Jeremiah

1Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2Go 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.

3Israel 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.

4Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

5¶ 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?

6Neither 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?

7And 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.

8The 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.

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

10For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.

11Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

12Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.

13For 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.

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

15The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.

16Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.

17Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?

18And 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?

19Thine 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.

20¶ 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.

21Yet 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?

22For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.

23How 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;

24A 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.

25Withhold 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.

26As 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,

27Saying 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.

28But 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.

29Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.

30In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

31¶ 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?

32Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

33Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.

34Also 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.

35Yet 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.

36Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

37Yea, 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.

1Có lời ĐỨC CHÚA phán với tôi :

2trên vùng đất chẳng ai gieo trồng.

3chúng phải mang tai mắc hoạ, – sấm ngôn của ĐỨC CHÚA.

4hãy nghe lời ĐỨC CHÚA.

5và chính chúng trở thành hư ảo ?

6Người ở đâu rồi ?’

7và biến gia sản của Ta thành đồ ghê tởm.

8chúng đi theo những thần vô tích sự.

9–sấm ngôn của ĐỨC CHÚA–, tố cáo con cái các ngươi nữa.

10và xem có đời thuở nào như thế chăng ?

11đi lấy cái vô tích sự !

12hãy run sợ cho hồn xiêu phách lạc, –sấm ngôn của ĐỨC CHÚA–,

13để làm những hồ nứt rạn, không giữ được nước.

14thế mà sao nó lại bị người ta cưỡng đoạt ?

15thiêu huỷ đô thị nó, không còn người cư trú nữa.

16Cả con cháu Nốp và Tác-pan-khết cũng cạo trọc đầu ngươi.

17khi Người dẫn ngươi trên đường ngươi đi đó sao ?

18Ngươi đi Át-sua uống nước Sông Cả, thì nào có lợi gì ?

19

20ngươi uốn mình như một con điếm.

21Sao ngươi lại thoái hoá thành những cành nho tạp chủng ?

22– sấm ngôn của ĐỨC CHÚA là Chúa Thượng.

23Con lạc đà cái non dại chạy lăng xăng khắp mọi nẻo đường,

24cứ đến tháng của nó là gặp được nó thôi.

25Tôi trót yêu ngoại kiều, tôi sẽ đi theo họ.”

26tư tế và ngôn sứ đều xấu hổ thẹn thùng,

27“Xin Ngài trỗi dậy cứu thoát chúng con !”

28ngươi có bao nhiêu thành thì cũng có bấy nhiêu thần.

29Các ngươi đều phản bội Ta hết thảy – sấm ngôn của ĐỨC CHÚA.

30khác nào sư tử phá tan hoang.

31chứ không còn đến với Ngài nữa ?”

32Thế mà dân Ta lại quên Ta đó, quên Ta tự thuở nào.

33Cho nên cả những chuyện gian tà, ngươi cũng từng quen thói.

34Với những chuyện như thế

35Này Ta kết án ngươi bởi vì ngươi dám nói : “Tôi hoàn toàn vô tội.”

36Như đã xấu hổ vì Át-sua, ngươi sẽ xấu hổ vì Ai-cập :

37đi với chúng, ngươi sẽ chẳng thành công !