26 As the shame of a thief when he is caught in the act,

so the house of Israel will be ashamed.

They, their kings, their officials,

and their priests, and their prophets.

27 Those who say to the tree, ‘You are my father,’

and to the stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’

For they have turned their ⌊backs⌋j to me, and not their faces.

But in the time of their trouble they say, ‘Arise and save us.’

28 But where are your gods that you made for yourself?

Let them arise if they can save you in the time of your trouble.

For according to the number of your towns

are your gods, O Judah.

29 Why do you complain to me?

All of you have ⌊rebelled against me⌋,”k ⌊declares⌋l Yahweh.

30 “For ⌊in vain⌋m I have struck your children.

They accepted no discipline.

Your sword devoured your prophets,

like a raveningn lion.

31 O generation, you see the word of Yahweh.

Have I been a deserto to Israel? Or a land of great darkness?

Why do my people say, ‘We roam about freely,

we will not come again to you’?

32 Can a young woman forget her ornaments?p Or a bride her sashes?

Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

33 How well you do on your way to seek love!

⌊Therefore⌋q even to the wicked woman you can teach your ways.

34 Also on your skirts is found

the blood of the life of the innocent, the poor.

You did not find them in the act of breaking into a house.

But in spite of all these things,

35 yet you say, ‘But I am innocent,

surely his anger has turned away from me.’

Look, I am entering into judgment with you

because of your saying, ‘I have not sinned.’

36 How you go about so much changing your way!

Also by Egypt you will be put to shame,

just as you were put to shame by Assyria.

37 Also from there you will come out

with your hands on your head,

for Yahweh has rejected ⌊those in whom you trust⌋,r

and you will not prosper through them.

3 A ⌊saying⌋:a ‘Look, if a man divorces his wife,

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

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⌋c 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,d

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⌋e 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⌋?f

Will he maintain it ⌊always⌋’?g

Look, you have spoken,

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