Jerusalem the Unfaithful
1 The Lord spoke to me again. 2 “Mortal man,” he said, “point out to Jerusalem what disgusting things she has done. 3 Tell Jerusalem what the Sovereign Lord is saying to her:
“You were born in the land of Canaan. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite. 4 When you were born, no one cut your umbilical cord or washed you or rubbed you with salt or wrapped you in cloths. 5 No one took enough pity on you to do any of these things for you. When you were born, no one loved you. You were thrown out in an open field.
6 “Then I passed by and saw you squirming in your own blood. You were covered with blood, but I wouldn't let you die. 7 I made you grow like a healthy plant. You grew strong and tall and became a young woman. Your breasts were well-formed, and your hair had grown, but you were naked.
8 “As I passed by again, I saw that the time had come for you to fall in love. I covered your naked body with my coat and promised to love you. Yes, I made a marriage covenant with you, and you became mine.” This is what the Sovereign Lord says.
9 “Then I took water and washed the blood off you. I rubbed olive oil on your skin. 10 I dressed you in embroidered gowns and gave you shoes of the best leather, a linen headband, and a silk cloak. 11 I put jewels on you—bracelets and necklaces. 12 I gave you a nose ring and earrings and a beautiful crown to wear. 13 You had ornaments of gold and silver, and you always wore clothes of embroidered linen and silk. You ate bread made from the best flour, and had honey and olive oil to eat. Your beauty was dazzling, and you became a queen. 14 You became famous in every nation for your perfect beauty, because I was the one who made you so lovely.” This is what the Sovereign Lord says.
15 “But you took advantage of your beauty and fame to sleep with everyone who came along. 16 You used some of your clothes to decorate your places of worship, and just like a prostitute, you gave yourself to everyone. 17 You took the silver and gold jewelry that I had given you, used it to make male images, and committed adultery with them. 18 You took the embroidered clothes I gave you and put them on the images, and you offered to the images the olive oil and incense I had given you. 19 I gave you food—the best flour, olive oil, and honey—but you offered it as a sacrifice to win the favor of idols.” This is what the Sovereign Lord says.
20 “Then you took the sons and the daughters you had borne me and offered them as sacrifices to idols. Wasn't it bad enough to be unfaithful to me, 21 without taking my children and sacrificing them to idols? 22 During your disgusting life as a prostitute you never once remembered your childhood—when you were naked, squirming in your own blood.”
Jerusalem's Life as a Prostitute
23 The Sovereign Lord said, “You are doomed! Doomed! You did all that evil, and then 24 by the side of every road you built places to worship idols and practice prostitution. 25 You dragged your beauty through the mud. You offered yourself to everyone who came by, and you were more of a prostitute every day. 26 You let your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, go to bed with you, and you used your prostitution to make me angry.
27 “Now I have raised my hand to punish you and to take away your share of my blessing. I have handed you over to the Philistines, who hate you and are disgusted with your immoral actions.
28 “Because you were not satisfied by the others, you went running after the Assyrians. You were their prostitute, but they didn't satisfy you either. 29 You were also a prostitute for the Babylonians, that nation of merchants, but they didn't satisfy you either.”
30 This is what the Sovereign Lord is saying: “You have done all this like a shameless prostitute. 31 On every street you built places to worship idols and practice prostitution. But you are not out for money like a common prostitute. 32 You are like a woman who commits adultery with strangers instead of loving her husband. 33 A prostitute is paid, but you gave presents to all your lovers and bribed them to come from everywhere to sleep with you. 34 You are a special kind of prostitute. No one forced you to become one. You didn't get paid; you paid them! Yes, you are different.”
