Jeremiah 2 — DBY

2Verse 1And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,^{Verse 2}Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah: I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.^{Verse 3}Israel was holiness unto Jehovah, the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him are guilty; evil shall come upon them, saith Jehovah.^{Verse 4}Hear the word of Jehovah, house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel.^{Verse 5}Thus saith Jehovah: What injustice have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and become vain?^{Verse 6}And they said not, Where is Jehovah, that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and of pits, in a land of drought and of the shadow of death, in a land that no one passeth through, and where no man dwelleth?^{Verse 7}And I brought you into a fruitful land, to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof; and ye entered and defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.^{Verse 8}The priests said not, Where is Jehovah? and they that handled the law knew me not; and the shepherds transgressed against me; and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after [things that] do not profit.^{Verse 9}Therefore will I yet plead with you, saith Jehovah, and with your children's children will I plead.^{Verse 10}For pass over to the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there have been such a thing.^{Verse 11}Hath a nation changed [its]^°gods? and they are no^°gods; — but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.^{Verse 12}Be astonished, ye heavens, at this, and shudder; be amazed very much, saith Jehovah.^{Verse 13}For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, to hew them out cisterns, broken cisterns that hold no water.^{Verse 14}Is Israel a bondman? Is he a home-born [slave]? Why is he become a spoil?^{Verse 15}The young lions roared against him, they gave forth their voice, and they made his land desolate: his cities are burned, without inhabitant.^{Verse 16}Even the children of Noph and Tahapanes have fed on the crown of thy head.^{Verse 17}Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy^°God, at the time he was leading thee in the way?^{Verse 18}And now, what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? And what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?^{Verse 19}Thine own wickedness chastiseth thee, and thy backslidings reprove thee: know then and see that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy^°God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.^{Verse 20}For of old thou hast broken thy yoke, [and] burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not serve. For upon every high hill, and under every green tree, thou bowest down, playing the harlot.^{Verse 21}And I, — I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine unto me?^{Verse 22}For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much potash, thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord Jehovah.^{Verse 23}How sayest thou, I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals? See thy way in the valley, acknowledge what thou hast done — a swift dromedary traversing her ways!^{Verse 24}— a wild ass, used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire! In her ardour, who shall turn her away? All they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.^{Verse 25}Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst, There is no hope; no, for I love strangers, and after them will I go.^{Verse 26}As a thief is ashamed when he is found, so shall the house of Israel be ashamed — they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets —^{Verse 27}saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth; for they have turned the back unto me, and not the face; and in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us!^{Verse 28}Where then are thy^°gods that thou hast made for thyself? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for as the number of thy cities, are thy^°gods, O Judah.^{Verse 29}Wherefore would ye contend with me? Ye all have transgressed against me, saith Jehovah.^{Verse 30}In vain have I smitten your children: they received no correction. Your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.^{Verse 31}O generation, mark ye the word of Jehovah. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Wherefore say my people, We have dominion; we will come no more unto thee?^{Verse 32}Doth a virgin forget her ornaments, a bride her attire? But my people have forgotten me days without number.^{Verse 33}How dost thou trim thy way to seek love! Therefore hast thou also accustomed thy ways to wickedness.^{Verse 34}Yea, in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor, whom thou didst not encounter breaking in, but [it is found] upon all these.^{Verse 35}And thou sayest, Indeed I am innocent; his anger will turn from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee because thou sayest, I have not sinned.^{Verse 36}Why dost thou gad about so much, and change thy way? Thou shalt also be brought to shame by Egypt, as thou wast brought to shame by Assyria.^{Verse 37}Thou shalt indeed go forth from her with thy hands upon thy head; for Jehovah hath rejected those thou confidest in, and thou shalt not prosper by them.