1 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

1 וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃

2 Go and say in the ears of Jerusalem, The Lord says, I still keep the memory of your kind heart when you were young, and your love when you became my bride; how you went after me in the waste of sand, in an unplanted land.

2 הָלֹ֡ךְ וְקָֽרָאתָ֩ בְאָזְנֵי֙ יְרוּשָׁלִַ֜ם לֵאמֹ֗ר כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה זָכַ֤רְתִּי לָךְ֙ חֶ֣סֶד נְעוּרַ֔יִךְ אַהֲבַ֖ת כְּלוּלֹתָ֑יִךְ לֶכְתֵּ֤ךְ אַחֲרַי֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר בְּאֶ֖רֶץ לֹ֥א זְרוּעָֽה׃

3 Israel was holy to the Lord, the first-fruits of his increase: all who made attacks on him were judged as wrongdoers, evil came on them, says the Lord.

3 קֹ֤דֶשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לַיהוָ֔ה רֵאשִׁ֖ית תְּבוּאָתֹ֑ה^q כָּל־אֹכְלָ֣יו יֶאְשָׁ֔מוּ רָעָ֛ה תָּבֹ֥א אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

4 Give ear to the words of the Lord, O sons of Jacob and all the families of Israel:

4 שִׁמְע֥וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְכָֽל־מִשְׁפְּחֹ֖ות בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

5 These are the words of the Lord: What evil have your fathers seen in me that they have gone far from me, and, walking after what is false, have become false?

5 כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה מַה־מָּצְא֨וּ אֲבֹותֵיכֶ֥ם בִּי֙ עָ֔וֶל כִּ֥י רָחֲק֖וּ מֵעָלָ֑י וַיֵּֽלְכ֛וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י הַהֶ֖בֶל וַיֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃

6 And they never said, Where is the Lord, who took us up out of the land of Egypt; who was our guide through the waste of sand, through an unplanted land full of deep holes, through a dry land of deep shade, which no one went through and where no man was living?

6 וְלֹ֣א אָמְר֔וּ אַיֵּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה הַמַּעֲלֶ֥ה אֹתָ֖נוּ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הַמֹּולִ֨יךְ אֹתָ֜נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר בְּאֶ֨רֶץ עֲרָבָ֤ה וְשׁוּחָה֙ בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙ צִיָּ֣ה וְצַלְמָ֔וֶת בְּאֶ֗רֶץ לֹֽא־עָ֤בַר בָּהּ֙ אִ֔ישׁ וְלֹֽא־יָשַׁ֥ב אָדָ֖ם שָֽׁם׃

7 And I took you into a fertile land, where you were living on its fruit and its wealth; but when you came in, you made my land unclean, and made my heritage a disgusting thing.

7 וָאָבִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַכַּרְמֶ֔ל לֶאֱכֹ֥ל פִּרְיָ֖הּ וְטוּבָ֑הּ וַתָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ וַתְּטַמְּא֣וּ אֶת־אַרְצִ֔י וְנַחֲלָתִ֥י שַׂמְתֶּ֖ם לְתֹועֵבָֽה׃

8 The priests did not say, Where is the Lord? and those who were expert in the law had no knowledge of me: and the rulers did evil against me, and the prophets became prophets of the Baal, going after things without value.

8 הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים לֹ֤א אָֽמְרוּ֙ אַיֵּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה וְתֹפְשֵׂ֤י הַתֹּורָה֙ לֹ֣א יְדָע֔וּנִי וְהָרֹעִ֖ים פָּ֣שְׁעוּ בִ֑י וְהַנְּבִיאִים֙ נִבְּא֣וּ בַבַּ֔עַל וְאַחֲרֵ֥י לֹֽא־יֹועִ֖לוּ הָלָֽכוּ׃

9 For this reason, I will again put forward my cause against you, says the Lord, even against you and against your children's children.

9 לָכֵ֗ן עֹ֛ד אָרִ֥יב אִתְּכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֥י בְנֵיכֶ֖ם אָרִֽיב׃

10 For go over to the sea-lands of Kittim and see; send to Kedar and give deep thought to it; and see if there has ever been such a thing.

