¹The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

²Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, This is what Yahweh says: I remember for you the loyal love of your youth, the love of your betrothal, your walking after me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

³Israel was a sacred thing to Yahweh, the firstfruits of his produce; all who devour it will be held guilty; disaster will come upon them, the utterance of Yahweh.

⁴Hear the word of Yahweh, house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel.

⁵This is what Yahweh says: What injustice did your fathers find in me, that they became distant from me and walked after the vapor and became vain?

⁶And they did not say, Where is Yahweh, who brought up us from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of desert plain and pit, in a land of drought and deep shadow, in a land that no one has passed through, and where no human has dwelled there?

⁷I brought you to a fresh land, to eat her fruit and her good; but you came and defiled my land, and my inheritance you put to abomination.

⁸The priests did not say, Where is Yahweh? Those who lay hold of the instruction did not know me; the shepherds rebelled against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after what does not profit.

⁹Therefore I will again contend with you, the utterance of Yahweh, and with the children of your children I will contend.

¹⁰For pass over to the coastlands of Cyprus and see, and send to Kedar and consider very carefully, and see whether there has been anything like this.

¹¹Has a nation exchanged its gods, even though they are not gods? But my people have exchanged his weightiness for what does not profit.

¹²Be appalled, skies, over this, and shudder, be exceedingly dry, the utterance of Yahweh.

¹³For my people have done two evils: they have forsaken me, the spring of living water, to hew out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, which cannot hold the water.

¹⁴Is Israel a slave, or is he one born in the house? Why has he become plunder?

¹⁵Over him young lions roar; they have given their voice. They have made his land a waste; his cities have been set on fire, with no one dwelling in them.

¹⁶Even the sons of Memphis and Tahpanhes will graze on your crown.

¹⁷Did you not do this to yourself, by your forsaking Yahweh your God at the time he led you in the way?

¹⁸And now, what have you to do with the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? And what have you to do with the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?

¹⁹Your evil will discipline you, and your faithlessness will reprove you. Know, then, and see that it is evil and bitter, your forsaking Yahweh your God, and my fear is not in you, the utterance of the Adonai Yahweh of hosts.

²⁰For from forever you broke your yoke, you tore off your fetters, and you said, I will not pass over; for on every high hill and under every leafy tree, you stooped, a prostitute.

²¹And I planted you a choice vine, all of it reliable seed; how then have you turned, for me, into a degenerate, foreign vine?

²²For though you wash with soda and multiply lye for yourself, your guilt is stained before my face, the utterance of the Adonai Yahweh.

²³How can you say, I have not made myself unclean, I have not gone after the Baals? See your way in the valley, know what you have done: a swift young she-camel, darting along her ways,

²⁴A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, in the desire of her being she pants after the wind. Her mating time: who can turn her back? All who seek her will not grow weary; in her month they will find her.

²⁵Hold back your foot from being barefoot, and your throat from thirst. But you said, It is hopeless! No, for I have loved foreigners, and after them I will go.

²⁶As the shame of a thief when he is found, so the house of Israel has been put to shame: they, their kings, their officials, and their priests, and their prophets,

²⁷saying to the wood, You are my father, and to the stone, You gave birth to us. For they have turned to me the back of the neck and not the face; but in the time of their misery they say, Rise up and save us.

²⁸And where are your gods, which you made for yourself? Let them rise up, if they can save you in the time of your misery; for according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah.

²⁹Why do you contend with me? All of you have rebelled against me, the utterance of Yahweh.

³⁰In vain I struck your sons; they did not accept discipline. Your sword devoured your prophets like a lion destroying.

³¹O generation, you, see the word of Yahweh! Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of deep darkness? Why do my people say, We have roamed; we will not come again to you?

³²Does a virgin forget her ornaments, a bride her sashes? Yet my people have forgotten me for days without number.

³³How well you make good your way to seek love! Therefore you have even taught the wicked women your ways.

³⁴Even on the flaps of your garment was found the blood of the beings of the needy, the innocent. You did not find them at a breaking in, but on all these.

³⁵Yet you said, Indeed I am innocent; surely his anger has turned back from me. Behold, I am about to enter into judgment with you because of your saying, I have not sinned.

³⁶Why do you go about so very much, changing your way? Also of Egypt you will be ashamed, as you were ashamed of Assyria.

³⁷From this one too you will go out with your hands on your head; for Yahweh has rejected the things you trust in, and you will not prosper with them.