Jeremiah 2:23

וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

הָלֹ֡ךְ וְֽקָרָ֩אתָ֩ בְאׇזְנֵ֨י יְרוּשָׁלַ֜͏ִם לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה זָכַ֤רְתִּי לָךְ֙ חֶ֣סֶד נְעוּרַ֔יִךְ אַהֲבַ֖ת כְּלוּלֹתָ֑יִךְ לֶכְתֵּ֤ךְ אַֽחֲרַי֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בְּאֶ֖רֶץ לֹ֥א זְרוּעָֽה׃ Go proclaim to Jerusalem: Thus said the LORD:
I accounted to your favor
The devotion of your youth,
Your love as a bride—
How you followed Me in the wilderness,
In a land not sown.

קֹ֤דֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לַיהֹוָ֔ה רֵאשִׁ֖ית תְּבוּאָתֹ֑ה כׇּל־אֹכְלָ֣יו יֶאְשָׁ֔מוּ רָעָ֛ה תָּבֹ֥א אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ}
Israel was holy to the LORD,
The first fruits of His harvest.
All who ate of it were held guilty;
Disaster befell them
—declares the LORD.

שִׁמְע֥וּ דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְכׇֽל־מִשְׁפְּח֖וֹת בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ Hear the word of the LORD, O House of Jacob,
Every clan of the House of Israel!

כֹּ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה מַה־מָּצְא֨וּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֥ם בִּי֙ עָ֔וֶל כִּ֥י רָחֲק֖וּ מֵעָלָ֑י וַיֵּ֥לְכ֛וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י הַהֶ֖בֶל וַיֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃ Thus said the LORD:
What wrong did your fathers find in Me
That they abandoned Me
And went after delusion and were deluded?

וְלֹ֣א אָֽמְר֔וּ אַיֵּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה הַמַּעֲלֶ֥ה אֹתָ֖נוּ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הַמּוֹלִ֨יךְ אֹתָ֜נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר בְּאֶ֨רֶץ עֲרָבָ֤ה וְשׁוּחָה֙ בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙ צִיָּ֣ה וְצַלְמָ֔וֶת בְּאֶ֗רֶץ לֹא־עָ֤בַר בָּהּ֙ אִ֔ישׁ וְלֹא־יָשַׁ֥ב אָדָ֖ם שָֽׁם׃ They never asked themselves, “Where is the LORD,
Who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
Who led us through the wilderness,
A land of deserts and pits,
A land of drought and darkness,
A land no man had traversed,
Where no human being had dwelt?”

וָאָבִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַכַּרְמֶ֔ל לֶאֱכֹ֥ל פִּרְיָ֖הּ וְטוּבָ֑הּ וַתָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ וַתְּטַמְּא֣וּ אֶת־אַרְצִ֔י וְנַחֲלָתִ֥י שַׂמְתֶּ֖ם לְתוֹעֵבָֽה׃ I brought you to this country of farm land
To enjoy its fruit and its bounty;
But you came and defiled My land,
You made My possession abhorrent.

הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים לֹ֤א אָֽמְרוּ֙ אַיֵּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה וְתֹפְשֵׂ֤י הַתּוֹרָה֙ לֹ֣א יְדָע֔וּנִי וְהָרֹעִ֖ים פָּ֣שְׁעוּ בִ֑י וְהַנְּבִאִים֙ נִבְּא֣וּ בַבַּ֔עַל וְאַחֲרֵ֥י לֹֽא־יוֹעִ֖לוּ הָלָֽכוּ׃ The priests never asked themselves, “Where is the LORD?”
The guardians of the Teaching ignored Me;
The rulers^aLit. “shepherds”; cf. 3.15; 23.1 ff. rebelled against Me,
And the prophets prophesied by Baal
And followed what can do no good.

לָכֵ֗ן עֹ֛ד אָרִ֥יב אִתְּכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֥י בְנֵיכֶ֖ם אָרִֽיב׃ Oh, I will go on accusing you
—declares the LORD—
And I will accuse your children’s children!

