Israel Will Return to God
1 The Lord said:
Israel, I promise
that someday all your tribes
will again be my people,
and I will be your God.
2 In the desert I was kind
to those who escaped death.
I gave them peace,
and when the time is right,
I'll do the same for you.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
The Lord Will Rebuild Israel
3 Some time ago, the Lord appeared to me and told me to say:
Israel, I will always love you;
that's why I've been so patient
and kind.
4 You are precious to me,
and so I will rebuild
your nation.
Once again you will dance for joy
and play your tambourines.
5 You will plant vineyards
on the hills of Samaria
and enjoy the grapes.
6 Someday those who guard
the hill country of Ephraim
will shout, “Let's go to Zion
and worship the Lord our God.”
Israel Will Return to Its Own Land
7 The Lord says:
Celebrate and sing for Israel,
the greatest of nations.
Offer praises and shout,
“Come and rescue
your people, Lord!
Save what's left of Israel.”
8 I, the Lord, will bring
my people back from Babylonia
and everywhere else on earth.
The blind and the lame
will be there.
Expectant mothers
and women about to give birth
will come and be part
of that great crowd.
9 They will weep and pray
as I bring them home.
I will lead them
to streams of water.
They will walk on a level road
and not stumble.
I am a father to Israel,
my favorite children.
10 Listen to me, you nations
nearby or across the sea.
I scattered the people of Israel,
but I will gather them again.
I will protect them like a shepherd
guarding a flock;
11 I will rescue them from enemies
who could overpower them.
12 My people will come
to Mount Zion
and celebrate;
their faces will glow
because of my blessings.
I'll give them grain, grapes,
and olive oil,
as well as sheep and cattle.
Israel will be prosperous
and grow like a garden
with plenty of water.
13 Young women and young men,
together with the elderly,
will celebrate and dance,
because I will comfort them
and turn their sorrow
into happiness.
14 I will bless my people
with more food
than they need,
and the priests will enjoy
the choice cuts of meat.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
The Lord Offers Hope
15 In Ramah a voice is heard,
crying and weeping loudly.
Rachel mourns for her children
and refuses to be comforted,
because they are dead.
* 16 But I, the Lord, say
to dry your tears.
Someday your children
will come home
from the enemy's land.
Then all you have done for them
will be greatly rewarded.
17 So don't lose hope.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
18 The people of Israel moan
and say to me,
“We were like wild bulls,
but you, Lord, broke us,
and we learned to obey.
You are our God—
please let us come home.
19 When we were young,
we strayed and sinned,
but then we realized
what we had done.
We are ashamed and disgraced
and want to return to you.”
20 People of Israel,
you are my own dear children.
Don't I love you best of all?
Though I often make threats,
I want you to be near me,
so I will have mercy on you.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
21 With rock piles and signposts,
mark the road well,
my dear people.
The road by which you left
by will now lead you home.
22 Will you ever decide
to be faithful?
I will make sure that someday
things will be different,
as different as a woman
protecting a man.
The Lord Will Bring Judah Home
23 The Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, said:
I promise to set the people of Judah free and to lead them back to their hometowns. And when I do, they will once again say,
“We pray that the Lord
will bless his home,
the sacred hill in Jerusalem
where his temple stands.”
24 The people will live in Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah. Some will be farmers, and others will be shepherds. 25 Those who feel tired and worn out will find new life and energy, 26 and when they sleep, they will wake up refreshed.
27 Someday, Israel and Judah will be my field where my people and their livestock will grow. 28 In the past, I took care to uproot them, to tear them down, and to destroy them. But when that day comes, I will take care to plant them and help them grow. 29 No longer will anyone go around saying,
“Sour grapes eaten by parents
leave a sour taste in the mouths
of their children.”
30 When that day comes, only those who eat sour grapes will get the sour taste, and only those who sin will be put to death.
The New Agreement with Israel and Judah
31 The Lord said:
The time will surely come when I will make a new agreement with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 It will be different from the agreement I made with their ancestors when I led them out of Egypt. Although I was their God, they broke that agreement.
33 Here is the new agreement that I, the Lord, will make with the people of Israel:
“I will write my laws
on their hearts and minds.
I will be their God,
and they will be my people.
34 “No longer will they have to teach one another to obey me. I, the Lord, promise that all of them will obey me, ordinary people and rulers alike. I will forgive their sins and forget the evil things they have done.”
