Israel Deserts the Lord
1A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2“Go. Announce my message to the people in Jerusalem. I want everyone to hear it. Tell them,
“Here is what the Lord says.
“ ‘I remember how faithful you were to me when you were young.
You loved me as if you were my bride.
You followed me through the desert.
Nothing had been planted there.
3Your people were holy to me.
They were the first share of my harvest.
All those who destroyed them were held guilty.
And trouble came to their enemies,’ ”
announces the Lord.
4People of Jacob, hear the Lord’s message.
Listen, all you tribes of Israel.
5The Lord says,
“What did your people of long ago find wrong with me?
Why did they wander so far away from me?
They worshiped worthless statues of gods.
Then they themselves became worthless.
6They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?
He brought us up out of Egypt.
He led us through a dry and empty land.
He guided us through deserts and deep valleys.
It was a land of total darkness where there wasn’t any rain.
No one lived or traveled there.’
7But I brought you into a land that has rich soil.
I gave you its fruit and its finest food.
In spite of that, you made my land impure.
You turned it into something I hate.
8The priests did not ask,
‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who taught my law did not know me.
The leaders refused to obey me.
The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal.
They worshiped worthless statues of gods.
9“So I am bringing charges against you again,”
announces the Lord.
“And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10Go over to the coasts of Cyprus and look.
Send people to the land of Kedar and have them look closely.
See if there has ever been anything like this.
11Has a nation ever changed its gods?
Actually, they are not even gods at all.
But my people have traded away their glorious God.
They have traded me for worthless statues of gods.
12Sky above, be shocked over this.
Tremble with horror,”
announces the Lord.
13“My people have sinned twice.
They have deserted me,
even though I am the spring of water that gives life.
And they have dug their own wells.
But those wells are broken.
They can’t hold any water.
14Are you people of Israel servants?
You were not born as slaves, were you?
Then why have you been carried off like stolen goods?
15Lions have roared.
They have growled at you.
They have destroyed your land.
Your towns are burned and deserted.
16The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have cracked your skulls.
17Haven’t you brought this on yourselves?
I am the Lord your God, but you deserted me.
You left me even while I was leading you.
18Why do you go to Egypt
to drink water from the Nile River?
Why do you go to Assyria
to drink from the Euphrates River?
19You will be punished because you have sinned.
You will be corrected for turning away from me.
I am the Lord your God.
If you desert me, bad things will happen to you.
If you do not respect me, you will suffer bitterly.
I want you to understand that,”
announces the Lord who rules over all.
20“Long ago you broke off the yoke I put on you.
You tore off the ropes I tied you up with.
You said, ‘I won’t serve you!’
In fact, on every high hill
you lay down like a prostitute.
You worshiped other gods under every green tree.
21You were like a good vine when I planted you.
You were a healthy plant.
Then how did you turn against me?
How did you become a bad, wild vine?
22You might wash yourself with soap.
You might use plenty of strong soap.
But I can still see the stains your guilt covers you with,”
announces the Lord and King.
23“You say, ‘I am “clean.”
I haven’t followed the gods that are named Baal.’
How can you say that?
Remember how you acted in the valley.
Consider what you have done.
You are like a female camel running quickly here and there.
24You are like a wild donkey that lives in the desert.
She smells the wind when she longs for a mate.
Who can hold her back?
The males that run after her do not need to wear themselves out.
At mating time they will easily find her.
25Do not run after other gods
until your sandals are worn out and your throat is dry.
But you said, ‘It’s no use!
I love those gods.
I must go after them.’
26“A thief is dishonored when he is caught.
And you people of Israel are filled with shame.
Your kings and officials are dishonored.
So are your priests and your prophets.
27You say to a piece of wood, ‘You are my father.’
You say to a stone, ‘You are my mother.’
You have turned your backs to me.
You refuse to look at me.
But when you are in trouble, you say,
‘Come and save us!’
28Then where are the gods you made for yourselves?
Let them come when you are in trouble!
Let them save you if they can!
Judah, you have as many gods
as you have towns.
29“Why do you bring charges against me?
All of you have refused to obey me,”
announces the Lord.
30“I punished your people. But it did not do them any good.
They did not pay attention when they were corrected.
You have killed your prophets by swords.
You have swallowed them up like a hungry lion.
31“You who are now living, consider my message. I am saying,
“Have I been like a desert to Israel?
Have I been like a land of deep darkness?
Why do my people say, ‘We are free to wander.
We won’t come to you anymore’?
32Does a young woman forget all about her jewelry?
Does a bride forget her wedding jewels?
But my people have forgotten me
more days than anyone can count.
