1 “If a man divorces his wife

and she leaves him and marries another man,

should he return to her again?

Would not the land be completely defiled?

But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers—

would you now return to me?”

declares the Lord.

2 “Look up to the barren heights and see.

Is there any place where you have not been ravished?

By the roadside you sat waiting for lovers,

sat like a nomad in the desert.

You have defiled the land

with your prostitution and wickedness.

3 Therefore the showers have been withheld,

and no spring rains have fallen.

Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute;

you refuse to blush with shame.

4 Have you not just called to me:

‘My Father, my friend from my youth,

5 will you always be angry?

Will your wrath continue forever?’

This is how you talk,

but you do all the evil you can.”

1 “If a man divorces his wife

and she goes from him

and becomes another man’s wife,

will he return to her?

Would not that land be greatly polluted?

You have played the whore with many lovers;

and would you return to me?

declares the Lord.

2 Lift up your eyes to the bare heights, and see!

Where have you not been ravished?

By the waysides you have sat awaiting lovers

like an Arab in the wilderness.

You have polluted the land

with your vile whoredom.

3 Therefore the showers have been withheld,

and the spring rain has not come;

yet you have the forehead of a whore;

you refuse to be ashamed.

4 Have you not just now called to me,

‘My father, you are the friend of my youth—

5 will he be angry forever,

will he be indignant to the end?’

Behold, you have spoken,

but you have done all the evil that you could.”

1 “If a man divorces a woman

and she goes and marries someone else,

he will not take her back again,

for that would surely corrupt the land.

But you have prostituted yourself with many lovers,

so why are you trying to come back to me?”

says the Lord.

2 “Look at the shrines on every hilltop.

Is there any place you have not been defiled

by your adultery with other gods?

You sit like a prostitute beside the road waiting for a customer.

You sit alone like a nomad in the desert.

You have polluted the land with your prostitution

and your wickedness.

3 That’s why even the spring rains have failed.

For you are a brazen prostitute and completely shameless.

4 Yet you say to me,

‘Father, you have been my guide since my youth.

5 Surely you won’t be angry forever!

Surely you can forget about it!’

So you talk,

but you keep on doing all the evil you can.”

1 “They say, ‘If a man divorces his wife, And she goes from him

And becomes another man’s,

May he return to her again?’

Would not that land be greatly polluted?

But you have played the harlot with many lovers;

Yet return to Me,” says the Lord.

2 “Lift up your eyes to the desolate heights and see:

Where have you not lain with men?

By the road you have sat for them

Like an Arabian in the wilderness;

And you have polluted the land

With your harlotries and your wickedness.

3 Therefore the showers have been withheld,

And there has been no latter rain.

You have had a harlot’s forehead;

You refuse to be ashamed.

4 Will you not from this time cry to Me,

‘My Father, You are the guide of my youth?

5 Will He remain angry forever?

Will He keep it to the end?’

Behold, you have spoken and done evil things,

As you were able.”

1 “If a man divorces his wife

and she leaves him and marries another man,

should her first husband come back to her again?

If he went back to her, wouldn’t the land become completely unclean?

But you have acted like a prostitute with many lovers,

and now you want to come back to me?” says the Lord.

2 “Look up to the bare hilltops, Judah.

Is there any place where you have not been a prostitute?

You have sat by the road waiting for lovers,

like an Arab in the desert.

You made the land unclean,

because you did evil and were like a prostitute.

3 So the rain has not come,

and there have not been any spring rains.

But your face still looks like the face of a prostitute.

You refuse even to be ashamed of what you did.

4 Now you are calling to me,

‘My father, you have been my friend since I was young.

5 Will you always be angry at me?

Will your anger last forever?’

Judah, you said this,

but you did as much evil as you could!”

1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, will he return unto her again? will not that land be greatly polluted? But thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith Jehovah. 2 Lift up thine eyes unto the bare heights, and see; where hast thou not been lain with? By the ways hast thou sat for them, as an Arabian in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness. 3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; yet thou hast a harlot’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed. 4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth? 5 Will he retain his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and hast done evil things, and hast had thy way.

1 They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man’s, shall he return unto her again? Would not that land be utterly polluted? But thou hast committed fornication with many lovers; yet return to me, saith Jehovah. 2 Lift up thine eyes unto the heights and see, where hast thou not been lain with? In the ways hast thou sat for them, as an Arab in the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land with thy fornications and with thy wickedness. 3 And the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; but thou hast a harlot’s forehead, thou refusest to be ashamed. 4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth? 5 Will he keep his anger for ever? Will he preserve it perpetually? Behold, thou hast spoken and hast done evil things, and thou art so determined.