35 I am the Lord All-Powerful.
I command the sun
to give light each day,
the moon and stars
to shine at night,
and ocean waves to roar.
36 I will never forget
to give those commands,
and I will never let Israel
stop being a nation.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
37 Can you measure the heavens?
Can you explore
the depths of the earth?
That's how hard it would be
for me to reject Israel forever,
even though they have sinned.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
Jerusalem Will Be Rebuilt
38 The Lord said:
Someday, Jerusalem will truly belong to me. It will be rebuilt with a boundary line running from Hananel Tower to Corner Gate. 39 From there, the boundary will go in a straight line to Gareb Hill, then turn toward Goah. 40 Even that disgusting Hinnom Valley will be sacred to me, and so will the eastern slopes that go down from Horse Gate into Kidron Valley. Jerusalem will never again be destroyed.
Skumjas tiks vērstas priekā
1 “Tajā laikā,” saka Kungs, “es būšu Dievs visām Israēla ciltīm, un tās būs mana tauta!
2 Tā saka Kungs:
tuksnesī atrada vēlību
tauta, kas izbēga zobena, –
Israēls dodas uz rimtu vietu.”
3 No tālienes parādījās Kungs:
“Ar mūžīgu mīlestību
es mīlēju tevi,
tādēļ bez mitas
es žēloju tevi.
4 Atkal pacelšu tevi,
un tu pacelsies,
jaunava Israēla!
Atkal tu zvārguļiem rotāsies
un līksmi aplī diesi!
5 Atkal tu stādīsi vīnadārzus
Samarijas kalnos,
tur stādīs un baudīs vīnu!
6 Jo nāks diena,
kad vergi sauks
Efraima kalnā:
celieties, iesim uz Ciānu,
pie Kunga, mūsu Dieva! –
7 Jo tā saka Kungs:
ar prieku apdziediet Jēkabu
un gavilējiet par pirmo starp tautām!
Skandiniet, slavējiet, sakiet:
Kungs, glāb savu tautu,
Israēla pārpalikumu! –
8 Redzi, es vedīšu viņus
no ziemeļu zemes,
no zemes nostūriem
viņus sapulcināšu –
aklu un tizlu,
gan grūto, gan dzemdētāju,
kā liels pulks
viņi nāks uz šejieni atpakaļ!
9 Ar raudām tie nāks,
un ar mierinājumu es viņus vedīšu,
es vadīšu viņus pie ūdens strautiem,
pa taisnu ceļu, kur tie neklups,
jo es būšu Israēlam tēvs,
un Efraims ir mans pirmdzimtais!
10 Tautas, klausieties Kunga vārdu,
stāstiet par to tālās salās,
sakiet: tas, kurš izklīdināja Israēlu,
atkal to sapulcēs kopā
un sargās to kā gans savu ganāmpulku!
11 Jo Kungs ir izpircis Jēkabu,
no stiprākas rokas atpircis viņu!
12 Viņi nāks un dziedās Ciānas kalnos,
viņi tecēs pie Kunga labuma,
pie labības, vīna un eļļas
un pie jēriem, un pie teļiem, –
viņu dvēseles būs kā padzirdīts dārzs,
tiem vairs nenāksies nīkt.
13 Tad jaunavas priecāsies dejā
kopā ar večiem un jaunekļiem,
viņu sēras es vērtīšu līksmē,
es mierināšu,
es priecēšu viņu no rūpēm!
14 Ar treknumu es dzirdīšu
priestera dvēseli,
un savu tautu
ar savu labumu sātināšu! –
saka Kungs.
15 Tā saka Kungs:
Rāmā dzird žēlabu dziesmu –
raudas un rūgtums!
Rāhēle raud par saviem dēliem,
liedzas mierināties
par saviem dēliem,
jo viņu vairs nav!”
16 Tā saka Kungs:
“Liedz savai balsij raudas
un asaras acīm,
jo tavam darbam būs alga,
saka Kungs,
viņi atgriezīsies no naidnieka zemes!
17 Tavai nākotnei ir cerība,
saka Kungs,
tavi dēli atgriezīsies savā zemē!
18 Dzirdēt es dzirdēju Efraimu īdam:
tu mani pārmācīji,
es tiku pārmācīts
kā dumja tele!
Ved mani atpakaļ,
un es atgriezīšos,
jo tu esi Kungs, mans Dievs!
