Israel's Unfaithfulness
1 The Lord told me 2 to go to Jerusalem and tell everyone that he had said:
When you were my young bride,
you loved me and followed me
through the barren desert.
3 You belonged to me alone,
like the first part of the harvest,
and I severely punished
those who mistreated you.
4 Listen, people of Israel,
5 and I, the Lord, will speak.
I was never unfair
to your ancestors,
but they left me
and became worthless
by following worthless idols.
6 Your ancestors refused
to ask for my help,
though I had rescued them
from Egypt
and led them through
a treacherous, barren desert,
where no one lives
or dares to travel.
7 I brought you here to my land,
where food is abundant,
but you made my land filthy
with your sins.
8 The priests who teach my laws
don't care to know me.
Your leaders rebel against me;
your prophets
give messages from Baal
and worship false gods.
The Lord Accuses His People
9 I will take you to court
and accuse you
and your descendants
* 10 of a crime that no nation
has ever committed before.
Just ask anyone, anywhere,
from the eastern deserts
to the islands in the west.
11 You will find that no nation
has ever abandoned its gods
even though they were false.
I am the true and glorious God,
but you have rejected me
to worship idols.
12 Tell the heavens
to tremble with fear!
13 You, my people, have sinned
in two ways—
you have rejected me, the source
of life-giving water,
and you've tried to collect water
in cracked and leaking pits
dug in the ground.
14 People of Israel,
you weren't born slaves;
you were captured in war.
15 Enemies roared like lions
and destroyed your land;
towns lie burned and empty.
16 Soldiers from the Egyptian towns
of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have cracked your skulls.
17 It's all your own fault!
You stopped following me,
the Lord your God,
18 and you trusted the power
of Egypt and Assyria.
19 Your own sins will punish you,
because it was a bitter mistake
for you to reject me
without fear of punishment.
I, the Lord All-Powerful,
have spoken.
20 Long ago you left me
and broke all ties between us,
refusing to be my servant.
Now you worship other gods
by having sex
on hilltops or in the shade
of large trees.
21 You were a choice grapevine,
but you have become
a wild, useless vine.
Israel Is Stained with Guilt
22 The Lord said:
People of Israel,
you are stained with guilt,
and no soap or bleach
can wash it away.
23 You deny your sins
and say, “We aren't unclean.
We haven't worshiped Baal.”
But think about what you do
in Hinnom Valley.
You run back and forth
like young camels,
as you rush to worship one idol
after another.
24 You are a female donkey
sniffing the desert air,
wanting to mate
with just anyone.
You are an easy catch!
25 Your shoes are worn out,
and your throat is parched
from running here and there
to worship foreign gods.
“Stop!” I shouted,
but you replied, “No!
I love those gods too much.”
26 You and your leaders
are more disgraceful
than thieves—
you and your kings,
your priests and prophets
27 worship stone idols
and sacred poles
as if they had created you
and had given you life.
You have rejected me,
but when you're in trouble,
you cry to me for help.
28 Go cry to the gods you made!
There should be enough of them
to save you,
because Judah has as many gods
as it has towns.
Israel Rebels against the Lord
29 The Lord said to Israel:
You accuse me of not saving you,
but I say you have rebelled.
30 I tried punishing you,
but you refused
to come back to me,
and like fierce lions
you killed my prophets.
31 Now listen to what I say!
Did I abandon you in the desert
or surround you with darkness?
You are my people,
yet you have told me,
“We'll do what we want,
and we refuse
to worship you!”
32 A bride could not forget
to wear her jewelry
to her wedding,
but you have forgotten me
day after day.
33 You are so clever
at finding lovers
that you could give lessons
to a prostitute.
34 You killed innocent people
for no reason at all.
And even though their blood
can be seen on your clothes,
35 you claim to be innocent,
and you want me to stop
being angry with you.
So I'll take you to court,
and we'll see who is right.
36 When Assyria let you down,
you quickly ran to Egypt,
but you'll find no help there,
37 and you will leave
in great sadness.
I won't let you find help
from those you trust.
Israēla atkrišana
1 Un pār mani nāca Kunga vārds: 2 “Ej un sauc, lai Jeruzālemē dzird: tā saka Kungs:
es atceros tavu jaunības uzticību,
tavu līgavas mīlestību,
kā tu gāji man pakaļ pa tuksnesi –
pa zemi, kur nesēj.
3 Svēts Kungam Israēls,
viņa ražas pirmais auglis.
Visi, kas ēda no tā, uzņēmās vainu,
un ļaunums nāca pār tiem,”
saka Kungs.
4 Klausies Kunga vārdu, Jēkaba nams, jūs visas Israēla ciltis! 5 Tā saka Kungs:
“Kādu ļaunumu jūsu tēvi pie manis atrada,
ka tie aizgāja prom no manis
un devās tukšībai pakaļ,
paši kļūdami tukši?
6 Tie neteica: kur ir Kungs,
kas izveda mūs no Ēģiptes zemes,
kas veda mūs cauri tuksnesim,
cauri kailatnei un saplaisājušai zemei,
cauri izkaltušai un nāves ēnotai zemei,
cauri zemei, kuru cilvēkam nešķērsot,
kur tam nekad neapmesties!
7 Es jūs novedu dārzu zemē,
lai jūs ēstu tās augļus un labumus,
bet atnākuši jūs apgānījāt manu zemi,
manu īpašumu jūs padarījāt par preteklību.