God's Judgment on Jerusalem
35 Now then, Jerusalem, you whore! Hear what the Lord is saying.
36 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: “You stripped off your clothes, and like a prostitute, you gave yourself to your lovers and to all your disgusting idols, and you killed your children as sacrifices to idols. 37 Because of this I will bring all your former lovers together—the ones you liked and the ones you hated. I will bring them around you in a circle, and then I will strip off your clothes and let them see you naked. 38 I will condemn you for adultery and murder, and in my anger and fury I will punish you with death. 39 I will put you in their power, and they will tear down the places where you engage in prostitution and worship idols. They will take away your clothes and jewels and leave you completely naked.
40 “They will stir up a crowd to stone you, and they will cut you to pieces with their swords. 41 They will burn your houses down and let crowds of women see your punishment. I will make you stop being a prostitute and make you stop giving gifts to your lovers. 42 Then my anger will be over, and I will be calm. I will not be angry or jealous any more. 43 You have forgotten how I treated you when you were young, and you have made me angry by all the things you did. That is why I have made you pay for them all. Why did you add sexual immorality to all the other disgusting things you did?” The Sovereign Lord has spoken.
Like Mother, Like Daughter
44 The Lord said, “People will use this proverb about you, Jerusalem: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ 45 You really are your mother's daughter. She detested her husband and her children. You are like your sisters, who hated their husbands and their children. You and your sister cities had a Hittite mother and an Amorite father.
46 “Your older sister, with her villages, is Samaria, in the north. Your younger sister, with her villages, is Sodom, in the south. 47 Were you satisfied to follow in their footsteps and copy their disgusting actions? No, in only a little while you were acting worse than they were in everything you did.
48 “As surely as I am the living God,” the Sovereign Lord says, “your sister Sodom and her villages never did the evil that you and your villages have done. 49 She and her daughters were proud because they had plenty to eat and lived in peace and quiet, but they did not take care of the poor and the underprivileged. 50 They were proud and stubborn and did the things that I hate, so I destroyed them, as you well know.
51 “Samaria did not sin half as much as you have. You have acted more disgustingly than she ever did. Your corruption makes your sisters look innocent by comparison. 52 And now you will have to endure your disgrace. Your sins are so much worse than those of your sisters that they look innocent beside you. Now blush and bear your shame, because you make your sisters look pure.”
Sodom and Samaria Will Be Restored
53 The Lord said to Jerusalem, “I will make them prosperous again—Sodom and her villages and Samaria and her villages. Yes, I will make you prosperous too. 54 You will be ashamed of yourself, and your disgrace will show your sisters how well-off they are. 55 They will become prosperous again, and you and your villages will also be restored. 56 Didn't you joke about Sodom in those days when you were proud 57 and before the evil you did had been exposed? Now you are just like her—a joke to the Edomites, the Philistines, and your other neighbors who hate you. 58 You must suffer for the obscene, disgusting things you have done.” The Lord has spoken.
A Covenant That Lasts Forever
59 The Sovereign Lord says, “I will treat you the way you deserve, because you ignored your promises and broke the covenant. 60 But I will honor the covenant I made with you when you were young, and I will make a covenant with you that will last forever. 61 You will remember how you have acted, and be ashamed of it when you get your older sister and your younger sister back. I will let them be like daughters to you, even though this was not part of my covenant with you. 62 I will renew my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. 63 I will forgive all the wrongs you have done, but you will remember them and be too ashamed to open your mouth.” The Sovereign Lord has spoken.