33You are very skilled at chasing after love!
Even the worst of women can learn from how you act.
34The blood of those you have killed is on your clothes.
You have destroyed poor people who were not guilty.
You did not catch them in the act of breaking in.
In spite of all this,
35you say, ‘I’m not guilty of doing anything wrong.
The Lord isn’t angry with me.’
But I will judge you.
That’s because you say, ‘I haven’t sinned.’
36Why do you keep on
changing your ways so much?
Assyria did not help you.
And Egypt will not help you either.
37So you will also leave Egypt
with your hands tied together above your heads.
I have turned my back on those you trust.
They will not help you.
Isiraeli Gũtirika Ngai
1Ningĩ ndũmĩrĩri ya Jehova nĩyanginyĩrire, ngĩĩrwo atĩrĩ: 22:2 Ezek 16:8-14, 60; Thaam 13:21“Thiĩ ũkaanĩrĩre ũkĩiguagwo nĩ andũ a Jerusalemu, ũmeere atĩrĩ:
“ ‘Nĩndirikanaga ũrĩa weheanĩte kũrĩ niĩ rĩrĩa warĩ mwĩthĩ,
na ũrĩa wanyendete rĩrĩa ndakũhikirie
na ũkĩnũmĩrĩra kũu werũ-inĩ,
tũgĩtuĩkanĩria kũu bũrũri ũcio ũtaahandagwo irio.
32:3 Thaam 19:6; Jer 50:7Isiraeli-rĩ, aatũũrĩte aamũrĩirwo Jehova,
arĩ maciaro ma mbere ma magetha make;
arĩa othe maamũtambuuraga maatuirwo ahĩtia,
nao magĩkinyĩrĩrwo nĩ mwanangĩko,’ ”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
4Thikĩrĩriai mũigue ndũmĩrĩri ya Jehova, inyuĩ andũ a nyũmba ya Jakubu,
inyuĩ inyuothe andũ a mĩhĩrĩga yothe ya nyũmba ya Isiraeli.
52:5 Gũcook 32:21; 2Ath 17:15Jehova ekuuga atĩrĩ:
“Nĩ mahĩtia marĩkũ maithe manyu maanyonire namo,
atĩ nĩkĩo maandirikire, makĩndaihĩrĩria ũguo?
Maarũmĩrĩire mĩhianano ĩtarĩ kĩene,
nao ene makĩaga kĩene.
62:6 Hos 13:4; Gũcook 32:10Matiigana kũũria atĩrĩ: ‘Jehova arĩ ha,
ũrĩa watũrutire bũrũri wa Misiri,
agĩtũgereria werũ-inĩ ũtaarĩ kĩndũ,
tũkĩgerera bũrũri warĩ wa werũ na iharũrũka,
bũrũri ũtoiraga mbura, na warĩ nduma ta ya gĩkuũ,
bũrũri ũtaageragĩrwo na ũtaatũũragwo nĩ mũndũ?’
72:7 Ndar 13:27; Thab 106:34-39Nĩndamũrehire bũrũri mũnoru,
nĩguo mũrĩĩage matunda maguo,
na mwĩgune na indo ciakuo iria njega.
No inyuĩ muokire, mũgĩthaahia bũrũri wakwa
na mũgĩtũma igai rĩakwa rĩthũũrwo mũno.
82:8 1Sam 2:12; 1Ath 18:22Athĩnjĩri-Ngai matiigana kũũria atĩrĩ:
‘Jehova arĩ ha?’
Arĩa marũmbũyagia watho matiigana kũũmenya;
atongoria ao nĩmanemeire.
Anabii maarathaga mohoro makĩgwetaga Baali,
marũmĩrĩire mĩhianano ĩtarĩ kĩene.
9“Nĩ ũndũ ũcio nĩngũmũciirithia o rĩngĩ,”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
“Ningĩ nĩngaciirithia ciana cia ciana cianyu.
102:10 Kĩam 10:4Ringai mũthiĩ hũgũrũrũ-inĩ cia Kitimu mũkerorere,
ningĩ mũtũmane gũthiio Kedari gũgatuĩrio wega,2:10 Kitimu ũmũthĩ nĩ Kuporo hamwe na ndwere-inĩ cia mwena wa ithũĩro, nakuo Kedari nĩkuo iruka cia Beduni ciatũũraga.
muone kana kũrĩ kuoneka ũndũ ta ũyũ:
112:11 Jer 16:20; Arom 1:23Atĩrĩrĩ, nĩ kũrĩ rũrĩrĩ rũrĩ rwatirika ngai ciaruo, rũkĩgarũrũkĩra ngai ingĩ?
