Israel's Unfaithfulness
1 The Lord told me 2 to go to Jerusalem and tell everyone that he had said:
When you were my young bride,
you loved me and followed me
through the barren desert.
3 You belonged to me alone,
like the first part of the harvest,
and I severely punished
those who mistreated you.
4 Listen, people of Israel,
5 and I, the Lord, will speak.
I was never unfair
to your ancestors,
but they left me
and became worthless
by following worthless idols.
6 Your ancestors refused
to ask for my help,
though I had rescued them
from Egypt
and led them through
a treacherous, barren desert,
where no one lives
or dares to travel.
7 I brought you here to my land,
where food is abundant,
but you made my land filthy
with your sins.
8 The priests who teach my laws
don't care to know me.
Your leaders rebel against me;
your prophets
give messages from Baal
and worship false gods.
The Lord Accuses His People
9 I will take you to court
and accuse you
and your descendants
* 10 of a crime that no nation
has ever committed before.
Just ask anyone, anywhere,
from the eastern deserts
to the islands in the west.
11 You will find that no nation
has ever abandoned its gods
even though they were false.
I am the true and glorious God,
but you have rejected me
to worship idols.
12 Tell the heavens
to tremble with fear!
13 You, my people, have sinned
in two ways—
you have rejected me, the source
of life-giving water,
and you've tried to collect water
in cracked and leaking pits
dug in the ground.
14 People of Israel,
you weren't born slaves;
you were captured in war.
15 Enemies roared like lions
and destroyed your land;
towns lie burned and empty.
16 Soldiers from the Egyptian towns
of Memphis and Tahpanhes
have cracked your skulls.
17 It's all your own fault!
You stopped following me,
the Lord your God,
18 and you trusted the power
of Egypt and Assyria.
19 Your own sins will punish you,
because it was a bitter mistake
for you to reject me
without fear of punishment.
I, the Lord All-Powerful,
have spoken.
20 Long ago you left me
and broke all ties between us,
refusing to be my servant.
Now you worship other gods
by having sex
on hilltops or in the shade
of large trees.
21 You were a choice grapevine,
but you have become
a wild, useless vine.
Israel Is Stained with Guilt
22 The Lord said:
People of Israel,
you are stained with guilt,
and no soap or bleach
can wash it away.
23 You deny your sins
and say, “We aren't unclean.
We haven't worshiped Baal.”
But think about what you do
in Hinnom Valley.
You run back and forth
like young camels,
as you rush to worship one idol
after another.
24 You are a female donkey
sniffing the desert air,
wanting to mate
with just anyone.
You are an easy catch!
25 Your shoes are worn out,
and your throat is parched
from running here and there
to worship foreign gods.
“Stop!” I shouted,
but you replied, “No!
I love those gods too much.”
26 You and your leaders
are more disgraceful
than thieves—
you and your kings,
your priests and prophets
27 worship stone idols
and sacred poles
as if they had created you
and had given you life.
You have rejected me,
but when you're in trouble,
you cry to me for help.
28 Go cry to the gods you made!
There should be enough of them
to save you,
because Judah has as many gods
as it has towns.
Israel Rebels against the Lord
29 The Lord said to Israel:
You accuse me of not saving you,
but I say you have rebelled.
30 I tried punishing you,
but you refused
to come back to me,
and like fierce lions
you killed my prophets.
31 Now listen to what I say!
Did I abandon you in the desert
or surround you with darkness?
You are my people,
yet you have told me,
“We'll do what we want,
and we refuse
to worship you!”
32 A bride could not forget
to wear her jewelry
to her wedding,
but you have forgotten me
day after day.
33 You are so clever
at finding lovers
that you could give lessons
to a prostitute.
34 You killed innocent people
for no reason at all.
And even though their blood
can be seen on your clothes,
35 you claim to be innocent,
and you want me to stop
being angry with you.
So I'll take you to court,
and we'll see who is right.
36 When Assyria let you down,
you quickly ran to Egypt,
but you'll find no help there,
37 and you will leave
in great sadness.
I won't let you find help
from those you trust.
Elob ge Israelǁaesa ra ǁkhara
1 Os ge ǃKhūb di mîsa tita ge hāba, 2 hoan Jerusalems ǃnâ hâna ta nî sī nē ǂhôasa mîbase:
“ǂÂihō ta ge ra mâtikōses ge ǂkhamsis âs ǃnâ ǂgomǂgomsa isa,
mâtikōses ge ǃgamem geo ǀnam te isa;
titas gere ǃgaroǃhūb,
ǃhanaǃnâhe tamab ǃnâ saoǃgon ǀgaus xa.
3 Israels ge ǃKhūba ǃanu xū-i ase ge ība i,
ǁîb ǃgaos di ǂguroba.
ǁÎna ga ǂûn hoan ge ǀhapixase nî ūhâhe,
ǁîn ge ǂkhabab xa nî hāǂamhe”
tib ge ǃKhūba ra mî.Israelǁaes aboxan di ǁoreb
4 ǁNâu re mîs ǃKhūb disa Jakob di suridu, Israeli di ǁaedo. 5 ǃKhūb ge ra mî:
“Mâ ǂhanuoǃnâsi-e gu kha sadu aboxaga tita ǃnâ ge hō?