1 Un atkal pār mani nāca Tā Kunga vārds: 2 "Cilvēka bērns, atgādini Jeruzālemei tās negantības un saki: 3 tā saka Tas Kungs Dievs Jeruzālemei: pēc izcelsmes un dzimuma tu esi no Kānaāna zemes. Tavs tēvs bija amorietis un tava māte hetiete. 4 Tava piedzimšana: tai dienā, kad tu piedzimi, nepārgrieza tavu nabas saiti, nenomazgāja tevi ar ūdeni, lai tu būtu šķīsta, nenoberza tevi ar sāli un neietina tevi autos. 5 Neviena acs neapžēlojās par tevi, lai tev parādītu mīlestību un sniegtu palīdzību. Tieši otrādi: tevi izmeta laukā. Tik maz tevi ievēroja tai dienā, kad tu piedzimi. 6 Es gāju toreiz tev garām un redzēju tevi atstātu tavās asinīs ķepurojamies un tev teicu: tev būs dzīvot! - Tiešām, Es teicu tev tavās asinīs: tev būs dzīvot! 7 Audz un pieaudz ar laiku skaitā kā zāļu stiebri tīrumā. Tad Es audzināju tevi, un tu uzaugi un attīstījies pilnā jaunības krāšņumā. Tavas krūtis piebrieda, tavi mati sacirtoja un sakuploja, taču tu biji vienmēr vēl plika un kaila. 8 Un, kad Es tev atkal gāju garām un tevi skatīju, tad redzi, jau bija klāt tavs laiks mīlēt un par sievu kļūt. Tad Es izplētu Savu apmetņa stūri pār tevi un apsedzu tavu kailumu; Es zvērēju tev uzticību un stājos ar tevi derībā, saka Dievs Tas Kungs, un tu Man piederēji. 9 Tad Es tevi nomazgāju ar ūdeni, noskaloju tavas asinis no tevis un svaidīju tevi ar eļļu. 10 Es tevi ietērpu rakstaini izaustās drēbēs, apvilku tev smalkas ādas kurpes, liku nēsāt tev dārgus linu tērpus un piespraust zīda šķidrautu. 11 Es tevi greznoju ar dārgām rotām, apliku tev sprādzes ap rokām un važiņu ap kaklu, 12 tāpat gredzenu ap degunu, auskarus ausīs un skaistu vainagu uz galvas. 13 Tā tu biji greznota ar zeltu un sudrabu, tavas drēbes bija no smalka linu audekla, no zīda un no izrakstītiem audumiem. Tu ēdi baltmaizi, medu un eļļu, tu kļuvi arvien skaistāka un tiki ķēniņa valsts valdnieces godā. 14 Tava slava izpaudās tautu starpā tava skaistuma dēļ, jo tas bija pilnīgs to rotu dēļ, kurās Es tērpu tevi, tā saka Dievs Tas Kungs. 15 Bet tu paļāvies par daudz uz savu skaistumu, un savas slavas dēļ tu paliki par laulības pārkāpēju, par mīlnieci, ziedodamās mīlestībā katram garāmgājējam, un piederēji viņam. 16 Tu ņēmi savas drēbes un taisīji no tām raibus elka altārus un nodevies tiem līdzās netiklībai, kā tas vēl nekad nav bijis un arī nekad vairs nebūs. 17 Tad tu ņēmi savas greznās un dārgās rotas no Mana zelta un sudraba, ko Es tev devu, un darināji sev no tā vīru tēlus, ar kuriem tu pārkāpi laulību. 18 Tu ņēmi savas izrakstītās drēbes un tās apvilki tiem un veltīji tiem Manu eļļu un Manas smaržīgās kvēpināmās zāles. 19 Un maizi, ko Es tev devu ēšanai, baltmaizi, eļļu un medu - to tu tiem atnesi kā saldas smaržas kvēpināmo upuri. Jā, tā tas notika, saka Dievs Tas Kungs. 20 Tu ņēmi arī savus dēlus un meitas, ko tu Man dzemdēji, un upurēji tos tiem par barību. Vai tad vēl par maz tavas netiklības, 21 ka tu nokāvi Manus bērnus, tos nodevi par upuri un sadedzināji? 