Jeremiah 2

1 Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

1 وَصَارَتْ إِلَيَّ كَلِمَةُ ٱلرَّبِّ قَائِلًا:

2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

2 «ٱذْهَبْ وَنَادِ فِي أُذُنَيْ أُورُشَلِيمَ قَائِلًا: هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: قَدْ ذَكَرْتُ لَكِ غَيْرَةَ صِبَاكِ، مَحَبَّةَ خِطْبَتِكِ، ذِهَابَكِ وَرَائِي فِي ٱلْبَرِّيَّةِ فِي أَرْضٍ غَيْرِ مَزْرُوعَةٍ.

3 Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her were found guilty; disaster came upon them,’” declares the LORD.

3 إِسْرَائِيلُ قُدْسٌ لِلرَّبِّ، أَوَائِلُ غَلَّتِهِ. كُلُّ آكِلِيهِ يَأْثَمُونَ. شَرٌّ يَأْتِي عَلَيْهِمْ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ».

4 Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel.

4 اِسْمَعُوا كَلِمَةَ ٱلرَّبِّ يَا بَيْتَ يَعْقُوبَ، وَكُلَّ عَشَائِرِ بَيْتِ إِسْرَائِيلَ.

5 This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me? They followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves.

5 هَكَذَا قَالَ ٱلرَّبُّ: «مَاذَا وَجَدَ فِيَّ آبَاؤُكُمْ مِنْ جَوْرٍ حَتَّى ٱبْتَعَدُوا عَنِّي وَسَارُوا وَرَاءَ ٱلْبَاطِلِ وَصَارُوا بَاطِلًا؟

6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’

6 وَلَمْ يَقُولُوا: أَيْنَ هُوَ ٱلرَّبُّ ٱلَّذِي أَصْعَدَنَا مِنْ أَرْضِ مِصْرَ، ٱلَّذِي سَارَ بِنَا فِي ٱلْبَرِّيَّةِ فِي أَرْضِ قَفْرٍ وَحُفَرٍ، فِي أَرْضِ يُبُوسَةٍ وَظِلِّ ٱلْمَوْتِ، فِي أَرْضٍ لَمْ يَعْبُرْهَا رَجُلٌ وَلَمْ يَسْكُنْهَا إِنْسَانٌ؟

7 I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land and made My inheritance detestable.

7 وَأَتَيْتُ بِكُمْ إِلَى أَرْضِ بَسَاتِينَ لِتَأْكُلُوا ثَمَرَهَا وَخَيْرَهَا. فَأَتَيْتُمْ وَنَجَّسْتُمْ أَرْضِي وَجَعَلْتُمْ مِيرَاثِي رِجْسًا.

8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.

8 اَلْكَهَنَةُ لَمْ يَقُولُوا: أَيْنَ هُوَ ٱلرَّبُّ؟ وَأَهْلُ ٱلشَّرِيعَةِ لَمْ يَعْرِفُونِي، وَٱلرُّعَاةُ عَصَوْا عَلَيَّ، وَٱلْأَنْبِيَاءُ تَنَبَّأُوا بِبَعْلٍ، وَذَهَبُوا وَرَاءَ مَا لَا يَنْفَعُ.

9 Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children.

9 «لِذَلِكَ أُخَاصِمُكُمْ بَعْدُ، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ، وَبَنِي بَنِيكُمْ أُخَاصِمُ.

10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:

10 فَٱعْبُرُوا جَزَائِرَ كِتِّيمَ، وَٱنْظُرُوا، وَأَرْسِلُوا إِلَى قِيدَارَ، وَٱنْتَبِهُوا جِدًّا، وَٱنْظُرُوا: هَلْ صَارَ مِثْلُ هَذَا؟

11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.

11 هَلْ بَدَلَتْ أُمَّةٌ آلِهَةً، وَهِيَ لَيْسَتْ آلِهَةً؟ أَمَّا شَعْبِي فَقَدْ بَدَلَ مَجْدَهُ بِمَا لَا يَنْفَعُ!

12 Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,” declares the LORD.

12 اِبْهَتِي أَيَّتُهَا ٱلسَّمَاوَاتُ مِنْ هَذَا، وَٱقْشَعِرِّي وَتَحَيَّرِي جِدًّا، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

13 “For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

13 لِأَنَّ شَعْبِي عَمِلَ شَرَّيْنِ: تَرَكُونِي أَنَا يَنْبُوعَ ٱلْمِيَاهِ ٱلْحَيَّةِ، لِيَنْقُرُوا لِأَنْفُسِهِمْ أَبْآرًا، أَبْآرًا مُشَقَّقَةً لَا تَضْبُطُ مَاءً.