10 כִּ֣י עִבְר֞וּ אִיֵּ֤י כִתִּיִּים֙ וּרְא֔וּ וְקֵדָ֛ר שִׁלְח֥וּ וְהִֽתְבֹּונְנ֖וּ מְאֹ֑ד וּרְא֕וּ הֵ֥ן הָיְתָ֖ה כָּזֹֽאת׃

11 Has any nation ever made a change in their gods, though they are no gods? but my people have given up their glory in exchange for what is of no profit.

11 הַהֵימִ֥יר גֹּוי֙ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהֵ֖מָּה לֹ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעַמִּ֛י הֵמִ֥יר כְּבֹודֹ֖ו בְּלֹ֥וא יֹועִֽיל׃

12 Be full of wonder, O heavens, at this; be overcome with fear, be completely waste, says the Lord.

12 שֹׁ֥מּוּ שָׁמַ֖יִם עַל־זֹ֑את וְשַׂעֲר֛וּ חָרְב֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

13 For my people have done two evils; they have given up me, the fountain of living waters, and have made for themselves water-holes, cut out from the rock, broken water-holes, of no use for storing water.

13 כִּֽי־שְׁתַּ֥יִם רָעֹ֖ות עָשָׂ֣ה עַמִּ֑י אֹתִ֨י עָזְב֜וּ מְקֹ֣ור׀ מַ֣יִם חַיִּ֗ים לַחְצֹ֤ב לָהֶם֙ בֹּארֹ֔ות בֹּארֹת֙ נִשְׁבָּרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָכִ֖לוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃

14 Is Israel a servant? has he been a house-servant from birth? why has he been made waste?

14 הַעֶ֙בֶד֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִם־יְלִ֥יד בַּ֖יִת ה֑וּא מַדּ֖וּעַ הָיָ֥ה לָבַֽז׃

15 The young lions have made an outcry against him with a loud voice: they have made his land waste; his towns are burned up, with no one living in them.

15 עָלָיו֙ יִשְׁאֲג֣וּ כְפִרִ֔ים נָתְנ֖וּ קֹולָ֑ם וַיָּשִׁ֤יתוּ אַרְצֹו֙ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה עָרָ֥יו נִצְּתָה נִצְּת֖וּ מִבְּלִ֥י יֹשֵֽׁב׃

16 Even the children of Noph and Tahpanhes have put shame on you.

16 גַּם־בְּנֵי־נֹ֖ף וְתַחְפְּנֵס וְתַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס יִרְע֖וּךְ קָדְקֹֽד׃

17 Has not this come on you because you have given up the Lord your God, who was your guide by the way?

17 הֲלֹוא־זֹ֖את תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֑ךְ עָזְבֵךְ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֔יִךְ בְּעֵ֖ת מֹולִיכֵ֥ךְ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃

18 And now, what have you to do on the way to Egypt, to get your drink from the waters of the Nile? or what have you to do on the way to Assyria, to get your drink from the waters of the River?

18 וְעַתָּ֗ה מַה־לָּךְ֙ לְדֶ֣רֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתֹּ֖ות מֵ֣י שִׁחֹ֑ור וּמַה־לָּךְ֙ לְדֶ֣רֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר לִשְׁתֹּ֖ות מֵ֥י נָהָֽר׃

19 The evil you yourselves have done will be your punishment, your errors will be your judge: be certain then, and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing to give up the Lord your God, and no longer to be moved by fear of me, says the Lord, the Lord of armies.

19 תְּיַסְּרֵ֣ךְ רָעָתֵ֗ךְ וּמְשֻֽׁבֹותַ֙יִךְ֙ תֹּוכִחֻ֔ךְ וּדְעִ֤י וּרְאִי֙ כִּי־רַ֣ע וָמָ֔ר עָזְבֵ֖ךְ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יִךְ וְלֹ֤א פַחְדָּתִי֙ אֵלַ֔יִךְ נְאֻם־אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה צְבָאֹֽות׃

20 For in the past, your yoke was broken by your hands and your cords parted; and you said, I will not be your servant; for on every high hill and under every branching tree, your behaviour was like that of a loose woman

20 כִּ֣י מֵעֹולָ֞ם שָׁבַ֣רְתִּי עֻלֵּ֗ךְ נִתַּ֙קְתִּי֙ מֹוסְרֹתַ֔יִךְ וַתֹּאמְרִ֖י לֹ֣א אֶעֱבֹד אֶעֱבֹ֑ור כִּ֣י עַֽל־כָּל־גִּבְעָ֞ה גְּבֹהָ֗ה וְתַ֙חַת֙ כָּל־עֵ֣ץ רַעֲנָ֔ן אַ֖תְּ צֹעָ֥ה זֹנָֽה׃

21 But when you were planted by me, you were a noble vine, in every way a true seed: how then have you been changed into the branching plant of a strange vine?