Tarexa gu tita xu a ǃnū?
ǁÎgu ge ǁausiba sauruǃgon
tsî ǁnās ǀkha ge ǁauxū kai.
6 ǁÎgu ge mî tama ge i:
Mâpab ǃKhūb Egipteba xu ge ǂgaeǂguiǂui daba hâ?
ǃGaroǃhūb ǃnâ ge ǂgaeǂgui dab,
ǃgaroǃhūb tsî āgu ǃnâ,
ǀkhurub hâǃnâ ǃhūb, ǁōb ǃkhaenab dib ǃnâ,
khoe-i xare-i ǁanǃnâ tama ǃhūb ǃnâ.
7 Tsî ta ge tita ǂûtanixa ǃhūb tawa ge hā-ū du,
ǁîb ǂûn tsî ǃgâib xa du nî ǂûse;
xawe du ge ǂgâxa du geo ǃhūba ǀuriǀuri
tsî ti ǀumisa ǁgaiǁgaisa xūse ge dī.
8 Pristergu ge ‘ǃKhūba mâpa hâ?’ ti ge mî tama hâ i.
Tsî gu ge ǁnāgu ǂhanuba ra sîsenūga ge ǀū te i.
ǃÛi-aogu ge tita ǃoagu ge khâikhâisen
tsî gu ge kēbo-aoga Baala xu kēbo
tsî harebeoǃnâ ǁgôa-elona ge ǀgoreǀî.
ǃKhūb di ǁhōb khoen âb ǃoagu
9 “ǁNā-amaga ta ge ganupe sadu ǀkha nî ǂnoagu,”
tib ge ǃKhūba ra mî.“Sadu ôan tsî ǁnurin ǀkha ta ge nî ǂnoagu.
10 Siprusǃnāǃnuis di huriǂoas ǁga ǃgâu,
î Kedari ǁga khoe-e sî, î ǂâisa ǂnûi-ai;
î kō nēti ī xū-i ge ǀnai ī tama hâ isa.
11 ǁAe-i ge ǁîn eloga māǃkhuni hâ isa,
ama elo tamagu a xawe?
Xawe ti ǁaes ge tita,
ǁîn ǂkhaisib di Elota ge māǃkhuni
harebeoǃnâ elon ǃaroma.
12 Nēs xa buru re ǀhomgo, î ǃaob xa ǀkhū re”
tib ge ǃKhūba ra mî.13 “Ti ǁaes ge ǀgam ǂkhaba xūna ge dī:
ǁÎn ge tita, ûiba ra mā ǀauta ǂhara
tsî tsaude ge ǁhāǂuibasen,
khôa hâ tsaudi, ǁgam-e sâu tamade.
Israeli ǂgomǂgomsa tama is ǃnurib
14 “Israela kha a khobo?
Tamas ka io ommi ǃnâ ge ǃnae ǃgāba?
Tarexab ge ǁnâi ǁkhâuǁnâxū kai?
15 Xamn khamin ge ǁîb ai ge ǃguru,
ǃgarise ǃguru tsîn ge ǃhūb âba ge hîǀhuru
tsî di ge ǃādi âba khauǃkhūhe hâ,
tsî khoe-i xare-i xa ǁanǃnâhe tama hâ.
16 ǁKhātin ge Memfis tsî Taxpanhes khoena
danaǂkhōs âtsa nî ǂkhūǂkhū.
17 ǃKhūb sa Eloba ǁnāxūs ǀkhats kha nēsa sa ai hā-ū tama hâ,
ǁîb ge satsa daob ai ǂgaeǂgui ǁaeb ai?
18 Tsî nēsisas Egipteb ǁga ǃgûsa satsa tare-e harebeba hâ;
Nylǃāb ǁgam-e nî sī āse?
Asiriab ǁgā ǃgûsa satsa tare-e harebeba hâ;
Eufratǃāb ǁgam-e nî sī āse?
19 Sa ǂkhabasib ge nî ǁkhara tsi
tsî tita xuts ra ǃgûbē ǃkhais ǃaromats ge ǁnās ǃnaka nî tsâ.
Mâtikōse i tsū tsî au ǃKhūb sa Eloba ǂhara,
tsî tita ǃaoǃgâ tama isa ǃkhaisats ge nî ǁkhāǁkhāsen”
tib ge ǃKhūb Elob Hoaǀgaixaba ra mî.Israels ge ǃKhūba ǀgoreǀîsa ra ǂkhā
20 ǃAnu ǃKhūb ge ra mî:
“ǀNaits ge ti ǀgaiba ǃharaxū tsî ǃgae-ūdan âtsa ge ǂgaeǃgao tsîts ge ge mî:
‘Satsa ta ge ǃoaba tide.’
Mâ ǀgapi ǃnâu-i hoa-i ai
tsî mâ hai-i hoa-i ǃnakats ge ǀai-aos khami gere ǃgamǃgâ.
