Jeremiah 2

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,	1 This word of the LORD came to me:
2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.	2 Go, cry out this message for Jerusalem to hear! I remember the devotion of your youth, how you loved me as a bride, Following me in the desert, in a land unsown.
3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.	3 Sacred to the LORD was Israel, the first fruits of his harvest; Should anyone presume to partake of them, evil would befall him, says the LORD.
4 Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:	4 Listen to the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob! All you clans of the house of Israel,
5 Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?	5 thus says the LORD: What fault did your fathers find in me that they withdrew from me, Went after empty idols, and became empty themselves?
6 Neither said they, 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?	6 They did not ask, "Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, Who led us through the desert, through a land of wastes and gullies, Through a land of drought and darkness, through a land which no one crosses, where no man dwells?"
7 And 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 mine heritage an abomination.	7 When I brought you into the garden land to eat its goodly fruits, You entered and defiled my land, you made my heritage loathsome.
8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.	8 The priests asked not, "Where is the LORD?" Those who dealt with the law knew me not: the shepherds rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after useless idols.
9 Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.	9 Therefore will I yet accuse you, says the LORD, and even your children's children I will accuse.
10 For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.	10 Pass over to the coast of the Kittim and see, send to Kedar and carefully inquire: Where has the like of this been done?
11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.	11 Does any other nation change its gods?-- yet they are not gods at all! But my people have changed their glory for useless things.
12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.	12 Be amazed at this, O heavens, and shudder with sheer horror, says the LORD.
13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.	13 Two evils have my people done: they have forsaken me, the source of living waters; They have dug themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that hold no water.
14 Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?	14 Is Israel a slave, a bondman by birth? Why then has he become booty?
15 The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.	15 Against him lions roar full-throated cries. They have made his land a waste; his cities are charred ruins, without inhabitant.
16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.	16 Yes, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes shave the crown of your head.
17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?	17 Has not the forsaking of the LORD, your God, done this to you?
18 And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?	18 And now, why go to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Nile? Why go to Assyria, to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.	19 Your own wickedness chastises you, your own infidelities punish you. Know then, and see, how evil and bitter is your forsaking the LORD, your God, And showing no fear of me, says the Lord, the GOD of hosts.
20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.	20 Long ago you broke your yoke, you tore off your bonds. "I will not serve," you said. On every high hill, under every green tree, you gave yourself to harlotry.
21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?	21 I had planted you, a choice vine of fully tested stock; How could you turn out obnoxious to me, a spurious vine?
22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.	22 Though you scour it with soap, and use much lye, The stain of your guilt is still before me, says the Lord GOD.
23 How 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;	23 How can you say, "I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals"? Consider your conduct in the Valley, recall what you have done: A frenzied she-camel, coursing near and far,
24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.	24 breaking away toward the desert, Snuffing the wind in her ardor-- who can restrain her lust? No beasts need tire themselves seeking her; in her month they will meet her.
25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.	25 Stop wearing out your shoes and parching your throat! But you say, "No use! no! I love these strangers, and after them I must go."
26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,	26 As the thief is shamed when caught, so shall the house of Israel be shamed: They, their kings and their princes, their priests and their prophets;
27 Saying to a stock, 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 will say, Arise, and save us.	27 They who say to a piece of wood, "You are my father," and to a stone, "You gave me birth." They turn to me their backs, not their faces; yet, in their time of trouble they cry out, "Rise up and save us!"
28 But 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 are thy gods, O Judah.	28 Where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up! Will they save you in your time of trouble? For as numerous as your cities are your gods, O Judah! And as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up for Baal.
29 Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.	29 How dare you still plead with me? You have all rebelled against me, says the LORD.
30 In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.	30 In vain I struck your children; the correction they did not take. Your sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.
31 O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?	31 You, of this generation, take note of the word of the Lord: Have I been a desert to Israel, a land of darkness? Why do my people say, "We have moved on, we will come to you no more"?
32 Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.	32 Does a virgin forget her jewelry, a bride her sash? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
33 Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.	33 How well you pick your way when seeking love! You who, in your wickedness, have gone by ways unclean!
34 Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.	34 You, on whose clothing there is the life-blood of the innocent, whom you found committing no burglary;
35 Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.	35 Yet withal you say, "I am innocent; at least, his anger is turned away from me." Behold, I will judge you on that word of yours, "I have not sinned."
36 Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.	36 How very base you have become in changing your course! By Egypt will you be shamed, as you were shamed by Assyria.
37 Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.	37 From there also shall you go away with hands upon your head; For the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, with them you will have no success.