22 Un, nododamās visām šīm negantībām un visai šai netiklībai, tu nepieminēji savas jaunības dienas, kad tu biji plika un kaila un atstāta savās asinīs. 23 Un notika, ka pēc visām savām ļaunprātībām - bēdas, bēdas tev! - saka Dievs Tas Kungs, - 24 tu cēli sev kalnu altārus un elku novietnes katrā nelielā klajumā. 25 Tu ierīkoji sev elku novietnes visos ielu stūros un tā aptraipīji savu skaistumu. Tu plēti vaļā savas kājas katram garāmgājējam un grimi arvien dziļāk netiklībā un izvirtībā. 26 Tu pārkāpi laulību ar ēģiptiešiem, ar saviem miesīgi stipriem kaimiņiem, tu arvien vairāk nodevies netiklībai, lai Mani sarūgtinātu. 27 Tad Es izstiepu Savu roku pret tevi, samazināju tev piespriesto tiesu un nodevu tevi tavu ienaidnieču, filistiešu meitu, iegribām, kas kaunējās par tavu izvirtušo uzvešanos. 28 Tad tu pārkāpi laulību arī ar asīriešiem, tev nekad nebija diezgan. Tu dzīvoji ar tiem netiklībā, bet arī ar to vēl tev nepietika, 29 un tad tu vēl vairāk nodevies netiklībai ar veikalnieku zemi Kaldeju, bet arī tas tevi vēl neapmierināja. 30 Cik iekāru pilna gan bija tava sirds, saka Dievs Tas Kungs, ka tu visu to izdarīji, kā to mēdz darīt tikai rūdītas netikles, 31 ka tu cēli katrā ielu stūrī kalnu altārus un elku novietnes katrā laukumā. Un pie tam tu nebiji kā parastā netikle, kas saņem savu parasto netikles algu. 32 Tu, netiklā sieva, kura sava vīra vietā pieņēmi svešus! 33 Netiklēm parasti maksā algu, bet tu devi saviem mīļākajiem dāvanas, tu tos nopirki, lai tie nāktu no visām pusēm pie tevis un nodotos netiklībai ar tevi. 34 Tā nu pie tevis tavā netiklībā tas bija citādi kā pie citām sievām: nevis tie tev uzmācās ar netiklām iegribām, bet tu maksāji mīlniekiem algu, pati algas nesaņemdama, viss notika otrādi. 35 Tādēļ, netikle, uzklausies Tā Kunga vārdu! 36 Tā saka Dievs Tas Kungs: tāpēc ka tu esi bijusi tik devīga ar līdzekļiem un pati ar sevi un tāpēc ka tu tik viegli esi atsegusi savu kailumu saviem mīļākajiem, kā arī tavu riebīgo elku dēļ un tavu bērnu asiņu dēļ, ko tu tiem atdevi, 37 tad Es sapulcināšu visus tavus mīļākos, pret kuriem tu biji iedegusies kaislībā, un proti, visus, kas tev labi patika, kā arī tos, kas tev kļuvuši pretīgi; tos es sapulcināšu no visām pusēm ap tevi un atsegšu viņu priekšā tavu kailumu, lai tie redz visu tavu negodu. 38 Tad Es tevi tiesāšu pēc laulības pārkāpēju un asins izlējēju likumiem un izliešu tavas asinis bargās dusmās. 39 Un Es tevi nodošu viņu rokās, lai tie noplēš tavus kalnu altārus un izposta elku novietnes. Un tie novilks tev drēbes un atņems tavas rotas un atstās tevi pliku un kailu. 40 Tad tie sasauks pret tevi draudzes sapulci, tevi nomētās ar akmeņiem un tevi sacirtīs ar saviem zobeniem. 41 Tavus namus tie nodedzinās ar uguni un spriedīs tiesu par tevi daudzu sievu acu priekšā. Tā Es darīšu galu tavai netiklībai, un tev nebūs vairs jāmaksā mīļākajiem netiklības alga. 42 Kad Es būšu apmierinājis Savas dusmas pret tevi un Mana bardzība mitēsies, tad Es jutīšos apmierināts, un Man nebūs vairs jādusmo. 