Jeremiah 2:14-22

New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Catholic Edition

¹⁴ Is Israel a slave? Is he a home-born servant?
    Why then has he become plunder?
¹⁵ The lions have roared against him,
    they have roared loudly.
They have made his land a waste;
    his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant.
¹⁶ Moreover, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes
    have broken the crown of your head.
¹⁷ Have you not brought this upon yourself
    by forsaking the Lord your God,
    while he led you in the way?
¹⁸ What then do you gain by going to Egypt,
    to drink the waters of the Nile?
Or what do you gain by going to Assyria,
    to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
¹⁹ Your wickedness will punish you,
    and your apostasies will convict you.
Know and see that it is evil and bitter
    for you to forsake the Lord your God;
    the fear of me is not in you,
says the Lord God of hosts.

²⁰ For long ago you broke your yoke
    and burst your bonds,
    and you said, ‘I will not serve!’
On every high hill
    and under every green tree
    you sprawled and played the whore.
²¹ Yet I planted you as a choice vine,
    from the purest stock.
How then did you turn degenerate
    and become a wild vine?
²² Though you wash yourself with lye
    and use much soap,
    the stain of your guilt is still before me,
says the Lord God.