Yahweh has rejected those in whom you trust, And you will not succeed with them.”