כִּ֣י עִבְר֞וּ אִיֵּ֤י כִתִּיִּים֙ וּרְא֔וּ וְקֵדָ֛ר שִׁלְח֥וּ וְהִֽתְבּוֹנְנ֖וּ מְאֹ֑ד וּרְא֕וּ הֵ֥ן הָיְתָ֖ה כָּזֹֽאת׃ Just cross over to the isles of the Kittim and look,
Send to Kedar and observe carefully;
See if aught like this has ever happened:

הַהֵימִ֥יר גּוֹי֙ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהֵ֖מָּה לֹ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעַמִּ֛י הֵמִ֥יר כְּבוֹד֖וֹ בְּל֥וֹא יוֹעִֽיל׃ Has any nation changed its gods
Even though they are no-gods?
But My people has exchanged its glory
For what can do no good.

שֹׁ֥מּוּ שָׁמַ֖יִם עַל־זֹ֑את וְשַׂעֲר֛וּ חׇרְב֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
Be horrified, utterly dazed!
—says the LORD.

כִּֽי־שְׁתַּ֥יִם רָע֖וֹת עָשָׂ֣ה עַמִּ֑י אֹתִ֨י עָזְב֜וּ מְק֣וֹר ׀ מַ֣יִם חַיִּ֗ים לַחְצֹ֤ב לָהֶם֙ בֹּאר֔וֹת בֹּארֹת֙ נִשְׁבָּרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יָכִ֖לוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃ For My people have done a twofold wrong:
They have forsaken Me, the Fount of living waters,
And hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns,
Which cannot even hold water.

הַעֶ֙בֶד֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִם־יְלִ֥יד בַּ֖יִת ה֑וּא מַדּ֖וּעַ הָיָ֥ה לָבַֽז׃ Is Israel a bondman?
Is he a home-born slave?
Then why is he given over to plunder?

עָלָיו֙ יִשְׁאֲג֣וּ כְפִרִ֔ים נָתְנ֖וּ קוֹלָ֑ם וַיָּשִׁ֤יתוּ אַרְצוֹ֙ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה עָרָ֥יו (נצתה) [נִצְּת֖וּ] מִבְּלִ֥י יֹשֵֽׁב׃ Lions have roared over him,
Have raised their cries.
They have made his land a waste,
His cities desolate, without inhabitants.

גַּם־בְּנֵי־נֹ֖ף (ותחפנס) [וְתַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס] יִרְע֖וּךְ קׇדְקֹֽד׃ Those, too, in Noph and Tahpanhes^bCities in Egypt. The Egyptians, like the Assyrians, will prove a disappointment; cf. v. 36.
^cMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Will lay bare^-c your head.

הֲלוֹא־זֹ֖את תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֑ךְ עׇזְבֵךְ֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֔יִךְ בְּעֵ֖ת מוֹלִכֵ֥ךְ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃ See, ^dLit. “that is what your forsaking the Lord your God is doing to you.”that is the price you have paid
For forsaking the LORD your God^-d
cMeaning of Heb. uncertain.While He led you in the way.^-c

וְעַתָּ֗ה מַה־לָּךְ֙ לְדֶ֣רֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתּ֖וֹת מֵ֣י שִׁח֑וֹר וּמַה־לָּךְ֙ לְדֶ֣רֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר לִשְׁתּ֖וֹת מֵ֥י נָהָֽר׃ What, then, is the good of your going to Egypt
To drink the waters of the Nile?
And what is the good of your going to Assyria
To drink the waters of the Euphrates?

תְּיַסְּרֵ֣ךְ רָעָתֵ֗ךְ וּמְשֻׁבוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ תּֽוֹכִחֻ֔ךְ וּדְעִ֤י וּרְאִי֙ כִּֽי־רַ֣ע וָמָ֔ר עׇזְבֵ֖ךְ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יִךְ וְלֹ֤א פַחְדָּתִי֙ אֵלַ֔יִךְ נְאֻם־אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִ֖ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃ Let your misfortune reprove you,
Let your afflictions rebuke you;
Mark well how bad and bitter it is
That you forsake the LORD your God,
That awe for Me is not in you
—declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

כִּ֣י מֵעוֹלָ֞ם שָׁבַ֣רְתִּי עֻלֵּ֗ךְ נִתַּ֙קְתִּי֙ מוֹסְרוֹתַ֔יִךְ וַתֹּאמְרִ֖י לֹ֣א (אעבוד) [אֶעֱב֑וֹר] כִּ֣י עַֽל־כׇּל־גִּבְעָ֞ה גְּבֹהָ֗ה וְתַ֙חַת֙ כׇּל־עֵ֣ץ רַעֲנָ֔ן אַ֖תְּ צֹעָ֥ה זֹנָֽה׃ For long ago you^eFor the form, cf. shaqqamti, Judg. 5.7; others “I.” broke your yoke,
Tore off your yoke-bands,
And said, “I will not work!”^fFollowing the kethib; qere “transgress.”
On every high hill and under every verdant tree,
You recline as a whore.

וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ נְטַעְתִּ֣יךְ שׂוֹרֵ֔ק כֻּלֹּ֖ה זֶ֣רַע אֱמֶ֑ת וְאֵיךְ֙ נֶהְפַּ֣כְתְּ לִ֔י סוּרֵ֖י הַגֶּ֥פֶן נׇכְרִיָּֽה׃ I planted you with noble vines,
All with choicest seed;
Alas, I find you changed
Into a base, an alien vine!

כִּ֤י אִם־תְּכַבְּסִי֙ בַּנֶּ֔תֶר וְתַרְבִּי־לָ֖ךְ בֹּרִ֑ית נִכְתָּ֤ם עֲוֺנֵךְ֙ לְפָנַ֔י נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יֱהֹוִֽה׃ Though you wash with natron
And use much lye,
Your guilt is ingrained before Me
—declares the Lord GOD.

פֶּ֣רֶה ׀ לִמֻּ֣ד מִדְבָּ֗ר בְּאַוַּ֤ת (נפשו) [נַפְשָׁהּ֙] שָׁאֲפָ֣ה ר֔וּחַ תַּאֲנָתָ֖הּ מִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נָּה כׇּל־מְבַקְשֶׁ֙יהָ֙ לֹ֣א יִיעָ֔פוּ בְּחׇדְשָׁ֖הּ יִמְצָאֽוּנְהָ׃ Or like a wild ass used to the desert,
Snuffing the wind in her eagerness,
Whose passion none can restrain,
None that seek her need grow weary—
In her season, they’ll find her!

מִנְעִ֤י רַגְלֵךְ֙ מִיָּחֵ֔ף (וגורנך) [וּגְרוֹנֵ֖ךְ] מִצִּמְאָ֑ה וַתֹּאמְרִ֣י נוֹאָ֔שׁ ל֕וֹא כִּֽי־אָהַ֥בְתִּי זָרִ֖ים וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֥ם אֵלֵֽךְ׃ Save your foot from going bare,
And your throat from thirst.
But you say, “It is no use.
No, I love the strangers,^hI.e., other gods.
And after them I must go.”

כְּבֹ֤שֶׁת גַּנָּב֙ כִּ֣י יִמָּצֵ֔א כֵּ֥ן הֹבִ֖ישׁוּ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הֵ֤מָּה מַלְכֵיהֶם֙ שָׂרֵיהֶ֔ם וְכֹהֲנֵיהֶ֖ם וּנְבִיאֵיהֶֽם׃ Like a thief chagrined when he is caught,
So is the House of Israel chagrined—
They, their kings, their officers,
And their priests and prophets.

אֹמְרִ֨ים לָעֵ֜ץ אָ֣בִי אַ֗תָּה וְלָאֶ֙בֶן֙ אַ֣תְּ (ילדתני) [יְלִדְתָּ֔נוּ] כִּֽי־פָנ֥וּ אֵלַ֛י עֹ֖רֶף וְלֹ֣א פָנִ֑ים וּבְעֵ֤ת רָעָתָם֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ ק֖וּמָה וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ׃ They said to wood, “You are my father,”
To stone, “You gave birth to me,”
While to Me they turned their backs
And not their faces.
But in their hour of calamity they cry,
“Arise and save us!”

וְאַיֵּ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔ךְ יָק֕וּמוּ אִם־יוֹשִׁיע֖וּךָ בְּעֵ֣ת רָעָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֚י מִסְפַּ֣ר עָרֶ֔יךָ הָי֥וּ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יְהוּדָֽה׃ {ס}         And where are those gods
You made for yourself?
Let them arise and save you, if they can,
In your hour of calamity.
For your gods have become, O Judah,
As many as your towns!