(O na harĩa ngai icio itarĩ ngai.)
No rĩrĩ, andũ akwa nĩmakũũranĩtie Riiri wao
na mĩhianano ĩtarĩ kĩene.
12Inyuĩ igũrũ-rĩ, makaai nĩ ũndũ wa ũhoro ũcio,
inainai mũrĩ na kĩeha kĩnene,”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
132:13 Gũcook 31:16; Joh 4:14“Andũ akwa nĩmekĩte mehia meerĩ:
Nĩmandirikĩte,
o niĩ gĩthima kĩa maaĩ ma muoyo,
na makeyenjera marima mangĩ ma maaĩ,
namo nĩ marima mamethũkangu, matangĩiga maaĩ.
14Rĩu-rĩ, anga Isiraeli nĩ ndungata, o mũndũ ũciarĩirwo ũkombo-inĩ?
Nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmĩte atuĩke mũndũ wa gũtahwo?
152:15 Jer 4:7; Alaw 26:43Mĩrũũthi nĩĩraramĩte;
nĩĩmũraramĩire.
Nĩyanangĩte bũrũri wake;
matũũra make macinĩtwo na mwaki, na magatigwo matarĩ mũndũ.
16O na andũ a Memufisi, na a Tahapanahesi
nĩmagũtiihĩtie, magagwĩkĩra rũhara ruototia rwa mũtwe.
172:17 Jer 4:18Githĩ tiwe mwene wĩrehereire maũndũ maya
nĩ ũndũ wa gũtirika Jehova Ngai waku,
o rĩrĩa we aagũtongoragia na njĩra ĩrĩa wageraga?
182:18 Isa 30:2; Josh 13:3Rĩu-rĩ, nĩ kĩĩ gĩgũtũma ũcooke bũrũri wa Misiri
ũkanyue maaĩ ma Shihoru?
Na ningĩ-rĩ, ũgũthiĩ Ashuri nĩkĩ,
ũkanyue maaĩ ma Rũũĩ rwa Farati?
192:19 Hos 14:4; Ayub 20:14Waganu waku nĩguo ũgaakũherithia,
nakuo gũcooka na thuutha gwaku nĩgũgakũrũithia.
Tondũ ũcio wĩciirie wega na ũmenye
ũrĩa arĩ ũndũ mũũru mũno na ũrĩ ruo harĩwe,
rĩrĩa ũtirikĩte Jehova Ngai waku,
na rĩrĩa ũkwaga kwĩĩndigĩra,”
ũguo nĩguo Mwathani, o we Jehova Mwene-Hinya-Wothe, ekuuga.
202:20 Gũcook 12:2; Ezek 16:15“Nĩwoinangire icooki rĩaku rĩa ngingo o tene,
na ũgĩtuuanga mĩhĩndo yaku;
woigire atĩrĩ, ‘Ndigũcooka gũgũtungata!’
Tondũ-rĩ, tũrĩma-inĩ tũrĩa tuothe tũraihu na igũrũ,
na rungu rwa mũtĩ o wothe mũruru
nĩkuo wakomaga ũkĩhũũra ũmaraya.
212:21 Thaam 15:17; Isa 5:4Niĩ ndaakũhaandĩte ũrĩ ta mũthabibũ mũthuuranĩre
wa mũthemba ũrĩa mwega.
Wagĩcookire kũngarũrũka atĩa,
ũgĩthũka, ũgĩtuĩka ta mũthabibũ wa gĩthaka?
22O na ũngĩĩthamba na igata,
o na ũhũthĩre thabuni mũingĩ mũno-rĩ,
kĩmeni kĩa wĩhia waku ndingĩtiga gũkĩona,”
ũguo nĩguo Mwathani Jehova ekuuga.
232:23 Thim 30:12; Jer 7:31“Rĩu-rĩ, ũngĩhota atĩa kuuga atĩrĩ: ‘Niĩ ndiĩthaahĩtie;
ndirũmĩrĩire kĩrĩra kĩa Mabaali’?
Ta rora wone mĩtugo yaku kũu gĩtuamba-inĩ;
wĩcũũranie wega maũndũ marĩa wĩkĩte.
Wee ũhaana ta moori ya ngamĩĩra
ĩgĩcangacanga kũndũ na kũndũ,
242:24 Kĩam 16:12; Jer 14:6ũkahaana ta njagĩ ĩrĩa ĩmenyerete gũikara werũ-inĩ,
ĩrĩa ĩnuhanuhaga rĩrĩa ĩkwenda kũhaicwo;
rĩrĩa ĩrĩ na mũrukĩ-rĩ, nũũ ũngĩhota kũmĩrigĩrĩria?
