Jeremiah 2:18-30

New International Version

¹⁸Now why go to Egypt^(A)
    to drink water from the Nile^[a]?^(B)
And why go to Assyria^(C)
    to drink water from the Euphrates?^(D)
¹⁹Your wickedness will punish you;
    your backsliding^(E) will rebuke^(F) you.
Consider then and realize
    how evil and bitter^(G) it is for you
when you forsake^(H) the Lord your God
    and have no awe^(I) of me,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

²⁰“Long ago you broke off your yoke^(J)
    and tore off your bonds;^(K)
    you said, ‘I will not serve you!’^(L)
Indeed, on every high hill^(M)
    and under every spreading tree^(N)
    you lay down as a prostitute.^(O)
²¹I had planted^(P) you like a choice vine^(Q)
    of sound and reliable stock.
How then did you turn against me
    into a corrupt,^(R) wild vine?
²²Although you wash^(S) yourself with soap^(T)
    and use an abundance of cleansing powder,
    the stain of your guilt is still before me,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.^(U)
²³“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;^(V)
    I have not run after the Baals’?^(W)
See how you behaved in the valley;^(X)
    consider what you have done.
You are a swift she-camel
    running^(Y) here and there,
²⁴a wild donkey^(Z) accustomed to the desert,^(AA)
    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!^(AB)
    I love foreign gods,^(AC)
    and I must go after them.’^(AD)

²⁶“As a thief is disgraced^(AE) when he is caught,
    so the people of Israel are disgraced—
they, their kings and their officials,
    their priests^(AF) and their prophets.^(AG)
²⁷They say to wood,^(AH) ‘You are my father,’
    and to stone,^(AI) ‘You gave me birth.’
They have turned their backs^(AJ) to me
    and not their faces;^(AK)
yet when they are in trouble,^(AL) they say,
    ‘Come and save^(AM) us!’
²⁸Where then are the gods^(AN) you made for yourselves?
    Let them come if they can save you
    when you are in trouble!^(AO)
For you, Judah, have as many gods
    as you have towns.^(AP)

²⁹“Why do you bring charges against me?
    You have all^(AQ) rebelled against me,”
declares the Lord.
³⁰“In vain I punished your people;
    they did not respond to correction.^(AR)
Your sword has devoured your prophets^(AS)
    like a ravenous lion.