Israel forsakes God
1The word of the Lord came to me: 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 holy to the Lord,
the firstfruits of his harvest;
all who devoured her were held guilty,
and disaster overtook them,” ’
declares the Lord.
4Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob,
all you clans of Israel.
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.
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?”
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 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.
9‘Therefore I bring charges against you again,’
declares the Lord.
‘And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
send to Kedar2:10 In the Syro-Arabian desert and observe closely;
see if there has ever been anything like this:
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 appalled at this, you heavens,
and shudder with great horror,’
declares the Lord.
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, a slave by birth?
Why then has he become plunder?
15Lions have roared;
they have growled at him.
They have laid waste his land;
his towns are burned and deserted.
16Also, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have cracked your skull.
17Have you not brought this on yourselves
by forsaking the Lord your God
when he led you in the way?
18Now why go to Egypt
to drink water from the Nile2:18 Hebrew Shihor; that is, a branch of the Nile?
And why go to Assyria
to drink water from the Euphrates?
19Your wickedness will punish you;
your backsliding will rebuke you.
Consider then and realise
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.
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.
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?
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.
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 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.
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.”
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.
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!”
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.
29‘Why do you bring charges against me?
You have all rebelled against me,’
declares the Lord.
30‘In vain I punished your people;
they did not respond to correction.
Your sword has devoured your prophets
like a ravenous lion.
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”?
32Does a young woman forget her jewellery,
a bride her wedding ornaments?
Yet my people have forgotten me,
days without number.
33How skilled you are at pursuing love!
Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.
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
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 do you go about so much,
changing your ways?
You will be disappointed by Egypt
as you were by Assyria.
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.
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.