14 Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey?

14 «أَعَبْدٌ إِسْرَائِيلُ، أَوْ مَوْلُودُ ٱلْبَيْتِ هُوَ؟ لِمَاذَا صَارَ غَنِيمَةً؟

15 The young lions have roared at him; they have sounded their voices. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant.

15 زَمْجَرَتْ عَلَيْهِ ٱلْأَشْبَالُ. أَطْلَقَتْ صَوْتَهَا وَجَعَلَتْ أَرْضَهُ خَرِبَةً. أُحْرِقَتْ مُدُنُهُ فَلَا سَاكِنَ.

16 The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.

16 وَبَنُو نُوفَ وَتَحْفَنِيسَ قَدْ شَجُّوا هَامَتَكِ.

17 Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way?

17 أَمَا صَنَعْتِ هَذَا بِنَفْسِكِ، إِذْ تَرَكْتِ ٱلرَّبَّ إِلَهَكِ حِينَمَا كَانَ مُسَيِّرَكِ فِي ٱلطَّرِيقِ؟

18 Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?

18 وَٱلْآنَ مَا لَكِ وَطَرِيقَ مِصْرَ لِشُرْبِ مِيَاهِ شِيحُورَ؟ وَمَا لَكِ وَطَرِيقَ أَشُّورَ لِشُرْبِ مِيَاهِ ٱلنَّهْرِ؟

19 Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.

19 يُوَبِّخُكِ شَرُّكِ، وَعِصْيَانُكِ يُؤَدِّبُكِ. فَٱعْلَمِي وَٱنْظُرِي أَنَّ تَرْكَكِ ٱلرَّبَّ إِلَهَكِ شَرٌّ وَمُرٌّ، وَأَنَّ خَشْيَتِي لَيْسَتْ فِيكِ، يَقُولُ ٱلسَّيِّدُ رَبُّ ٱلْجُنُودِ.

20 “For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute.

20 «لِأَنَّهُ مُنْذُ ٱلْقَدِيمِ كَسَرْتُ نِيرَكِ وَقَطَعْتُ قُيُودَكِ، وَقُلْتِ: لَا أَتَعَبَّدُ. لِأَنَّكِ عَلَى كُلِّ أَكَمَةٍ عَالِيَةٍ وَتَحْتَ كُلِّ شَجَرَةٍ خَضْرَاءَ أَنْتِ ٱضْطَجَعْتِ زَانِيَةً!

21 I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine?

21 وَأَنَا قَدْ غَرَسْتُكِ كَرْمَةَ سُورَقَ، زَرْعَ حَقٍّ كُلَّهَا. فَكَيْفَ تَحَوَّلْتِ لِي سُرُوغَ جَفْنَةٍ غَرِيبَةٍ؟

22 Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,” declares the Lord GOD.

22 فَإِنَّكِ وَإِنِ ٱغْتَسَلْتِ بِنَطْرُونٍ، وَأَكْثَرْتِ لِنَفْسِكِ ٱلْأُشْنَانَ، فَقَدْ نُقِشَ إِثْمُكِ أَمَامِي، يَقُولُ ٱلسَّيِّدُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young she-camel galloping here and there,

23 كَيْفَ تَقُولِينَ: لَمْ أَتَنَجَّسْ. وَرَاءَ بَعْلِيمَ لَمْ أَذْهَبْ؟ ٱنْظُرِي طَرِيقَكِ فِي ٱلْوَادِي. اِعْرِفِي مَا عَمِلْتِ، يَا نَاقَةً خَفِيفَةً ضَبِعَةً فِي طُرُقِهَا!

24 a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her.

24 يَا أَتَانَ ٱلْفَرَا، قَدْ تَعَوَّدَتِ ٱلْبَرِّيَّةَ! فِي شَهْوَةِ نَفْسِهَا تَسْتَنْشِقُ ٱلرِّيحَ. عِنْدَ ضَبَعِهَا مَنْ يَرُدُّهَا؟ كُلُّ طَالِبِيهَا لَا يُعْيُونَ. فِي شَهْرِهَا يَجِدُونَهَا.

25 You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’

25 اِحْفَظِي رِجْلَكِ مِنَ ٱلْحَفَا وَحَلْقَكِ مِنَ ٱلظَّمَإِ. فَقُلْتِ: بَاطِلٌ! لَا! لِأَنِّي قَدْ أَحْبَبْتُ ٱلْغُرَبَاءَ وَوَرَاءَهُمْ أَذْهَبُ.

