1   And the word of our Lord was made to me, saying:

2   Goe, and crie in the eares of Ierusalem, saying: Thus saith our Lord: I haue remembred thee, pitying ^note thy youth, and the charitie of thy despousing, when thou didest folow me in the desert, in a land that is not sowen.

3   Israel ^note is holie to our Lord, the first fruites of his fruites: al they that doe deuoure it doe sinne: euil shal come vpon them, saith our Lord.

4   Heare ye the word of our Lord ô house of Iacob, and al ye kinredes of the house of Israel:

5   thus saith our Lord: What iniquitie haue your fathers found in me, that they haue made themselues far from me, and haue walked after vanitie, and are become vaine?

6   And they haue not said: Where is our Lord, that made vs come vp out of the land of Ægypt: that led vs through the desert, through a land inhabitable and without way, through a land of thirst, & the image of death, through a land, wherein no man walked, nor anie man dwelt?

7   And I brought you into the land of ^note Carmel, that you might eate the fruite thereof, and the best thinges therof: and being entered

in, you haue contaminated my land, and made mine inheritance an abomination.

8   The priestes haue not said: Where is our Lord? and they that held the law knew me not, and the pastours haue transgressed against me, and the prophets haue prophecied in Baal, and haue folowed idoles.

9   Therefore wil I yet contend in iudgement with you, saith our Lord, and I wil plead with your children.

10   Passe ye to the iles of Cethim, and see: and send into Cedar, and consider earnestly: and see if there hath the like thing bene done.

11   If a nation hath changed their goddes, and surely they are not goddes: but my people hath changed their glorie into an idol.

12   Be astoined ô heauens vpon this, and ô gates thereof be ye desolate exceedingly, saith our Lord.

13   For ^note two euils hath my people done, Me they haue forsaken the fountaine of liuing water, & haue digged to them selues cesternes: broken cesternes, that are not able to holde waters.

14   Why, is Israel a bondman, or a seruant borne in the house? why then is he become a praye?

15   The lions haue roared vpon him, and haue geuen their voice, they haue made his land a wildernes: his cities are burnt vp, & there is none to dwel in them.

16   The children also of Memphis, and Taphnes haue defloured thee, euen to the crowne of the head.

17   Is not this done to thee, because thou didest forsake the Lord thy God at that time, when he led thee by the way?

18   And now what wilt thou in the way of Ægypt, to drinke the trubled water? And what hast thou to doe with the way of the Assyrians, to drinke the waters of the riuer?

19   Thy malice shal reproue thee, and thine apostacie shal rebuke thee. Know thou, & see that it is an euil and a bitter thing for thee, to haue left the Lord thy God, and that my feare is not with thee, saith our Lord the God of hostes.

20   From the beginning thou hast broken my yoke, thou hast burst my bonds, and thou saidst: I wil not serue. For on euerie litle high hil, and vnder euerie greene thicke tree thou wast laied downe as an harlot.

21   But I planted thee an elect vineyard, ^note al true seede: how then art thou turned vnto me into that which is depraued, ô strange vineyard?

22   If thou shalt wash thyself with nitre, and multiplie to thyself the herbe borith, thou art spotted in thine iniquitie before me, saith our Lord God.

23   How sayst thou: I am not polluted, I haue not walked after Baalim? see thy wayes in the valley, know what thou hast done: a swift courser that rideth his wayes.

24   The wild Asse accustomed to the wildernes

in the desire of his soule, hath drawen the winde of his loue: none shal turne her away: al that seeke her shal not faile: in her monethlie flowres they shal finde her.

25   Stay thy foote from nakednes, and thy throate from thirst. And thou saidest: I haue despayred, no, I wil not doe it: for I haue loued strangers, and I wil walke after them.

26   As the theefe is confounded when he is taken, so is the house of Israel confounded, they and their kinges, the princes and priestes, and their prophetes,

27   saying to wood: Thou art my father: and to stone: Thou hast begotten me: they haue turned the backe to me, & not the face: and in the time of their affliction they wil say: Arise, and deliuer vs.

28   Where are the goddes, whom thou hast made to thee? let them arise and deliuer thee in the time of thine affliction: for according to the number of thy cities were thy goddes ô Iuda.

29   What wil you contend with me in iudgement? you haue al forsaken me, saith our Lord.

30    ^noteIn vaine haue I striken your children, they haue not receiued discipline: your sworde hath deuoured your prophetes, as a wasting lion is your generation.

31   See yee the word of our Lord: why, am I become a wildernes to Israel, or a lateward springing land? why then hath my people said: We haue reuolted, we wil no more come to thee?

32   Wil a virgin forget her ornament, or a bride the stomacher of her brest? but my people hath forgotten me innumerable daies.

33   Why dost thou endeuour to shew thy way good to seeke loue, which moreouer also hast taught thy malices to be thy wayes.

34   And in thy winges is found the bloud of the soules of the poore and innocentes? Not in diches haue I found them, but in al places, which before I haue mentioned.

35   And thou hast said: I am without sinne and innocent: and therfore let thy furie be turned away from me. Beholde, I wil contend with thee in iudgement, because thou hast said: I haue not sinned.

36   How vile art thou become exceedingly, iterating thy wayes! and thou shalt be confounded of Ægypt, as thou art confounded of Assur.

37   For from hence also thou shalt goe, and thy handes shal be vpon thy head: because the Lord hath destroyed thy confidence, and thou shalt haue nothing prosperous therein.

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