19 Kad es novērsos,
tad es rimos!
Kad man lika zināt,
tad sērodams situ uz gurniem:
es apkaunots, es bez goda,
jo savas jaunības izsmieklu nesu!
20 Vai Efraims nav man mīļš dēls,
vai nav tīkams bērns?
Lai cik viņu lamāju,
taču vienmēr viņu atceros!
Viņa dēļ man trīs iekšas,
žēlot es žēlošu viņu!”
saka Kungs.
21 “Uzliec rādītāja akmeni,
uzslej sev ceļrāža stabu!
Ved savu sirdi pa stingru ceļu,
pa ceļu, kuru tu iesi,
atgriezies, jaunava Israēla,
atgriezies savās pilsētās!
22 Cik ilgi vēl mīņāsies,
atkritusī meita?!
Šai zemei Kungs jau devis citu sievu,
kas protas aptecēt vīru!”
23 Tā saka Pulku Kungs, Israēla Dievs: “Kad es atvedīšu atpakaļ gūstekņus, tad Jūdas zemē un pilsētās tie atkal teiks šos vārdus:
esi svētīts, tu, Kungs!
Tu taisnības pļava!
Tu svētuma kalns! –
24 Tur mitīs Jūda kopā ar visām pilsētām un zemnieki, un tie, kas ar ganāmpulkiem klejo. 25 Es padzirdīšu gurušu dvēseli, ik tvīkstošu dvēseli es piepildīšu!” 26 Tad es pamodos un palūkojos, mans miegs bija salds.
Ikviens ir atbildīgs par paša darbiem
27 “Redzi, nāk dienas,” saka Kungs, “un es sēšu Israēla namā un Jūdas namā cilvēka sēklu un lopa sēklu! 28 Un, kā es tos uzlūkoju, lai rautu un plēstu, lai plosītu un izdeldētu un lai darītu ļaunu, tā es tos uzlūkošu, lai celtu un lai stādītu,” saka Kungs.
29 Tajās dienās viņi vairs neteiks:
tēvi ēda skābas vīnogas,
bet dēliem notrula zobi! –
30 Bet ikviens mirs savas vainas dēļ, un zobi notruls tam cilvēkam, kas pats skābas vīnogas ēdis!
Jauna derība
31 “Redzi, nāk dienas,” saka Kungs, “kad es slēgšu jaunu derību ar Israēla namu un Jūdas namu. 32 Ne tādu derību, ko es slēdzu ar viņu tēviem todien, kad ņēmu tos pie rokas, lai izvestu no Ēģiptes zemes, – viņi lauza manu derību, lai gan pār tiem valdīju, saka Kungs. 33 Pēc šīm dienām ar Israēla namu es slēgšu šādu derību, saka Kungs, es došu viņiem savu bauslību, es rakstīšu to viņu sirdīs, un es būšu viņiem Dievs, un viņi būs mana tauta. 34 Neviens vairs nepamācīs nedz savu tuvāko, nedz savu brāli, sacīdams: pazīstiet Kungu! – jo viņi visi mani pazīs, no maza līdz lielam, saka Kungs, es piedošu viņu vainas un viņu grēkus vairs nepieminēšu!”
35 Tā saka Kungs,
kas dienā dod gaismai sauli
un mēness un zvaigžņu kārtību
gaismai naktī,
kas viļņo jūru,
ka tā krāc viļņus, –
Pulku Kungs ir viņa vārds!
36 “Ja šie mani likumi beigtos,”
saka Kungs,
“tik tad beigtos Israēla dzimums,
tik tad tie nemūžam vairs nebūtu mana tauta!”
37 Tā saka Kungs:
“Ja var izmērīt debesis augšā,
ja var izmērīt zemes pamatus apakšā,
tik tad es atmetīšu visu Israēla dzimumu
dēļ visa, ko viņi darījuši,
saka Kungs.
38 Redzi, nāk dienas, saka Kungs, kad Kungam tiks uzcelta pilsēta – no Hananēla torņa līdz Stūra vārtiem, 39 un mēraukla ies līdz Gārēba pakalnam un tad tiks pagriezta uz Gou, 40 un visa līķu un pelnu paleja un visas āres līdz Kidronas strautam un līdz Zirgu vārtiem uz austrumiem būs svētas Kungam! Te nemūžam vairs negraus un neplēsīs!”
