Jeremiah

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 !

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

2Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the Lord: I have remembered thee, pitying thy soul, pitying thy youth, and the love of thy espousals, when thou followedst me in the desert, in a land that is not sown.

3Israel is holy to the Lord, the first fruits of his increase: all they that devour him offend: evils shall come upon them, saith the Lord.

4Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all ye families of the house of Israel.

5Thus 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?

6And they have not said: Where is the Lord, that made us come up out of the land of Egypt? that led us through the desert, through a land uninhabited and unpassable, through a land of drought, and the image of death, through a land wherein no man walked, nor any man dwelt?

7And I brought you into the land of Carmel, to eat the fruit thereof, and the best things thereof: and when ye entered in, you defiled my land, and made my inheritance an abomination.

8The priests did not say: Where is the Lord? and they that held the law knew me not, and the pastors transgressed against me: and the prophets prophesied in Baal, and followed idols.

9Therefore will I yet contend in judgement with you, saith the Lord, and I will plead with your children.

10Pass over to the isles of Cethim, and see: and send into Cedar, and consider diligently: and see if there hath been done any thing like this.

11If a nation hath changed their gods, and indeed they are not gods: but my people have changed their glory into an idol.

12Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and ye gates thereof, be very desolate, saith the Lord.

13For my people have done two evils. They have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and have digged to themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

14Is Israel a bondman, or a homeborn slave? why then is he become prey?

15The lions have roared upon him, and have made a noise, they have made his land a wilderness: his cities are burnt down and there is none to dwell in them.

16The children also of Memphis, and of Taphnes have deflowered thee, even to the crown of the head.

17Hath not this been done to thee, because thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God at that time, when he led thee by the way?

18And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the troubled water? And what hast thou to do with the way of the Assyrians, to drink the water of the river?

19Thy own wickedness shall reprove thee, and thy apostasy shall rebuke thee. Know thou, and see that it is an evil and a bitter thing for thee, to have left the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not with thee, saith the Lord the God of hosts.

20Of old time thou hast broken my yoke, thou hast burst my bands, and thou saidst: I will not serve. For on every high hill, and under every green tree thou didst prostitute thyself.

21Yet I planted thee a chosen vineyard, all true seed: how then art thou turned unto me into that which is good for nothing, O strange vineyard?

22Though thou wash thyself with nitre, and multiply to thyself the herb borith, thou art stained in thy iniquity before me, saith the Lord God.

23How canst thou say: I am not polluted, and I have not walked after Baalim? see thy ways in the valley, know what thou hast done: as a swift runner pursuing his course.

24A wild ass accustomed to the wilderness in the desire of his heart, snuffed up the wind of his love: none shall turn her away: all that seek her shall not fail: in her monthly filth they shall find her.

25Keep thy foot from being bare, and thy throat from thirst. But thou saidst: I have lost all hope, I will not do it: for I have loved strangers, and I will walk after them.

26As the thief is confounded when he is taken, so is the house of Israel confounded, they and their kings, their princes and their priests, and their prophets.

27Saying to a stock: Thou art my father: and to a stone: thou hast begotten me: they have turned their back to me, and not their face: and in the time of their affliction they will say: Arise, and deliver us.

28Where are the gods, whom thou hast made thee? let them arise and deliver thee in the time of thy affliction: for according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Juda.

29Why will you contend with me in judgement? you have all forsaken me, saith the Lord.

30In vain have I struck your children, they have not received correction: your sword hath devoured your prophets, your generation is like a ravaging lion.

31See ye the word of the Lord: Am I become a wilderness to Israel, or a lateward springing land? why then have my people said: We are revolted, we will come to thee no more.

32Will a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride her stomacher? but my people hath forgotten me days without number.

33Why dost thou endeavour to shew thy way good to seek my love, thou who has also taught thy malices to be thy ways,

34And in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor and innocent? not in ditches have I found them, but in all places, which I mentioned before.

35And thou hast said: I am without sin and am innocent: and therefore let thy anger be turned away from me. Behold, I will contend with thee in judgement, because thou hast said: I have not sinned.

36How exceeding base art thou become, going the same ways over again! and thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

37For from thence thou shalt go, and thy hand shall be upon thy head: for the Lord hath destroyed thy trust, and thou shalt have nothing prosperous therein.