Njamba iria ingĩmĩenda, itingĩĩnogia ikĩmĩcaria;
mweri wayo wakinya, nĩikamĩona.
25Tiga kũhanyũka nginya ũthirĩrwo nĩ iraatũ magũrũ,
naguo mũmero waku ũngʼare.
No wee ũkiuga atĩrĩ, ‘Hatirĩ bata!
nĩnyendete ngai cia kũngĩ,
na no nginya ndĩciume thuutha.’
262:26 Ezek 22:26; Jer 48:27“O ta ũrĩa mũici aconorithagio aanyiitwo,
ũguo no taguo nyũmba ĩno ya Isiraeli ĩconorithĩtio:
o ene, na athamaki ao, na anene ao,
na athĩnjĩri-Ngai ao, na anabii ao.
272:27 Isa 26:16; Hos 5:15Meeraga mũtĩ atĩrĩ, ‘Wee nĩwe Baba,’
na makeera ihiga atĩrĩ, ‘Wee nĩwe wanjiarire.’
Nĩmahutatĩire,
makaaga kũnyonia mothiũ mao;
no rĩrĩa marĩ thĩĩna-inĩ manjĩĩraga atĩrĩ,
‘Ũka ũtũhonokie!’
282:28 Isa 45:20; 2Ath 17:29Ikĩrĩ kũ ngai icio mwethondekeire?
Kĩrekei ciũke, aakorwo no imũhonokie
rĩrĩa mũrĩ thĩĩna-inĩ!
Nĩgũkorwo ngai ciaku cingĩhĩte
o ta matũũra maku, wee Juda.
29“Mũgũkĩndũithia nĩ ũndũ kĩ?
Inyuothe nĩmũũnemeire,”
ũguo nĩguo Jehova ekuuga.
302:30 Alaw 26:23; Atũm 7:52“Nĩ wĩra wa tũhũ ndaarutire ngĩherithia andũ anyu;
matiigana kũigua maakaanio magarũrũke.
Rũhiũ rwaku rwa njora nĩrũniinĩte anabii anyu,
o ta mũrũũthi ũrĩa mũrĩĩani.
312:31 Isa 45:19“Atĩrĩrĩ, inyuĩ andũ a rũciaro rũrũ, mwĩcũraniei wega ũhoro wa ndũmĩrĩri ĩno ya Jehova:
“Kaĩ nduĩkĩte ta werũ harĩ Isiraeli,
kana ta bũrũri ũrĩ nduma nene?
Nĩ kĩĩ gĩtũmaga andũ akwa moige atĩrĩ,
‘Ithuĩ tũrĩĩkaga ũrĩa tũkwenda;
tũtigagũcookerera rĩngĩ’?
32Rĩu-rĩ, mũirĩtu ahota kũriganĩrwo nĩ mathaga make ma kwĩgemia,
kana mũhiki ariganĩrwo nĩ nguo ciake cia ũhiki?
No rĩrĩ, andũ akwa nĩmariganĩirwo nĩ niĩ,
matukũ maingĩ matangĩtarĩka.
33Kaĩ nĩ ũrĩ ũũgĩ mũingĩ rĩrĩa ũgũcaria wendo-ĩ!
Nĩ ũndũ ũcio o na atumia arĩa aaganu mũno
no merute na mĩthiĩre yaku.
342:34 Thim 6:17; Thaam 22:2Nguo-inĩ ciaku-rĩ, andũ nĩmoonaga
thakame ya athĩĩni arĩa matarĩ ũũru mekĩte,
o na aakorwo ndwamanyiitire magĩtua nyũmba.
No rĩrĩ, o na gũtariĩ ũguo
35wee uugaga atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ndirĩ ũndũ mũũru njĩkĩte;
we ndandaakarĩire.’
No niĩ nĩngũgũtuĩra ciira,
tondũ uugaga atĩrĩ, ‘Niĩ ndiĩhĩtie.’
362:36 Thab 108:12; Isa 30:2, 3, 7Ũriũngariũngaga nĩkĩ,
ũkĩgarũraga mĩthiĩre yaku?
Nĩũgaconorithio nĩ bũrũri wa Misiri,
o ta ũrĩa waconorithirio nĩ Ashuri.
372:37 2Sam 13:19; Jer 37:7Ũgaacooka uume kũndũ kũu
ũigĩrĩire moko mũtwe,
nĩgũkorwo Jehova nĩaregete acio wĩhokete,
o matigagũteithia.
