| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, | 1The word of the LORD came to me: |
| 2Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. | 2"Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: "This is what the LORD says: "'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown. |
| 3Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD. | 3Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,'" declares the LORD. |
| 4Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel: | 4Hear the word of the LORD, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel. |
| 5Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain? | 5This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. |
| 6Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt? | 6They did not ask, 'Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?' |
| 7And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination. | 7I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable. |
| 8The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit. | 8The priests did not ask, 'Where is the LORD?' Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols. |
| 9Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead. | 9"Therefore I bring charges against you again," declares the LORD. "And I will bring charges against your children's children. |
| 10For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing. | 10Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this: |
| 11Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. | 11Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols. |
| 12Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. | 12Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror," declares the LORD. |
| 13For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. | 13"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. |
| 14Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled? | 14Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder? |
| 15The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant. | 15Lions have roared; they have growled at him. They have laid waste his land; his towns are burned and deserted. |
| 16Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head. | 16Also, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked your skull. |
| 17Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way? | 17Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the LORD your God when he led you in the way? |
| 18And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river? | 18Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? And why go to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates? |
| 19Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts. | 19Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me," declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty. |
| 20For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot. | 20"Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, 'I will not serve you!' Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute. |
| 21Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? | 21I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine? |
| 22For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD. | 22Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me," declares the Sovereign LORD. |
| 23How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways; | 23"How can you say, 'I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals'? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there, |
| 24A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her. | 24a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving-- in her heat who can restrain her? Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves; at mating time they will find her. |
| 25Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go. | 25Do not run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry. But you said, 'It's no use! I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.' |
| 26As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets, | 26"As a thief is disgraced when he is caught, so the people of Israel are disgraced-- they, their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets. |
| 27Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us. | 27They say to wood, 'You are my father,' and to stone, 'You gave me birth.' They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, 'Come and save us!' |
| 28But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah. | 28Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns. |
| 29Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD. | 29"Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me," declares the LORD. |
| 30In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion. | 30"In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion. |
| 31O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee? | 31"You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: "Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, 'We are free to roam; we will come to you no more'? |
| 32Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number. | 32Does a young woman forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number. |
| 33Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways. | 33How skilled you are at pursuing love! Even the worst of women can learn from your ways. |
| 34Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these. | 34On your clothes is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this |
| 35Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned. | 35you say, 'I am innocent; he is not angry with me.' But I will pass judgment on you because you say, 'I have not sinned.' |
| 36Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria. | 36Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria. |
| 37Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them. | 37You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them. |
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