Jeremiah 2

And he said: Thus says the Lord: I remembered the mercy of your youth and the love of your consummation, when you followed after the Holy One of Israel, says the Lord.

Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his produce; all who eat him shall become guilty, evils shall come upon them, declares the Lord.

Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and every family of the house of Israel.

Thus says the Lord: What trespass did your fathers find in me, that they went far away from me and walked after vain things and became vain?

And they did not say: Where is the Lord who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who guided us in the wilderness, in a trackless and impassable land, in a waterless and fruitless land, in a land through which nothing passed and where no son of man dwelt?

And I brought you into Carmel, to eat its fruits and its good things; but you entered and defiled my land, and made my inheritance an abomination.

The priests did not say: Where is the Lord? And those who hold fast the law did not know me, and the shepherds acted impiously against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after what is unprofitable.

Therefore I will still contend with you, says the Lord, and with your children's children I will contend.

For cross over to the isles of Chettiim and see, and send to Kedar and consider diligently, and see whether such things have happened.

Whether nations will change their gods — and these are not gods. Yet my people have exchanged their glory for that from which they shall gain no profit.

The heaven was astonished at this and shuddered exceedingly greatly, says the Lord.

For my people have done two evil things: they forsook me, a fountain of living water, and dug for themselves broken cisterns that cannot hold water.

Is Israel a slave? Or is he houseborn? Why has he become plunder?

Lions roared over him and gave forth their voice; they made his land a desert, and his cities were razed so that none dwell there.

And the sons of Memphis and Taphnas knew you and mocked you.

Has not your forsaking me done these things to you? says the Lord your God.

And now what have you to do with the way of Egypt, to drink the water of Gihon? And what have you to do with the way of the Assyrians, to drink the water of rivers?

Your apostasy shall discipline you and your wickedness shall reprove you. Know and see that it is bitter for you that you forsook me, says the Lord your God; and I took no pleasure in you, says the Lord your God.

For from of old you broke your yoke and tore apart your bonds, and said: I will not serve, but I will go upon every high hill and under every shady tree; there I will pour myself out in my fornication.

But I planted you a fruit-bearing vine, wholly genuine; how have you turned into bitterness, O alien vine?

Even if you wash yourself with soda and use much soap-herb, you remain stained in your iniquities before me, says the Lord.

How can you say: I am not defiled, and I have not gone after Baal? Look at your ways in the burial ground and know what you have done. At evening her voice howled along her ways.

She spread herself out over the waters of the wilderness; in the desires of her soul she was carried by the wind and was given over. Who shall turn her back? All who seek her shall not grow weary; in her humiliation they shall find her.

Turn back your foot from the rough road and your throat from thirst. But she said: I will play the man; for she had loved strangers and went after them.

As the shame of a thief when he is caught, so shall the sons of Israel be ashamed — they and their kings and their rulers and their priests and their prophets.

They said to the wood: You are my father; and to the stone: You begot me. And they turned their backs to me and not their faces; but in the time of their evils they will say: Arise and save us.

And where are your gods which you made for yourself? Let them arise and save you in the time of your affliction. For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem they sacrificed to Baal.

Why do you speak to me? You all acted impiously and you all transgressed against me, says the Lord.

In vain I struck your children; you received no discipline. A sword devoured your prophets like a destroying lion, and you were not afraid.

Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: Have I become a wilderness to Israel, or a land left barren? Why has my people said: We will not be ruled, and we will come to you no more?

Can a bride forget her ornaments, or a virgin her breast-band? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

What good will you still contrive in your ways, to seek love? Not only that, but you yourself did evil, to defile your ways.

And on your hands was found the blood of innocent souls. I did not find them at break-ins, but by every oak.

And you said: I am innocent; let his wrath turn away from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with you because you say: I have not sinned.

Why do you so greatly make light of it, repeating your ways? You shall be put to shame by Egypt, just as you were put to shame by Assour.

For from there also you shall go out, with your hands upon your head; for the Lord has rejected your hope, and you shall not prosper in it.