Jeremiah 2

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
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 out to the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus says the Lord: I have remembered you, taking pity on your youth and on the charity of your betrothal, when you followed me into the desert, into a land which 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 of his fruits. All those who devour him commit an offense. Evils will overwhelm them, says the Lord.”
4 Listen to Yahweh's word, House of Jacob and al the families of the House of Israel.	4 Listen to the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all you 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 says the Lord: “What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they would draw far away from me, and would walk after emptiness, and would become empty?
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, who caused us to ascend from the land of Egypt; who led us through the desert, through an uninhabited and impassable land, through a land of drought and of the image of death, through a land in which no one walked and in which no man lived?’
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 led you into the land of Carmel, so that you would eat from its fruit and from its excellence. And having entered it, you defiled my land, and you turned my inheritance into 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 have not sad: ‘Where is the Lord?’ And those who held the law did not know me. And the pastors betrayed 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 Because of this, I will still contend in judgment against you, says the Lord, and I will dispute with your sons.
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 Cross over to the isles of Kittim, and gaze. And send to Kedar, and consider diligently. And see if anything like this has ever been done.
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 See if a nation has ever changed their gods, though certainly those are not gods. Yet truly, my people have exchanged their glory for an idol.
12 You heavens, stand aghast at this, horrified, utterly appalled, Yahweh declares.	12 Be astonished at this, O heavens, and be utterly desolate, O gates of heaven, says 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 they have dug for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that are unable to hold water.
14 'Is Israel a slave? Was he born into serfdom, for him to be preyed on like this?	14 Is Israel a servant, or one born into slavery? Then why has he become a 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 over him, and they have uttered their voice. They have set his land in solitude; his cities have been burned up, and there is no one who lives in them.
16 The people of Noph and Tahpanhes have shaved your skul !	16 Likewise, the sons of Memphis and of Tahpanhes have defiled you, even to the top of the head.
17 Have you not brought this on yourself, by abandoning Yahweh your God, when he was guiding you onyour way?	17 Has this not been done to you because you abandoned the Lord your God, in that time when he was leading you 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 do you want from the way of Egypt, but to drink their turbid water? And what do you want from the way of the Assyrians, but to drink the water of their 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 Your own malice will reprove you, and your own apostasy will rebuke you! But know and perceive this: it is an evil and bitter thing for you to forsake the Lord your God, and to be without my fear within you, says 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 From ancient times, you have broken my yoke; you have torn apart my bonds, and you have said, ‘I will not serve.’ For on every high hill, and under every leafy tree, you have been debased, O harlot.
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 you as an elect vineyard, with only true seed. Then how have you been turned away from me, toward that which is depraved, 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 Even if you wash yourself with soap, and increase your use of herbal soaps, you are still stained by your iniquity in my sight, says 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 can you say: ‘I have not been polluted. I have not walked after Baal?’ Consider your ways in the steep valley. Acknowledge what you have done, so that you may be like a swift runner, following 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 donkey accustomed to solitude, out of the desire in his soul, caught the scent of his lover. Now nothing will turn him away from her. All those who seek her will not cease. But they will find her in her menstruation.
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 You should keep your foot from being naked, and your throat from being thirsty. But you have said: ‘I have lost hope. I will not do it. For certainly, 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 In the same way that a thief is confounded when he has been apprehended, so the house of Israel has been confounded, they and their kings, their leaders and priests and 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 For they say to a piece of wood, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You have conceived me.’ They have turned their back to me, and not their face. But in the time of their affliction, they will say: ‘Rise up 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 your gods that you made for yourselves? Let them rise up and deliver you in the time of your affliction. For certainly, your gods were like the number of your cities, O Judah.
29 Why make out a case against me? You have al rebel ed against me, Yahweh declares.	29 Why do you want to contend against me in judgment? You have all forsaken me, says 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 I have struck your children to no effect; they have not accepted discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets. Your generation is like a raging 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 Consider the word of the Lord. Have I become like a wilderness to Israel, or like a land late to bear fruit? Then why have my people said, ‘We are withdrawing; we will no longer approach you’?
32 Does a girl forget her ornaments, a bride her sash? And yet my people have forgotten me, daysbeyond number.	32 Can a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride the covering across her breast? Yet truly, my people have forgotten me, for innumerable days.
33 'How wel you set your course in pursuit of love! And so you have schooled your ways to wicked deeds.	33 Why are you striving to claim that your way is good, as if to seek my love, when all the while you are also displaying your malice by your own way,
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 your armpits there is found the blood of poor and innocent souls? I have found them, not in ditches, but everywhere that I mentioned previously.
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 you have said: ‘I am innocent and without sin. And because of this, let your fury be turned away from me.’ Behold, I will contend with you in judgment, because you have 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 exceedingly vile you have become, repeating your ways again and again! And so, you will be ashamed of Egypt, just as you were ashamed of Assur.
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 you will also depart from that place, and your hand will be upon your head. For the Lord has crushed your confidence, and you will have nothing prosperous by it.”