43 Tādēļ ka tu nepieminēji savas jaunības dienas un ar visu to Mani kaitināji, tad arī Es likšu krist sodam par visiem taviem noziegumiem uz tavas galvas, saka Tas Kungs, lai tu vairs nenododies netiklībai bez visām citām savām nelietībām. 44 Ikviens, kas lieto sakāmus vārdus, teiks par tevi: kāda māte, tāda meita. 45 Tu patiesi esi savas mātes meita, kurai bija apnicis viņas vīrs un apnikuši viņas bērni; nu tu patiesi esi savu māsu māsa, kuras atstājušas savus vīrus un savus bērnus. Jūsu māte bija hetiete un jūsu tēvs amorietis. 46 Tava vecākā māsa ir Samarija ar savām meitām tev pa kreiso roku, un jaunākā tev pa labo roku ir Sodoma ar savām meitām. 47 Bet tu nestaigāji viņu ceļus un nedarīji negantības pēc viņu parauga, diemžēl tikai īsu brīdi, un tad tu kļuvi ļaunāka par viņām visos savos ceļos. 48 Tik tiešām, ka Es dzīvoju, saka Dievs Tas Kungs, tava māsa Sodoma ar savām meitām nav bijusi tik ļauna kā tu un tavas meitas. 49 Redzi, tas bija tavas māsas Sodomas noziegums: lepnība, maizes pilnība un dzīve bez bēdām, tāda bija viņas un viņas meitu dzīve. Bet nabagam un trūkuma cietējam tā nesniedza palīdzīgu roku. 50 Tās bija lepnas un darīja negantības Manā priekšā. To redzēdams, Es tās atstūmu. 51 Samarija nav ne pusi tik daudz grēkojusi kā tu. Tev tavu negantību ir vairāk nekā viņām abām, tā ka tavas māsas ir taisnīgākas par tevi, ievērojot visas tās negantības, ko tu esi darījusi. 52 Tad nu nes savu kaunu, ka esi aizstāvējusi savas māsas ar saviem grēkiem; tu esi darījusi ļaunākas negantības nekā tās, tādēļ tās ir taisnākas par tevi. Kaunies un nes savu negodu, ka tu esi centusies, lai tavas māsas izskatītos taisnas. 53 Bet Es pārveidošu viņu likteni, Sodomas un viņas meitu likteni, Samarijas un viņas meitu likteni un arī tavu trimdinieku likteni viņu vidū, 54 lai tu nes savu negodu un kaunies par visu to, ko tu esi darījusi, kaut tas noticis viņām par iepriecināšanu. 55 Un, kad tava māsa Sodoma un viņas meitu pilsētas atgriezīsies savā agrākajā stāvoklī un Samarija ar savām meitu pilsētām atgriezīsies savā agrākajā stāvoklī, kādas tās reiz bijušas, tad arī tu ar savām meitām atgriezīsies savā agrākajā stāvoklī. 56 Vai tavas māsas Sodomas vārds nebija par biedinātāju paraugu tavā mutē tavas lepnības laikā, 57 pirms atklājās tavs pašas pagrimums, kā tas ir pašlaik, kad Sīrijas meitas tevi nievā un visas apkārtējās filistiešu meitas tevi no visām pusēm nicina? 58 Par tavu netiklību un par tavām negantībām tev jāatbild, saka Tas Kungs. 59 Jo tā saka Dievs Tas Kungs: Es tev tā darīšu, kā tu esi darījusi: tu nepildīji zvērestu un pārkāpi derību. 60 Bet Es pieminēšu Savu derību, ko Es slēdzu ar tevi tavās jaunības dienās, un Es slēgšu ar tevi mūžīgu derību. 61 Tad tu pieminēsi savus ceļus un kaunēsies, kad tu uzņemsi savas lielās un mazās māsas, jo Es tev tās došu par meitām, kaut arī ne uz tavas agrākās derības pamata, 62 bet Es apstiprināšu Savu derību ar tevi, lai tu atzīsti, ka Es esmu Tas Kungs, 63 lai tu pieminētu to un kaunētos un aiz kauna neatdarītu savu muti, kad Es tev piedošu visu, ko tu esi darījusi," saka Dievs Tas Kungs.
