Jeremiah 2 Parallel Bible Translations

Jeremiah 2 ▼
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1 And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying, The word of the LORD came to me, saying, The word of the LORD came to me:
2 “Go, and you have called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said YHWH: I have remembered for you || The kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, || Your going after Me in a wilderness, in a land not sown. “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: “This is what the LORD says: “’I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown.
3 Israel [is] holy to YHWH, || The first-fruit of His increase, || All consuming him are guilty, || Calamity comes to them,” || A declaration of YHWH. Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who ate of it incurred guilt; disaster came upon them, declares the LORD.” Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,’” declares the LORD.
4 Hear a word of YHWH, O house of Jacob, || And all you families of the house of Israel— Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. Hear the word of the LORD, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel.
5 Thus said YHWH: “What perversity have your fathers found in Me, || That they have gone far off from Me, || And go after vanity, and become vain, Thus says the LORD: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless? This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
6 And have not said, Where [is] YHWH, || Who brings us up out of the land of Egypt, || Who leads us in a wilderness, || In a land of deserts and pits, || In a dry land, and of death-shade, || In a land that none has passed through, || Nor has man dwelt there? They did not say, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?’ They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
7 Indeed, I bring you into a land of fruitful fields, || To eat its fruit and its goodness, || And you come in and defile My land, || And have made My inheritance an abomination. And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination. I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.
8 The priests have not said, Where [is] YHWH? And those handling the Law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, || And the prophets have prophesied by Ba‘al, || And have gone after those who do not profit. The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit. The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.
9 Therefore, I yet plead with you,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “And I plead with your sons’ sons. “Therefore I still contend with you, declares the LORD, and with your children’s children I will contend. “Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the LORD. “And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10 For pass to the islands of Chittim and see, || And send to Kedar and consider well, || And see if there has been [anything] like this: For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing. Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 Has a nation changed gods? (And they [are] no gods!) And My people has changed its glory || For that which does not profit. Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit. Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.
12 Be astonished, you heavens, at this, || Indeed, be frightened, be greatly desolated,” || A declaration of YHWH. Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the LORD.
13 “For My people have done two evils, || They have forsaken Me, a fountain of living waters, || To hew out for themselves wells—broken wells, || That do not contain the waters. for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water. “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
14 [Is] Israel a servant? Is he a child of the house? Why has he been for a prey? “Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant? Why then has he become a prey? Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder?
15 Young lions roar against him, || They have given forth their voice, || And make his land become a desolation, || His cities have been burned without inhabitant. The lions have roared against him; they have roared loudly. They have made his land a waste; his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant. Lions have roared; they have growled at him. They have laid waste his land; his towns are burned and deserted.
16 Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes || Consume you—the crown of the head! Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head. Also, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked your skull.
17 Do you not do this to yourself? [By] your forsaking your God YHWH, || At the time He is leading you in the way? Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the LORD your God, when he led you in the way? Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the LORD your God when he led you in the way?
18 And now, why do you [go] in the way of Egypt, || To drink the waters of Sihor? And why do you [go] in the way of Asshur, || To drink the waters of the River? And now what do you gain by going to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? Or what do you gain by going to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates? Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? And why go to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates?
19 Your wickedness instructs you, || And your backslidings reprove you, || Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing [is] your forsaking your God YHWH, || And My fear not being on you,” || A declaration of Lord YHWH of Hosts. Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the LORD your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord GOD of hosts. Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.
20 “For from of old you have broken your yoke, || Drawn away your bands, and say, I do not serve, || For on every high height, and under every green tree, || You are wandering—a harlot. “For long ago I broke your yoke and burst your bonds; but you said, ‘I will not serve.’ Yes, on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down like a whore. “Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute.
21 And I planted you [as] a choice vine, wholly of true seed, || And how have you been turned || Into the degenerate shoots of a strange vine to Me? Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine? I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?
22 But though you wash with natron, || And multiply soap to yourself, || Your iniquity is marked before Me,” || A declaration of Lord YHWH. Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, declares the Lord GOD. Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me,” declares the Sovereign LORD.
23 “How can you say, I have not been defiled, || I have not gone after the Ba‘alim? See your way in a valley, know what you have done, || A swift dromedary winding her ways, How can you say, ‘I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals’? Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done— a restless young camel running here and there, “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there,
24 A wild donkey accustomed to a wilderness, || She has swallowed up wind in the desire of her soul, || Her meeting—who turns her back? None seeking her weary themselves, || In her month they find her. a wild donkey used to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust? None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her. a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving— in her heat who can restrain her? Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves; at mating time they will find her.
25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, || And your throat from thirst, || And you say, It is incurable, || No, for I have loved strangers, and I go after them. Keep your feet from going unshod and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is hopeless, for I have loved foreigners, and after them I will go.’ Do not run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry. But you said, ‘It’s no use! I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’
26 As the shame of a thief when he is found, || So has the house of Israel been put to shame, || They, their kings, their heads, || And their priests, and their prophets, “As a thief is shamed when caught, so the house of Israel shall be shamed: they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets, “As a thief is disgraced when he is caught, so the people of Israel are disgraced— they, their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets.
27 Saying to wood, You [are] my father! And to a stone, You have brought me forth, || For they turned to me the back and not the face, || And in the time of their distress, || They say, Arise, and save us. who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their back to me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they say, ‘Arise and save us!’ They say to wood, ‘You are my father,’ and to stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’
28 And where [are] your gods, that you have made to yourself? Let them arise, if they may save you, || In the time of your distress, || For—the number of your cities have been your gods, O Judah, But where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you, in your time of trouble; for as many as your cities are your gods, O Judah. Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns.
29 Why do you strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me,” || A declaration of YHWH. “Why do you contend with me? You have all transgressed against me, declares the LORD. “Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me,” declares the LORD.
30 “I have struck your sons in vain, || They have not accepted instruction, || Your sword has devoured your prophets, || As a destroying lion. In vain have I struck your children; they took no correction; your own sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion. “In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion.
31 O generation, see the word of YHWH: Have I been a wilderness to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Why have My people said, || We wandered freely, || We do not come to You again. And you, O generation, behold the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people say, ‘We are free, we will come no more to you’? “You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to you no more’?
32 Does a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And My people have forgotten Me [for] days without number. Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. Does a young woman forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number.
33 Why do you make your ways pleasing to seek love? Therefore you have even taught the wicked your ways. “How well you direct your course to seek love! So that even to wicked women you have taught your ways. How skilled you are at pursuing love! Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.
34 Also the blood of innocent needy souls || Has been found on your skirts, || I have not found them by digging, || But on all these. Also on your skirts is found the lifeblood of the guiltless poor; you did not find them breaking in. Yet in spite of all these things On your clothes is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this
35 And you say, Because I have been innocent, || Surely His anger has turned back from me? Behold, I have been judged with you, || Because of your saying, I have not sinned. you say, ‘I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.’ Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’ you say, ‘I am innocent; he is not angry with me.’ But I will pass judgment on you because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 What? You are very vile to repeat your way, || You are even ashamed of Egypt, || As you have been ashamed of Asshur, How much you go about, changing your way! You shall be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria. Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria.
37 Also you go out from this, || And your hands on your head, || For YHWH has kicked at your confidences, || And you do not give prosperity to them!” From it too you will come away with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, and you will not prosper by them. You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them.
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