8 Priesteri nevaicāja: kur ir Kungs?
Bauslības zinātāji mani nepazina,
tautas gani atkāpās no manis
un pravieši pravietoja Baalu,
staigāja pakaļ tam, kas neko nedod!
9 Tādēļ es vēl tiesāšos ar tevi,
saka Kungs,
un ar tavu dēlu dēliem
es tiesāšos!
10 Pārstaigājiet Kitīmas krastus
un raugiet,
uz Kēderu sūtiet,
cieši pārbaudiet, raugiet,
vai ir vēl kur tā,
11 ka tauta mij savus dievus
un tie pat nav dievi! –
bet mana tauta izmij savu godu
pret to, kas neko nedod.
12 Drebiet par to, debesis!
Lai pārņem jūs trīsas un posts!”
saka Kungs.
13 “Divus ļaunumus darīja mana tauta –
tā pameta mani, dzīvūdens avotu,
un izcirta sev akas,
cauras akas, kur neturas ūdens!
14 Vai Israēls ir vergs?
Vai nama kalps?
Kādēļ tas krita par laupījumu?
15 Pret viņu rēc lauvas,
tie ceļ savu balsi,
vērš viņa zemi postažā
un viņa pilsētas pelnos,
neviens tur vairs nedzīvo.
16 Memfisas un Tahpanhēsas dēli
noganījuši tavu pakausi.
17 Vai tu nenodarīji to sev pats?
Pameti savu Dievu Kungu tad,
kad viņš tevi veda pa ceļu!
18 Kādēļ tev tagad jāskrien uz Ēģipti
Nīlas ūdeni dzert
un uz Asīriju
dzert no Eifrātas?
19 Tevi pārmācīs tavs ļaunums,
un tava novēršanās tevi sodīs –
zinies un redzi, cik ļauni un rūgti
ir pamest Kungu, savu Dievu,”
saka Kungs, Pulku Kungs.
Israēla elkdievība ir maucība
20 “Es sen jau salauzu tavu jūgu
un sarāvu tavas saites,
un tu teici: es nevergošu!
Nu uz katra augstāka paugura
un zem katra zaļoksna koka
tu maukojot lokies!
21 Es tevi stādīju kā izcilu vīnakoku,
kā pilnu un īstu sēklu!
Kā tu varēji pārvērsties
par svešzemju vīnastāda kroplajām stīgām?
22 Kaut ar sāli tu mazgātos
un ar sārmu berztos,
tava grēka traips paliks manā priekšā,”
saka Kungs Dievs.
23 “Kā tu vari teikt:
es neaptraipījos,
neskrēju pakaļ baāliem?! –
Skati savu taku ielejā,
zinies, ko darīji!
Tu skrej krustu šķērsu
kā kaisla kamieļmāte,
24 tu esi kā savvaļas ēzeļmāte,
kas pie tuksneša radusi,
savā kārībā osta vēju –
kas to riestā var remdināt?
To sameklēt pūļu nevajag,
kad meklēsies, to atradīs!
25 Sargi savas kājas no basuma
un rīkli no slāpēm!
Bet tu saki: nē! Velti!
Es mīlu svešos un sekošu tiem! –
26 Kā pieķertam zaglim jākaunas Israēlam:
ķēniņiem, augstmaņiem, priesteriem, praviešiem,
27 kuri kokam saka: mans tēvs! –
un akmenim: tu mani dzemdināji! –
Tie pagriezuši man muguru,
seju tie novērsuši,
bet, kad tiem iet ļauni,
tie saka: celies un glāb mūs! –
28 Kur ir dievi, ko tu sev darināji?
Lai tie ceļas, ja ļaunā brīdī var līdzēt!
Cik tev pilsētu, Jūda,
tik tev dievu!
29 Kādēļ jūs kurnat pret mani?
Jūs visi esat dumpojuši pret mani,”
saka Kungs.
30 “Velti es esmu sitis jūsu dēlus –
manu pērienu tie nav ņēmuši vērā.
Jūsu pašu zobens
kā plēsīgs lauva
aprija jūsu praviešus.
31 Jūsu paaudze lai raugās
uz Kunga vārdu!
Vai es biju Israēlam kā tuksnesis,
kā tumsas zeme?
Kādēļ mana tauta saka:
mēs esam brīvi!
Mēs vairs neiesim pie tevis! –
32 Vai meitene aizmirst savas rotas
un līgava savu jostu?
Vairs neizskaitīt dienas,
kopš mana tauta aizmirsusi mani.
33 Cik viegli tu atrodi mīlu!
Savas takas tu pieradinājis pie ļauna!
34 Pie tavu drānu malām atrod
nabagu un nevainīgu asinis –
tos tu nepieķēri, tiem laužoties iekšā!
Un pat tad tu vēl
35 saki: man vainas nav!
Patiesi, lai viņa dusmas iet nost no manis! –
Tiešām, es tiesāšu tevi par to,
ka tu teici: es negrēkoju! –
36 Kādēļ tik viegli tu ej citu ceļu?
Apkaunos Ēģipte tevi tāpat,
kā Asīrija apkaunoja.
37 Arī no turienes tu aiziesi,
matus plēšot, –
Kungs ir atmetis tos,
kam tu uzticējies,
ar viņiem tev laba nebūs!”