לָ֥מָּה תָרִ֖יבוּ אֵלָ֑י כֻּלְּכֶ֛ם פְּשַׁעְתֶּ֥ם בִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ Why do you call Me to account?
You have all rebelled against Me
—declares the LORD.

לַשָּׁוְא֙ הִכֵּ֣יתִי אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֔ם מוּסָ֖ר לֹ֣א לָקָ֑חוּ אָכְלָ֧ה חַרְבְּכֶ֛ם נְבִיאֵיכֶ֖ם כְּאַרְיֵ֥ה מַשְׁחִֽית׃ To no purpose did I smite your children;
They would not accept correction.
Your sword has devoured your prophets
Like a ravening lion.

הַדּ֗וֹר אַתֶּם֙ רְא֣וּ דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֔ה הֲמִדְבָּ֤ר הָיִ֙יתִי֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֛ם אֶ֥רֶץ מַאְפֵּ֖לְיָ֑ה מַדּ֜וּעַ אָמְר֤וּ עַמִּי֙ רַ֔דְנוּ לֽוֹא־נָב֥וֹא ע֖וֹד אֵלֶֽיךָ׃ ^cMeaning of Heb. uncertain.O generation, behold^-c the word of the LORD!
Have I been like a desert to Israel,
Or like a land of deep gloom?
Then why do My people say, “We have broken loose,
We will not come to You any more?”

הֲתִשְׁכַּ֤ח בְּתוּלָה֙ עֶדְיָ֔הּ כַּלָּ֖ה קִשֻּׁרֶ֑יהָ וְעַמִּ֣י שְׁכֵח֔וּנִי יָמִ֖ים אֵ֥ין מִסְפָּֽר׃ Can a maiden forget her jewels,
A bride her adornments?
Yet My people have forgotten Me—
Days without number.

מַה־תֵּיטִ֥בִי דַרְכֵּ֖ךְ לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה לָכֵן֙ גַּ֣ם אֶת־הָרָע֔וֹת (למדתי) [לִמַּ֖דְתְּ] אֶת־דְּרָכָֽיִךְ׃ How skillfully you plan your way
To seek out love!
Why, you have even taught
The worst of women your ways.

גַּ֤ם בִּכְנָפַ֙יִךְ֙ נִמְצְא֔וּ דַּ֛ם נַפְשׁ֥וֹת אֶבְיוֹנִ֖ים נְקִיִּ֑ים לֹֽא־בַמַּחְתֶּ֥רֶת מְצָאתִ֖ים כִּ֥י עַל־כׇּל־אֵֽלֶּה׃ Moreover, on your garments is found
The lifeblood of the innocent poor—
You did not catch them breaking in.ⁱIn which case there might have been an excuse for killing them; cf. Exod. 22.1.
^cMeaning of Heb. uncertain.Yet, despite all these things,^-c

וַתֹּֽאמְרִי֙ כִּ֣י נִקֵּ֔יתִי אַ֛ךְ שָׁ֥ב אַפּ֖וֹ מִמֶּ֑נִּי הִנְנִי֙ נִשְׁפָּ֣ט אוֹתָ֔ךְ עַל־אׇמְרֵ֖ךְ לֹ֥א חָטָֽאתִי׃ You say, “I have been acquitted;
Surely, His anger has turned away from me.”
Lo, I will bring you to judgment
For saying, “I have not sinned.”

מַה־תֵּזְלִ֥י מְאֹ֖ד לְשַׁנּ֣וֹת אֶת־דַּרְכֵּ֑ךְ גַּ֤ם מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ תֵּבֹ֔שִׁי כַּאֲשֶׁר־בֹּ֖שְׁתְּ מֵאַשּֽׁוּר׃ How you cheapen yourself,
By changing your course!
You shall be put to shame through Egypt,
Just as you were put to shame through Assyria.

גַּ֣ם מֵאֵ֥ת זֶה֙ תֵּֽצְאִ֔י וְיָדַ֖יִךְ עַל־רֹאשֵׁ֑ךְ כִּֽי־מָאַ֤ס יְהֹוָה֙ בְּמִבְטַחַ֔יִךְ וְלֹ֥א תַצְלִ֖יחִי לָהֶֽם׃ From this way, too, you will come out
^jA gesture of wild grief; cf. 2 Sam. 13.19.With your hands on your head;^-j
For the LORD has rejected those you trust,
You will not prosper with them.