The word of the LORD came to me, saying:

Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: ‘This is what the LORD says: 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 cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who tried to devour it were held guilty; disaster came upon them,’ declares the LORD.

Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.

Hear the word of the LORD, house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel.

Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

This is what the LORD says: ‘What fault did your ancestors find in me that they strayed so far from me? They pursued worthless idols and became worthless themselves.

Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and deep darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’

Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?

I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and its bounty. But you came and defiled my land. You made my inheritance detestable.

And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.

The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds rebelled against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and followed worthless things.

The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

Therefore I will still bring charges against you, declares the LORD, and against your children’s children I will bring charges.

Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.

Go across to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this.

For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.

Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glory for worthless idols.

Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the LORD.

Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.

For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

Is Israel a servant, a slave born in the household? Why then has he become plunder?

Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?

Young lions have roared against him; they have raised their voices. They have turned his land into a desolation; his towns are burned and uninhabited.

The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.

Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.

Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.

Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when he led you in the way?

Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?

Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? And why go to Assyria to drink water from the river?

And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

Your own wickedness will discipline you; your backslidings will rebuke you. Consider and see how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of me,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.

For long ago I broke your yoke and tore off your bonds, but you said, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.

For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

I planted you as a choice vine, from the very best seed. How then have you turned into wild, degenerate branches of a foreign vine for me?

Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

Though you wash yourself with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me,” declares the Lord GOD.

For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.

How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not followed the Baals’? Consider your path in the valley; acknowledge what you have done—like a swift young she-camel running here and there.

How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

You are like a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, sniffing the wind in her desire. Who can restrain her in her mating season? None of those seeking her will grow weary; in her month, they will find her.

A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

Keep your feet from going bare and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It’s hopeless! I love foreigners, and I will follow them.’

Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

As a thief is ashamed when caught, so the house of Israel is put to shame—they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets.

As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,

They say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’ They have turned their backs to me and not their faces. Yet in their time of trouble, they will say, ‘Arise and save us!’

Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

But where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them arise and save you in your time of trouble, if they can. For as many as your cities are your gods, Judah.

But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.

Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me,” declares the LORD.

Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.

In vain I have struck your children; they accepted no discipline. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion.

In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

You people of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: ‘Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of deep darkness? Why do my people say, “We are free to roam; we will come to you no more”?’

O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee?

Can a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding adornments? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number.

Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

How skilled you are at pursuing love! Even the worst of women you have taught your ways.

Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.

Even on your skirts is found the blood of the innocent poor. You did not find them breaking in, yet it is because of all these things.

Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.

Yet you say, 'I am innocent; surely his anger has turned away from me.' But I will bring you to judgment because you say, 'I have not sinned.'

Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.

Why do you go about changing your direction so much? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria.

Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper through them.

Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.