Jeremiah 2

NEW JERUSALEM	DOUAI-RHEIMS
1 The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,	1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:
2 'Go and shout this in Jerusalem's ears: 'Yahweh says this: "I remember your faithful love, the affection ofyour bridal days, when you fol owed me through the desert, through a land unsown.	2 Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the Lord: I have remembered thee, pitying thy soul, pitying thy youth, and the love of thy espousals, when thou followedst me in the desert, in a land that is not sown.
3 Israel was sacred to Yahweh; the first-fruits of his harvest; al who ate this incurred guilt, disaster befelthem, Yahweh declares." '	3 Israel is holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his increase: all they that devour him offend: evils shall come upon them, saith the Lord.
4 Listen to Yahweh's word, House of Jacob and al the families of the House of Israel.	4 Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all ye families of the house of Israel.
5 Yahweh says this, 'What did your ancestors find wrong in me for them to have deserted me so far as tofol ow Futility and become futile themselves?	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?
6 They never said, "Where is Yahweh, who brought us out of Egypt and led us through the desert, througha land of plains and ravines, through a land of drought, of shadow dark as death, a land through which no onepasses and where no human being lives?"	6 And they have not said: Where is the Lord, that made us come up out of the land of Egypt? that led us through the desert, through a land uninhabited and unpassable, through a land of drought, and the image of death, through a land wherein no man walked, nor any man dwelt?
7 I brought you to a country of plenty, to enjoy its produce and good things; but when you entered youdefiled my country and made my heritage loathsome.	7 And I brought you into the land of Carmel, to eat the fruit thereof, and the best things thereof: ad when ye entered in, you defiled my land, and made my inheritance an abomination.
8 The priests never asked, "Where is Yahweh?" Those skilled in the Law did not know me, the shepherdstoo rebel ed against me and the prophets prophesied by Baal and fol owed the Useless Ones.	8 The priests did not say: Where is the Lord? and they that held the law knew me not, and the pastors transgressed against me: and the prophets prophesied in Baal, and followed idols.
9 So I must state my case against you once more, Yahweh declares, and state my case against yourchildren's children:	9 Therefore will I yet contend in judgement with you, saith the Lord, and I will plead with your children.
10 Cross to the isles of the Kittim and look, send to Kedar and careful y observe, see if anything like thishas happened before!	10 Pass over to the isles of Cethim, and see: and send into Cedar, and consider diligently: and see if there hath been done any thing like this.
11 Does a nation change its gods? - and these are not gods at al ! Yet my people have exchanged theirGlory for the Useless One!	11 If a nation hath changed their gods, and indeed they are not gods,: but my people have changed their glory into an idol.
12 You heavens, stand aghast at this, horrified, utterly appalled, Yahweh declares.	12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and ye gates thereof, be very desolate, saith the Lord.
13 For my people have committed two crimes: they have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, anddug water-tanks for themselves, cracked water-tanks that hold no water.	13 For my people have done two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
14 'Is Israel a slave? Was he born into serfdom, for him to be preyed on like this?	14 Is Israel a bondman, or a homeborn slave? why then is he become prey?
15 Lions have roared at him, they have made their voices heard. They have left this country a desert, histowns lie burnt and uninhabited.	15 The lions have roared upon him, and have made a noise, they have made his land a wilderness: his cities are burnt down and there is none to dwell in them.
16 The people of Noph and Tahpanhes have shaved your skul !	16 The children also of Memphis, and of Taphnes have deflowered thee, even to the crown of the head.
17 Have you not brought this on yourself, by abandoning Yahweh your God, when he was guiding you onyour way?	17 Hath not this been done to thee, because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God at that time, when he led thee by the way?
18 What is the good of going to Egypt now to drink the water of the Nile? What is the good of going toAssyria to drink the water of the River?	18 And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the troubled water? And what hast thou to do with the way of the Assyrians, to drink the water of the river?
19 Your wickedness wil bring its own punishment, your infidelities wil bring you to book, so give thoughtand see how evil and bitter it is to abandon Yahweh your God and not to stand in awe of me, the Lord YahwehSabaoth declares.	19 Thy own wickedness shall reprove thee, and thy apostasy shall rebuke thee. Know thou, and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing for thee, to have left the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not with thee, saith the Lord the God of hosts.
20 'It is long ago now since you broke your yoke, burst your bonds and said, "I wil not serve!" Yet on every high hil and under every green tree you have sprawled and played the whore.	20 Of old time thou hast broken my yoke, thou hast burst my bands, and thou saidst: I will not serve. For on every high hill, and under every green tree thou didst prostitute thyself.