1 A saying: 

If a man divorces his wife 

and she leaves him and marries another man, 

her first husband shouldn’t go back to her again. 

The land would become thoroughly polluted. 

“You have acted like a prostitute who has many lovers. 

And now you want to come back to me!” declares the Lord. 

2 “Look at the bare hills, and see. 

You have had sex with men in every place. 

You sat by the roadside waiting for them like a nomad in the desert. 

You have polluted the land with your prostitution and wickedness. 

3 So the rain has been withheld, and there have been no spring showers. 

Yet, you have the shameless look of a prostitute, 

and you refuse to blush. 

4 But now you are calling to me. 

You say, ‘Father! You have been my companion 

ever since I was young. 

5 He won’t hold a grudge forever. 

He won’t always be angry.’ 

You have said and done all the evil things that you could.” 

1 If a man divorces his wife

and she leaves him to marry another,

can he ever return to her?

Wouldn’t such a land become totally defiled?

But you!

You have played the prostitute with many partners —

can you return to Me?

This is the Lord’s declaration.

2 Look to the barren heights and see.

Where have you not been immoral?

You sat waiting for them beside the highways

like a nomad in the desert.

You have defiled the land

with your prostitution and wickedness.

3 This is why the showers haven’t come —

why there has been no spring rain.

You have the brazen look of a prostitute

and refuse to be ashamed.

4 Have you not lately called to Me, “My Father.

You were my friend in my youth.

5 Will He bear a grudge forever?

Will He be endlessly infuriated?”

This is what you have said,

but you have done the evil things

you are capable of.

1 If a man divorces his wife

and she goes from him

and becomes another man’s wife,

will he return to her?

Would not such a land be greatly polluted?

You have played the whore with many lovers;

and would you return to me?

says the Lord.

2 Look up to the bare heights, and see!

Where have you not been lain with?

By the waysides you have sat waiting for lovers,

like a nomad in the wilderness.

You have polluted the land

with your whoring and wickedness.

3 Therefore the showers have been withheld,

and the spring rain has not come;

yet you have the forehead of a whore,

you refuse to be ashamed.

4 Have you not just now called to me,

“My Father, you are the friend of my youth—

5 will he be angry forever,

will he be indignant to the end?”

This is how you have spoken,

but you have done all the evil that you could.

1 A saying: ‘Look, if a man divorces his wife,

and she goes from him and she becomes another man’s wife,

will he return to her again?’

Will not that land be greatly defiled?

And you have prostituted yourself with many lovers,

would you now return to me?” declares Yahweh.

2 “Lift up your eyes at the barren heights,

and see where you have not been ravished.

Beside the roads you sat for them like an Arab in the desert,

and you have defiled the land

with your fornication

and with your wickedness.

3 Therefore rain showers have been withheld,

and the spring rain has not come.

Yet you have the forehead of a woman prostitute,

you refuse to be ashamed.

4 Have you not just now called to me,

‘My father, you are the close friend of my youth?

5 Will he be angry forever?

Will he maintain it always’?

Look, you have spoken,

but you have done all the evil that you could.”

1 “Suppose a man divorces his wife.

What if she then gets married to another man?

Should her first husband return to her again?

If he does, won’t the land become completely ‘unclean’?

People of Israel, you have lived like a prostitute.

You have loved many other gods.

So do you think you can return to me now?”

announces the Lord.

2 “Look up at the bare hilltops.

Is there any place where you have not committed adultery with other gods?

By the side of the road you sat waiting for lovers.

You sat there like someone who wanders in the desert.

You have polluted the land.

You are like a sinful prostitute.

3 So I have held the showers back.

I have kept the spring rains from falling.

But you still have the bold face of a prostitute.

You refuse to blush with shame.

4 You have just now called out to me.

You said,

‘My Father, you have been my friend

ever since I was young.

5 Will you always be angry with me?

Will your anger continue forever?’

That is how you talk.

But you do all of the evil things you can.”

1 God says, “If a husband divorces his wife

And she goes from him

And belongs to another man,

Will he still return to her?

Will not that land be completely polluted?

But you are a harlot with many lovers;

Yet you turn to Me,” declares the Lord.

2 “Lift up your eyes to the bare heights and see;

Where have you not been violated?

By the roads you have sat for them

Like an Arab in the desert,

And you have polluted a land

With your harlotry and with your wickedness.

3 “Therefore the showers have been withheld,

And there has been no spring rain.

Yet you had a harlot’s forehead;

You refused to be ashamed.

4 “Have you not just now called to Me,

‘My Father, You are the friend of my youth?

5 ‘Will He be angry forever?

Will He be indignant to the end?’

Behold, you have spoken

And have done evil things,

And you have had your way.”