1 At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves: 2 And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. 3 And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.
4 ¶ Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? 5 Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. 7 Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD. 8 How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain. 9 The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them? 10 Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 11 For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 12 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.
13 ¶ I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them. 14 Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD. 15 We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble! 16 The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein. 17 For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.
18 ¶ When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me. 19 Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities? 20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. 21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 22 Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
Tautas pretestība un neatgriezība
1 “Tajā laikā,” saka Kungs, “lai iznes no kapiem Jūdas ķēniņu kaulus, tās augstmaņu kaulus, priesteru kaulus, praviešu kaulus un Jeruzālemes iedzīvotāju kaulus. 2 Lai tos izkaisa zem saules un mēness un zem zvaigžņu pulkiem, ko tie mīlējuši, kam tie vergojuši, kam skrējuši pakaļ, pēc kā dzinušies un kam klanījušies, – lai tos nedz vāc, nedz aprok, lai tie ir par mēsliem uz zemes virsas! 3 Un tie, kas no šīs ļaunās dzimtas vēl būs atlikuši, labāk vēlēsies nāvi, ne dzīvi – visi, kas vēl būs atlikuši tais vietās, kur es tos sadzinu, saka Pulku Kungs.
4 Saki viņiem: tā saka Kungs:
vai ir kāds,
kas krīt un neceļas?
Vai ir kāds,
kas aiziet un neatgriežas?
5 Kādēļ šī tauta atkritusi
un Jeruzāleme novērsusies? –
Tie tveras pie meliem
un liedzas atgriezties!
6 Es klausījos uzmanīgi,
bet viņi nerunāja,
neviens savu ļaunumu nenožēloja,
neteica: ko esmu izdarījis?!
Tiem katram savs skrējiens –
kā zirgam, kas aiztraucas kaujā.
7 Pat stārķis debesīs zina savu reizi,
pat ūbele, bezdelīga un dzērve
turas pie sava gāju laika,
bet mana tauta nezina Kunga spriedumu!
8 Kā jūs varat teikt:
mēs esam gudri,
un Kunga bauslība ar mums! –
Redzi, par meliem to vērš
rakstvežu melīgā spalva!
9 Gudrie tiks kaunā,
trūksies un kritīs gūstā!
Redzi, Kunga vārdu tie atmetuši!
Kāda vēl gudrība tiem!?
10 Tādēļ es atdošu viņu sievas citiem
un viņu laukus mantos iekarotāji!
Gan mazi, gan lieli –
visi tie tīko pēc netaisnas mantas,
gan pravietis, gan priesteris –
visi tie krāpjas.
11 Manas tautas brūci
tie tik apārstē –
tie saka: miers, miers,
bet miera nav!
12 Nu tie apkaunoti,
jo tie darīja preteklību,
kauna tie nepratās,
goda tie nezināja –
tādēļ tie kritīs kritējiem līdzi,
tie klups, kad tos piemeklēšu,
saka Kungs.
13 Es tos noplūkšu,
lai vairs nav,
saka Kungs,
nav vīnogu vīnakokā,
nav vīģu vīģes kokā,
lapas novītušas
un tas, ko es devu,
ir prom!”
Dieva sods par neatgriezību
14 Ko mēs vēl sēžam?
Pulcēsimies un iesim
uz nocietinātajām pilsētām,
lai nonīkstam tur! –
jo mūsu Dievs Kungs nīdē mūs,
ar indes ūdeni dzirdī,
ka pret Kungu mēs grēkojuši!
15 Ilgojāmies pēc miera,
bet laba nav,
pēc dziedināšanas,
un, redzi, šaušalas!
16 No Dāna dzird sprauslojam
viņu zirgus,
no zviedzieniem
dreb visa zeme –
tie nāk un aprij zemi
un visu, kas to pilda,
pilsētas un visus,
kas tajās mīt.
17 “Jo, redzi, es sūtu jums
čūskas un odzes,
čūskuvārdi tām nelīdz,
tās sadzels jūs,”
saka Kungs.
18 Kā lai remdinu savas raizes,
sirgst mana sirds!
19 Redzi, manas tautmeitas sauc palīgā,
no zemes tālumiem skan:
vai nav Ciānā Kunga,
vai nav tur ķēniņa!?
“Kādēļ viņi kaitina mani
ar saviem elku tēliem
un svešajiem dievekļiem?”
20 Garām pļaujas laiks,
un vasara prom,
bet mēs vēl neesam glābti!
21 Manas tautmeitas posta dēļ –
es izpostīts!
Es tumsā!
Šausmas kampj mani!
22 Vai Gileādā nav balzama,
vai ārsta tur nav?
Kādēļ mana tautmeita
nav dziedināta?
23 Kaut mana galva par ūdeni taptu
un manas acis par asaru avotu!
Es raudātu dienu un nakti
par manas tautmeitas kritušajiem!