21 Yet I had planted you, a red vine of completely sound stock. How is it you have turned into seedlings of a vine that is alien to me?	21 Yet I planted thee a chosen vineyard, all true seed: how then art thou turned unto me into that which is good for nothing, O strange vineyard?
22 Even though you scrub yourself with soda and put in quantities of soap, the stain of your guilt would stilbe visible to me, the Lord Yahweh declares.	22 Though thou wash thyself with nitre, and multiply to thyself the herb borith, thou art stained in thy iniquity before me, saith the Lord God.
23 How dare you say, "I am not defiled, I have not run after the Baals?" Look at your behaviour in theVal ey, realise what you have done.	23 How canst thou say: I am not polluted, and I have not walked after Baalim? see thy ways in the valley, know what thou hast done: as a swift runner pursuing his course.
24 A wild she-donkey, at home in the desert, snuffing the breeze in desire; who can control her when sheis on heat? Males need not trouble to look for her, they wil find her in her month.	24 A wild ass accustomed to the wilderness in the desire of his heart, snuffed up the wind of his love: none shall turn her away: all that seek her shall not fail: in her monthly filth they shall find her.
25 Beware! Your own foot will go unshod, your own throat grow dry! But you said, "It is no use! No! For Ilove the Strangers and they are the ones I shal fol ow."	25 Keep thy foot from being bare, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst: I have lost all hope, I will not do it: for I have loved strangers, and I will walk after them.
26 'Like a thief ashamed at being caught, so wil the House of Israel be: they, their kings, their chief men,their priests and their prophets,	26 As the thief is confounded when he is taken, so is the house of Israel confounded, they and their kings, their princes and their priests, and their prophets.
27 who say to a piece of wood, "You are my father," and to a stone, "You gave birth to me." For they turn to me their backs, never their faces; yet when trouble comes they shout, "Get up! Save us!"	27 Saying to a stock: Thou art my father: and to a stone: thou hast begotten me: they have turned their back to me, and not their face: and in the time of their affliction they will say: Arise, and deliver us.
28 Where are your gods you made for yourself? Let them get up if they can save you when trouble comes!For you have as many gods as you have towns, Judah!	28 Where are the gods, whom thou hast made thee? let them arise and deliver thee in the time of thy affliction: for according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Juda.
29 Why make out a case against me? You have al rebel ed against me, Yahweh declares.	29 Why will you contend with me in judgement? you have all forsaken me, saith the Lord.
30 In vain I have struck your children, they have not accepted correction; your own sword has devouredyour prophets like a marauding lion.	30 In vain have I struck your children, they have not received correction: your sword hath devoured your prophets, your generation is like a ravaging lion.
31 Now you of this generation, listen to what Yahweh says: Have I been a desert for Israel, or a land ofgloom? Why do my people say, "We are our own masters, we wil come to you no more"?	31 See ye the word of the Lord: Am I become a wilderness to Israel, or a lateward springing land? why then have my people said: We are revolted, we will come to thee no more.
32 Does a girl forget her ornaments, a bride her sash? And yet my people have forgotten me, daysbeyond number.	32 Will a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride her stomacher? but my people hath forgotten me days without number.
33 'How wel you set your course in pursuit of love! And so you have schooled your ways to wicked deeds.	33 Why dost thou endeavor to shew thy way good to seek my love, thou who has also taught thy malices to be thy ways,
34 The very skirts of your robe are stained with the blood of the poor, of innocent men you never caughtbreaking and entering! And in spite of al this,	34 And in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor and innocent? not in ditches have I found them, but in all places, which I mentioned before.
35 you say, "I am innocent, let his anger turn from me!" Now I pass sentence on you for saying, "I have not sinned."	35 And thou hast said: I am without sin and am innocent: and therefore let thy anger be turned away from me. Behold, I will contend with thee in judgement, because thou hast said: I have not sinned.
36 'How frivolously you undertake a change of course! But you will be disappointed by Egypt just as youwere by Assyria.	36 How exceeding base art thou become, going the same ways over again! and thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
37 You wil have to leave there too with your hands on your head, for Yahweh has rejected those that yourely on, you will come to no good with them.'	37 For from thence thou shalt go, and thy hand shall be upon thy head: for the Lord hath destroyed thy trust, and thou shalt have nothing prosperous therein.