God's Care for Israel
1 The Lord told me 2 to proclaim this message to everyone in Jerusalem.
“I remember how faithful you were when you were young,
how you loved me when we were first married;
you followed me through the desert,
through a land that had not been planted.
3 Israel, you belonged to me alone;
you were my sacred possession.
I sent suffering and disaster
on everyone who hurt you.
I, the Lord, have spoken.”
The Sin of Israel's Ancestors
4 Listen to the Lord's message, you descendants of Jacob, you tribes of Israel. 5 The Lord says:
“What accusation did your ancestors bring against me?
What made them turn away from me?
They worshiped worthless idols
and became worthless themselves.
6 They did not care about me,
even though I rescued them from Egypt
and led them through the wilderness:
a land of deserts and sand pits,
a dry and dangerous land
where no one lives
and no one will even travel.
7 I brought them into a fertile land,
to enjoy its harvests and its other good things.
But instead they ruined my land;
they defiled the country I had given them.
8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’
My own priests did not know me.
The rulers rebelled against me;
the prophets spoke in the name of Baal
and worshiped useless idols.
The Lord's Case against His People
9 “And so I, the Lord, will state my case against my people again.
I will bring charges against their descendants.
10 Go west to the island of Cyprus,
and send someone eastward to the land of Kedar.
You will see that nothing like this has ever happened before.
11 No other nation has ever changed its gods,
even though they were not real.
But my people have exchanged me,
the God who has brought them honor,
for gods that can do nothing for them.
12 And so I command the sky to shake with horror,
to be amazed and astonished,
13 for my people have committed two sins:
they have turned away from me,
the spring of fresh water,
and they have dug cisterns,
cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all.
The Results of Israel's Unfaithfulness
14 “Israel is not a slave;
he was not born into slavery.
Why then do his enemies hunt him down?
15 They have roared at him like lions;
they have made his land a desert,
and his towns lie in ruins, completely abandoned.
16 Yes, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have cracked his skull.
17 Israel, you brought this on yourself!
You deserted me, the Lord your God,
while I was leading you along the way.
18 What do you think you will gain by going to Egypt
to drink water from the Nile?
What do you think you will gain by going to Assyria
to drink water from the Euphrates?
19 Your own evil will punish you,
and your turning from me will condemn you.
You will learn how bitter and wrong it is
to abandon me, the Lord your God,
and no longer to remain faithful to me.
I, the Sovereign Lord Almighty, have spoken.”
Israel Refuses to Worship the Lord
20 The Sovereign Lord says,
“Israel, long ago you rejected my authority;
you refused to obey me and worship me.
On every high hill
and under every green tree
you worshiped fertility gods.
21 I planted you like a choice vine
from the very best seed.
But look what you have become!
You are like a rotten, worthless vine.
22 Even if you washed with the strongest soap,
I would still see the stain of your guilt.
23 How can you say you have not defiled yourself,
that you have never worshiped Baal?
Look how you sinned in the valley;
see what you have done.
You are like a wild camel in heat,
running around loose,
24 rushing into the desert.
When she is in heat, who can control her?
No male that wants her has to trouble himself;
she is always available in mating season.
25 Israel, don't wear your feet out,
or let your throat become dry
from chasing after other gods.
But you say, ‘No! I can't turn back.
I have loved foreign gods
and will go after them.’”
Israel Deserves to Be Punished
26 The Lord says, “Just as a thief is disgraced when caught, so all you people of Israel will be disgraced—your kings and officials, your priests and prophets. 27 You will all be disgraced—you that say that a tree is your father and that a rock is your mother. This will happen because you turned away from me instead of turning to me. But when you are in trouble, you ask me to come and save you.
28 “Where are the gods that you made for yourselves? When you are in trouble, let them save you—if they can! Judah, you have as many gods as you have cities. 29 What is your complaint? Why have you rebelled against me? 30 I punished you, but it did no good; you would not let me correct you. Like a raging lion, you have murdered your prophets. 31 People of Israel, listen to what I am saying. Have I been like a desert to you, like a dark and dangerous land? Why, then, do you say that you will do as you please, that you will never come back to me? 32 Does a young woman forget her jewelry, or a bride her wedding dress? But my people have forgotten me for more days than can be counted. 33 You certainly know how to chase after lovers. Even the worst of women can learn from you. 34 Your clothes are stained with the blood of the poor and innocent, not with the blood of burglars.
“But in spite of all this, 35 you say, ‘I am innocent; surely the Lord is no longer angry with me.’ But I, the Lord, will punish you because you deny that you have sinned. 36 You have cheapened yourself by turning to the gods of other nations. You will be disappointed by Egypt, just as you were by Assyria. 37 You will turn away from Egypt, hanging your head in shame. I, the Lord, have rejected those you trust; you will not gain anything from them.”
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!”