21 Tita ge satsa ǃgâi draibehaise ge ǃhana,
ǂgomǃgâhe ǁkhā ǃkhomse;
mâtits ǁnâi ǁkhoa tama
draibehais ǃnâ ge ǀkharaǀkharasenba te?
22 ǀŪǃkhupub ǀkha tamas ka iots ga ǀgaisa sē-i ǀkha ǁāsen,
xawe di ge sa ǂhanuoǃnâsib ǂnaode ganupe ti aiǃâ hâ,
tib ge ǃKhūb Eloba ra mî.23 Mâtits ‘Tita ge ǃanuoǃnâ kaisen tama hâ.
Baala ta ge ǀgoreǀî tama hâ’ ti ra mî?
ǂÂihō re mâtits ǃgoaǃnāb ǃnâ ge ǁoresa;
sats ge ǂkham ǃnais
daogu âsa ra dabaǃkhunis khami ī.
24 ǃGarodâuki-i, ǃgaroǃhūba ǁnaeti hâ-i khami,
ǁîs turab ǃnâ, ǂoab ǃnâ ra ǃkhapasa.
Khoe-i xare-i ge ǁîsa ǃkhō-oa ǁoa.
ǁÎsa ra ôab hoab ge ǂkhabu tide
tsî ǁaeb ai ra ǀhao-ū si.
25 Sa ǂaisa ū-oa ǁharos âtsats ǂoaǃnâ tidese,
tsî sa domma ǁgâb tidese.
Xawets ge ra mî: ‘Hui tama!
ǃHao elona ta ge a ǀnam
tsî ta ge nî ǁîna saoǃgon.’ ”
Israeli ge ǁkharahesa anu hâ
26 “ǃNari-ao-i taosib ǃnâ ǂanǂuihe-i kao ra mâ khamin ge Israeli ommi dina tao hâ; ǁîn tsî ǁîn di gao-aogu, pristergu tsî kēbo-aogu tsîna. 27 ǁNān hai-i ǃoa ‘Sats ge a ti î’ tsî ǀui-i ǃoa ‘Sas ge ge ǁora te’ ti ra mîn ge nî taotaohe. ǁÎn ge ǁâb âna tita ǃoa ge dawa; ais ân ose. Xawen ge ǂōǂōsib ân ǃnâ ‘Khâi, î ore da re’ ” ti ra mî.
28 “Mâpa gu kha sats ge aitsama kurubasen eloga hâ? A gu khâi, satsa gu ga ǂōǂōsib ǁaeb ǃnâ ore ǂgao o, ǃādi ǂgui khami ǂgui elogats ūhâ xuige Judatse. 29 Tarexa du kha tita ǀkha ra ǂnoagu? Hoatsama du kom tita ǃoagu ge khâio,”
tib ge ǃKhūba ra mî.30 “ǁAuse ta ge sadu ôana gere ǁkhara, xawen ge ǂgōǀausa ūǃoa tama ge i. Sadu gôab ge sadu kēbo-aoga ge ǀkhauǃā, hîkākā ra xam-i khami. 31 Ti ǁaese ǃKhūb di mîsa ǃgaoǃgâ re. Israela ta kha ǁnâi ǃgaroǃhūse tamas ka io ǃkhaenab di ǃhūse ge dī? Tare-i ǃaromas ti ǁaesa ‘Sida ge a ǃnorasa, ǃaruǀî da ge sa ǃoa oa tide?’ ” ti ra mî. 32 ǂKhamkhoesa ǁîs anisenxūna ǀurus nî; tsî ǃgame-aosa ǁîs di ǀhāba? Xawes ge ti ǁaesa ǂgui tsēdi kōse tita ge ǀuru. 33 Mâtikō ǃgâisets sa daoga ra ǃgâiǃgâi, ǀnamsa-e ôas ǃaroma! ǂKhaba tarekhoedi tsînats ge sa daoga ǁkhāǁkhās kōse. 34 Sa saran di ǂomamǃgâgu ǃnâb ge ǀhapio khoen di ǀaoba hâ. Khôaǂgâhe hâ ǃkhai-i tawa ta ge nēsa hō tama hâ, xawe hoa xūn tawa.
“Xawe nēn hoan ǃnâts ge ra mî: 35 ‘ǀHapio ta a, amaseb ge ǁaixasib âba tita xu go ūdaba.’ Tita ge nî ǂnoagu-ū tsi ‘Tita ge ǁore tama hâ’ tits ge mî xui-ao. 36 Tare-i ǃaromats ǁnātikōse daob âtsa ra ǀkharaǀkhara ǂgaoǃâ ra ǃgûma? Asiriab xas ǁkhās khamits ge Egipteb xa nî ǃân kaihe. 37 ǁNāpaxus tsîna ta ge ǃomkha âtsa danas ai ǁgui hâse nî ǂoaxa. ǃKhūb ge ǁnān sats ra ǂgomǃgâna ǂhara xui-ao; tsîts ge ǁîn ǀkha ǃgâiǃgâ tide.”
