1 - And there is a word of Jehovah unto me, saying,
2 - `Go, and thou hast called in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said Jehovah: I have remembered for thee The kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, Thy going after Me in a wilderness, in a land not sown.
3 - Holy <FI>is<Fi> Israel to Jehovah, The first-fruit of His increase, All consuming him are guilty, Evil cometh in unto them, an affirmation of Jehovah.
4 - Hear a word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, And all ye families of the house of Israel.
5 - Thus said Jehovah: What--have your fathers found in Me perversity, That they have gone far off from Me, And go after the vanity, and become vain,
6 - And have not said, Where <FI>is<Fi> Jehovah, Who bringeth us up out of the land of Egypt, Who leadeth us in a wilderness, In a land of deserts and pits, In a dry land, and of death-shade, In a land--none hath passed through it, Nor dwelt hath man there?'
7 - Yea, I bring you in to a land of fruitful fields, To eat its fruit and its goodness, And ye come in and defile My land, And Mine inheritance have made an abomination.
8 - The priests have not said, `Where <FI>is<Fi> Jehovah?' And those handling the law have not known Me. And the shepherds transgressed against Me, And the prophets have prophesied by Baal, And after those who profit not have gone.
9 - Therefore, yet I plead with you, An affirmation of Jehovah, And with your sons' sons I plead.
10 - For, pass to the isles of Chittim, and see, And to Kedar send, and consider well, And see if there hath been like this:
11 - Hath a nation changed gods? (And they <FI>are<Fi> no gods!) And My people hath changed its honour For that which doth not profit.
12 - Be astonished, ye heavens, at this, Yea, be frightened, be greatly wasted, An affirmation of Jehovah.
13 - For two evils hath My people done, Me they have forsaken, a fountain of living waters, To hew out for themselves wells--broken wells, That contain not the waters.
14 - A servant <FI>is<Fi> Israel? Is he a child of the house? Wherefore hath he been for a prey?
15 - Against him roar do young lions, They have given forth their voice, And make his land become a desolation, His cities have been burnt without inhabitant.
16 - Also sons of Noph and Tahapanes Consume thee--the crown of the head!
17 - Dost thou not do this to thyself? <FI>By<Fi> thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, At the time He is leading thee in the way?
18 - And now, what--to thee in the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? And what--to thee in the way of Asshur, To drink the waters of the River?
19 - Instruct thee doth thy wickedness, And thy backslidings reprove thee, Know and see that an evil and a bitter thing <FI>Is<Fi> thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, And My fear not being on thee, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah of Hosts.
20 - For from of old thou hast broken thy yoke, Drawn away thy bands, and sayest, `I do not serve,' For, on every high height, and under every green tree, Thou art wandering--a harlot.
21 - And I planted thee a choice vine, wholly a true seed, And how hast thou been turned to Me, To the degenerate shoots of a strange vine?
22 - But though thou dost wash with nitre, And dost multiply to thyself soap, Marked is thine iniquity before Me, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah.
23 - How sayest thou, `I have not been defiled, After the Baalim I have not gone?' See thy way in a valley, know what thou hast done, A swift dromedary winding her ways,
24 - A wild ass accustomed to a wilderness, In the desire of her soul she hath swallowed up wind, Her meeting--who doth turn her back? None seeking her do weary themselves, In her month they find her.
25 - Withhold thy foot from being unshod, And thy throat from thirst, And thou sayest, `It is incurable, No, for I have loved strangers, and after them I go.'
26 - As the shame of a thief when he is found, So put to shame have been the house of Israel, They, their kings, their heads, And their priests, and their prophets,
27 - Saying to wood, `My father <FI>art<Fi> thou!' And to a stone, `Thou hast brought me forth,' For they turned unto me the back and not the face, And in the time of their vexation, They say, `Arise Thou, and save us.'
28 - And where <FI>are<Fi> thy gods, that thou hast made to thyself? Let them arise, if they may save thee, In the time of thy vexation, For--the number of thy cities have been thy gods, O Judah,
29 - Why do ye strive with Me? All of you have transgressed against Me, An affirmation of Jehovah.
30 - In vain I have smitten your sons, Instruction they have not accepted, Devoured hath your sword your prophets, As a destroying lion.
31 - O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah: A wilderness have I been to Israel? A land of thick darkness? Wherefore have My people said, `We mourned, We come not in again unto Thee.'
32 - Doth a virgin forget her ornaments? A bride her bands? And My people have forgotten Me days without number.
33 - What--dost thou make pleasing thy ways to seek love? Therefore even the wicked thou hast taught thy ways.
34 - Also in thy skirts hath been found the blood of innocent needy souls, Not by digging have I found them, but upon all these.
35 - And thou sayest, `Because I have been innocent, Surely turned back hath His anger from me?' Lo, I have been judged with thee, Because of thy saying, `I have not sinned.'
36 - What? thou art very vile to repeat thy way, Even of Egypt thou art ashamed, As thou hast been ashamed of Asshur,
37 - Also from this thou goest out, And thy hands on thy head, For Jehovah hath kicked at thy confidences, And thou dost not give prosperity to them!