26 As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets

26 كَخِزْيِ ٱلسَّارِقِ إِذَا وُجِدَ هَكَذَا خِزْيُ بَيْتِ إِسْرَائِيلَ، هُمْ وَمُلُوكُهُمْ وَرُؤَسَاؤُهُمْ وَكَهَنَتُهُمْ وَأَنْبِيَاؤُهُمْ،

27 say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ They have turned their backs to Me and not their faces. Yet in the time of trouble, they say, ‘Rise up and save us!’

27 قَائِلِينَ لِلْعُودِ: أَنْتَ أَبِي، وَلِلْحَجَرِ: أَنْتَ وَلَدْتَنِي. لِأَنَّهُمْ حَوَّلُوا نَحْوِي ٱلْقَفَا لَا ٱلْوَجْهَ، وَفِي وَقْتِ بَلِيَّتِهِمْ يَقُولُونَ: قُمْ وَخَلِّصْنَا.

28 But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah.

28 فَأَيْنَ آلِهَتُكَ ٱلَّتِي صَنَعْتَ لِنَفْسِكَ؟ فَلْيَقُومُوا إِنْ كَانُوا يُخَلِّصُونَكَ فِي وَقْتِ بَلِيَّتِكَ. لِأَنَّهُ عَلَى عَدَدِ مُدُنِكَ صَارَتْ آلِهَتُكَ يَا يَهُوذَا.

29 Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD.

29 لِمَاذَا تُخَاصِمُونَنِي؟ كُلُّكُمْ عَصَيْتُمُونِي، يَقُولُ ٱلرَّبُّ.

30 “I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.”

30 لِبَاطِلٍ ضَرَبْتُ بَنِيكُمْ. لَمْ يَقْبَلُوا تَأْدِيبًا. أَكَلَ سَيْفُكُمْ أَنْبِيَاءَكُمْ كَأَسَدٍ مُهْلِكٍ.

31 You people of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to You no more’?

31 «أَنْتُمْ أَيُّهَا ٱلْجِيلُ، ٱنْظُرُوا كَلِمَةَ ٱلرَّبِّ. هَلْ صِرْتُ بَرِّيَّةً لِإِسْرَائِيلَ أَوْ أَرْضَ ظَلَامٍ دَامِسٍ؟ لِمَاذَا قَالَ شَعْبِي: قَدْ شَرَدْنَا، لَا نَجِيءُ إِلَيْكَ بَعْدُ؟

32 Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number.

32 هَلْ تَنْسَى عَذْرَاءُ زِينَتَهَا، أَوْ عَرُوسٌ مَنَاطِقَهَا؟ أَمَّا شَعْبِي فَقَدْ نَسِيَنِي أَيَّامًا بِلَا عَدَدٍ.

33 How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways.

33 لِمَاذَا تُحَسِّنِينَ طَرِيقَكِ لِتَطْلُبِي ٱلْمَحَبَّةَ؟ لِذَلِكَ عَلَّمْتِ ٱلشِّرِّيرَاتِ أَيْضًا طُرُقَكِ.

34 Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things

34 أَيْضًا فِي أَذْيَالِكِ وُجِدَ دَمُ نُفُوسِ ٱلْمَسَاكِينِ ٱلْأَزْكِيَاءِ. لَا بِٱلنَّقْبِ وَجَدْتُهُ، بَلْ عَلَى كُلِّ هَذِهِ.

35 you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

35 وَتَقُولِينَ: لِأَنِّي تَبَرَّأْتُ ٱرْتَدَّ غَضَبُهُ عَنِّي حَقًّا. هَأَنَذَا أُحَاكِمُكِ لِأَنَّكِ قُلْتِ: لَمْ أُخْطِئْ.

36 How impulsive you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria.

36 لِمَاذَا تَرْكُضِينَ لِتَبْدُلِي طَرِيقَكِ؟ مِنْ مِصْرَ أَيْضًا تَخْزَيْنَ كَمَا خَزِيتِ مِنْ أَشُّورَ.

37 Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.”

37 مِنْ هُنَا أَيْضًا تَخْرُجِينَ وَيَدَاكِ عَلَى رَأْسِكِ، لِأَنَّ ٱلرَّبَّ قَدْ رَفَضَ ثِقَاتِكِ، فَلَا تَنْجَحِينَ فِيهَا.