21 וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ נְטַעְתִּ֣יךְ שֹׂרֵ֔ק כֻּלֹּ֖ה זֶ֣רַע אֱמֶ֑ת וְאֵיךְ֙ נֶהְפַּ֣כְתְּ לִ֔י סוּרֵ֖י הַגֶּ֥פֶן נָכְרִיָּֽה׃

22 For even if you are washed with soda and take much soap, still your evil-doing is marked before me, says the Lord God.

22 כִּ֤י אִם־תְּכַבְּסִי֙ בַּנֶּ֔תֶר וְתַרְבִּי־לָ֖ךְ בֹּרִ֑ית נִכְתָּ֤ם עֲוֹנֵךְ֙ לְפָנַ֔י נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃

23 How are you able to say, I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals? see your way in the valley, be clear about what you have done: you are a quick-footed camel twisting her way in and out;

23 אֵ֣יךְ תֹּאמְרִ֞י לֹ֣א נִטְמֵ֗אתִי אַחֲרֵ֤י הַבְּעָלִים֙ לֹ֣א הָלַ֔כְתִּי רְאִ֤י דַרְכֵּךְ֙ בַּגַּ֔יְא דְּעִ֖י מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑ית בִּכְרָ֥ה קַלָּ֖ה מְשָׂרֶ֥כֶת דְּרָכֶֽיהָ׃

24 An untrained ass, used to the waste land, breathing up the wind in her desire; at her time, who is able to send her away? all those who are looking for her will have no need to make themselves tired; in her month they will get her.

24 פֶּ֣רֶה׀ לִמֻּ֣ד מִדְבָּ֗ר בְּאַוַּ֤ת נַפשֹׁו נַפְשָׁהּ֙ שָׁאֲפָ֣ה ר֔וּחַ תַּאֲנָתָ֖הּ מִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נָּה כָּל־מְבַקְשֶׁ֙יהָ֙ לֹ֣א יִיעָ֔פוּ בְּחָדְשָׁ֖הּ יִמְצָאֽוּנְהָ׃

25 Do not let your foot be without shoes, or your throat dry from need of water: but you said, There is no hope: no, for I have been a lover of strange gods, and after them I will go.

25 מִנְעִ֤י רַגְלֵךְ֙ מִיָּחֵ֔ף וּגֹורֹנֵךְ וּגְרֹונֵ֖ךְ מִצִּמְאָ֑ה וַתֹּאמְרִ֣י נֹואָ֔שׁ לֹ֕וא כִּֽי־אָהַ֥בְתִּי זָרִ֖ים וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֥ם אֵלֵֽךְ׃

26 As the thief is shamed when he is taken, so is Israel shamed; they, their kings and their rulers, their priests and their prophets;

26 כְּבֹ֤שֶׁת גַּנָּב֙ כִּ֣י יִמָּצֵ֔א כֵּ֥ן הֹבִ֖ישׁוּ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הֵ֤מָּה מַלְכֵיהֶם֙ שָֽׂרֵיהֶ֔ם וְכֹהֲנֵיהֶ֖ם וּנְבִיאֵיהֶֽם׃

27 Who say to a tree, You are my father; and to a stone, You have given me life: for their backs have been turned to me, not their faces: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Up! and be our saviour.

27 אֹמְרִ֨ים לָעֵ֜ץ אָ֣בִי אַ֗תָּה וְלָאֶ֙בֶן֙ אַ֣תְּ יְלִדְתִּני יְלִדְתָּ֔נוּ כִּֽי־פָנ֥וּ אֵלַ֛י עֹ֖רֶף וְלֹ֣א פָנִ֑ים וּבְעֵ֤ת רָֽעָתָם֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ ק֖וּמָה וְהֹושִׁיעֵֽנוּ׃

28 But where are the gods you have made for yourselves? let them come, if they are able to give you salvation in the time of your trouble: for the number of your gods is as the number of your towns, O Judah.

