2:7. And I brought you into the land of Carmel, to eat the fruit thereof, and the best things thereof: and when ye entered in, you defiled my land and made my inheritance an abomination.
Carmel... That is, a fruitful, plentiful land.
2:8. 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.
2:9. Therefore will I yet contend in judgment with you, saith the Lord, and I will plead with your children.
2:10. Pa.s.s 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.
2:11. If a nation hath changed their G.o.ds, and indeed they are not G.o.ds: but my people have changed their glory into an idol.
2:12. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and ye gates thereof, be very desolate, saith the Lord.
2:13. 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.
2:14. Is Israel a bondman, or a homeborn slave? why then is he become a prey?
2:15. 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.
2:16. The children also of Memphis, and of Taphnes have defloured thee, even to the crown of the head.
2:17. Hath not this been done to thee, because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy G.o.d at that time, when he led thee by the way?
2:18. 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 a.s.syrians, to drink the water of the river?
2:19. 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 G.o.d, and that my fear is not with thee, saith the Lord the G.o.d of hosts.
2:20. 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 prost.i.tute thyself.
2:21. 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?
2:22. Though thou wash thyself with nitre, and multiply to thyself the herb borith, thou art stained in thy iniquity before me, saith the Lord G.o.d.
Borith... An herb used to clean clothes, and take out spots and dirt.
2:23. How canst thou say: I am not polluted, I have not walked after Baalim? see thy ways in the valley, know what thou hast done: as a swift runner pursuing his course.
2:24. A wild a.s.s 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.
2:25. 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.
2:26. 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.
2:27. 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.
2:28. Where are the G.o.ds, 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 G.o.ds, O Juda.
2:29. Why will you contend with me in judgment? you have all forsaken me, saith the Lord.
2:30. 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.
2:31. 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?
2:32. Will a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride her stomacher? but my people hath forgotten me days without number.
2:33. Why dost thou endeavour to shew thy way good to seek my love, thou who hast also taught thy malices to be thy ways,
2:34. 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.
2:35. 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 judgment, because thou hast said: I have not sinned.
2:36. How exceeding base art thou become, going the same ways over again! and thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of a.s.syria.
2:37. 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.
Jeremias Chapter 3
G.o.d invites the rebel Jews to return to him, with a promise to receive them: he foretells the conversion of the Gentiles.
3:1. It is commonly said: If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and marry another man, shall he return to her any more? shall not that woman be polluted, and defiled? but thou hast prost.i.tuted thyself to many lovers: nevertheless return to me, saith the Lord, and I will receive thee.
3:2. Lift up thy eyes on high: and see where thou hast not prost.i.tuted thyself: thou didst sit in the ways, waiting for them as a robber in the wilderness: and thou hast polluted the land with thy fornications, and with thy wickedness.
3:3. Therefore the showers were withholden, and there was no lateward rain: thou hadst a harlot"s forehead, thou wouldst not blush.
3:4. Therefore at the least from this time call to me: Thou art my father, the guide of my virginity:
3:5. Wilt thou be angry for ever, or wilt thou continue unto the end?
Behold, thou hast spoken, and hast done evil things, and hast been able.
3:6. And the Lord said to me in the days of king Josias: Hast thou seen what rebellious Israel hath done? she hath gone of herself upon every high mountain, and under every green tree, and hath played the harlot there.
3:7. And when she had done all these things, I said: Return to me, and she did not return. And her treacherous sister Juda saw,
3:8. That because the rebellious Israel had played the harlot, I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce: yet her treacherous sister Juda was not afraid, but went and played the harlot also herself.
3:9. And by the facility of her fornication she defiled the land, and played the harlot with stones and with stocks.
3:10. And after all this, her treacherous sister Juda hath not returned to me with her whole heart, but with falsehood, saith the Lord.
3:11. And the Lord said to me: The rebellious Israel hath justified her soul, in comparison of the treacherous Juda.
3:12. Go, and proclaim these words towards the north, and thou shalt say: Return, O rebellious Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not turn away my face from you: for I am holy, saith the Lord, and I will not be angry for ever.
3:13. But yet acknowledge thy iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy G.o.d: and thou hast scattered thy ways to strangers under every green tree, and hast not heard my voice, saith the Lord.
3:14. Return, O ye revolting children, saith the Lord: for I am your I husband: and I will take you, one of a city, and two of a kindred, and will bring you into Sion.
3:15. And I will give you pastors according to my own heart, and they shall feed you with knowledge and doctrine.