28 וְאַיֵּ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔ךְ יָק֕וּמוּ אִם־יֹושִׁיע֖וּךָ בְּעֵ֣ת רָעָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֚י מִסְפַּ֣ר עָרֶ֔יךָ הָי֥וּ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יְהוּדָֽה׃

29 Why will you put forward your cause against me? You have all done evil against me, says the Lord.

29 לָ֥מָּה תָרִ֖יבוּ אֵלָ֑י כֻּלְּכֶ֛ם פְּשַׁעְתֶּ֥ם בִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

30 I gave your children blows to no purpose; they got no good from training: your sword has been the destruction of your prophets, like a death-giving lion.

30 לַשָּׁוְא֙ הִכֵּ֣יתִי אֶת־בְּנֵיכֶ֔ם מוּסָ֖ר לֹ֣א לָקָ֑חוּ אָכְלָ֧ה חַרְבְּכֶ֛ם נְבִֽיאֵיכֶ֖ם כְּאַרְיֵ֥ה מַשְׁחִֽית׃

31 O generation, see the word of the Lord. Have I been a waste land to Israel? or a land of dark night? why do my people say, We have got loose, we will not come to you again?

31 הַדֹּ֗ור אַתֶּם֙ רְא֣וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֔ה הֲמִדְבָּ֤ר הָיִ֙יתִי֙ לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִ֛ם אֶ֥רֶץ מַאְפֵּ֖לְיָ֑ה מַדּ֜וּעַ אָמְר֤וּ עַמִּי֙ רַ֔דְנוּ לֹֽוא־נָבֹ֥וא עֹ֖וד אֵלֶֽיךָ׃

32 Is it possible for a virgin to put out of her memory her ornaments, or a bride her robes? but my people have put me out of their memories for unnumbered days.

32 הֲתִשְׁכַּ֤ח בְּתוּלָה֙ עֶדְיָ֔הּ כַּלָּ֖ה קִשֻּׁרֶ֑יהָ וְעַמִּ֣י שְׁכֵח֔וּנִי יָמִ֖ים אֵ֥ין מִסְפָּֽר׃

33 With what care are your ways ordered when you are looking for love! so ... your ways.

33 מַה־תֵּיטִ֥בִי דַּרְכֵּ֖ךְ לְבַקֵּ֣שׁ אַהֲבָ֑ה לָכֵן֙ גַּ֣ם אֶת־הָרָעֹ֔ות לִמַּדְתִּי לִמַּ֖דְתְּ אֶת־דְּרָכָֽיִךְ׃

34 And in the skirts of your robe may be seen the life-blood of those who have done no wrong: ...

34 גַּ֤ם בִּכְנָפַ֙יִךְ֙ נִמְצְא֔וּ דַּ֛ם נַפְשֹׁ֥ות אֶבְיֹונִ֖ים נְקִיִּ֑ים לֹֽא־בַמַּחְתֶּ֥רֶת מְצָאתִ֖ים כִּ֥י עַל־כָּל־אֵֽלֶּה׃

35 And still you said, I have done no wrong; truly, his wrath is turned away from me. See, I will take up the cause against you, because you say, I have done no wrong.

35 וַתֹּֽאמְרִי֙ כִּ֣י נִקֵּ֔יתִי אַ֛ךְ שָׁ֥ב אַפֹּ֖ו מִמֶּ֑נִּי הִנְנִי֙ נִשְׁפָּ֣ט אֹותָ֔ךְ עַל־אָמְרֵ֖ךְ לֹ֥א חָטָֽאתִי׃

36 Why do you go about so much for the purpose of changing your way? you will be shamed on account of Egypt, as you were shamed on account of Assyria.

36 מַה־תֵּזְלִ֥י מְאֹ֖ד לְשַׁנֹּ֣ות אֶת־דַּרְכֵּ֑ךְ גַּ֤ם מִמִּצְרַ֙יִם֙ תֵּבֹ֔ושִׁי כַּאֲשֶׁר־בֹּ֖שְׁתְּ מֵאַשּֽׁוּר׃

37 Truly, you will go out from him with your hands on your head: for the Lord has given up those in whom you have put your faith, and they will be of no help to you.

37 גַּ֣ם מֵאֵ֥ת זֶה֙ תֵּֽצְאִ֔י וְיָדַ֖יִךְ עַל־רֹאשֵׁ֑ךְ כִּֽי־מָאַ֤ס יְהֹוָה֙ בְּמִבְטַחַ֔יִךְ וְלֹ֥א תַצְלִ֖יחִי לָהֶֽם׃