23 “How kcan you say, ‘I am not 3polluted,

I have not gone after the Baals’?

See your way in the valley;

Know what you have done:

You are a swift dromedary breaking loose in her ways,

24 A wild donkey used to the wilderness,

That sniffs at the wind in her desire;

In her time of mating, who can turn her away?

All those who seek her will not weary themselves;

In her month they will find her.

25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst.

But you said, l‘There is no hope.

No! For I have loved maliens, and after them I will go.’

26 “As the thief is ashamed when he is found out,

So is the house of Israel ashamed;

They and their kings and their princes, and their priests and their nprophets,

27 Saying to a tree, ‘You are my father,’

And to a ostone, ‘You gave birth to me.’

For they have turned their back to Me, and not their face.

But in the time of their ptrouble

They will say, ‘Arise and save us.’

28 But qwhere are your gods that you have made for yourselves?

Let them arise,

If they rcan save you in the time of your 4trouble;

For saccording to the number of your cities

Are your gods, O Judah.

29 “Why will you plead with Me?

You all have transgressed against Me,” says the Lord.

30 “In vain I have tchastened your children;

They ureceived no correction.

Your sword has vdevoured your prophets

Like a destroying lion.

31 “O generation, see the word of the Lord!

Have I been a wilderness to Israel,

Or a land of darkness?

Why do My people say, ‘We 5are lords;

wWe will come no more to You’?

32 Can a virgin forget her ornaments,

Or a bride her attire?

Yet My people xhave forgotten Me days without number.

33 “Why do you beautify your way to seek love?

Therefore you have also taught

The wicked women your ways.

34 Also on your skirts is found

yThe blood of the lives of the poor innocents.

I have not found it by 6secret search,

But plainly on all these things.

35 zYet you say, ‘Because I am innocent,

Surely His anger shall turn from me.’

Behold, aI will plead My case against you,

bBecause you say, ‘I have not sinned.’

36 cWhy do you gad about so much to change your way?

Also dyou shall be ashamed of Egypt eas you were ashamed of Assyria.

37 Indeed you will go forth from him

With your hands on fyour head;

For the Lord has rejected your trusted allies,

And you will gnot prosper by them.

Israel is Shameless

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

And becomes another man’s,

aMay he return to her again?’

Would not that bland be greatly polluted?

But you have cplayed the harlot with many lovers;

dYet return to Me,” says the Lord.

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

Where have you not 1lain with men?

fBy the road you have sat for them

Like an Arabian in the wilderness;

gAnd you have polluted the land

With your harlotries and your wickedness.

3 Therefore the hshowers have been withheld,

And there has been no latter rain.

You have had a iharlot’s forehead;

You refuse to be ashamed.

4 Will you not from this time cry to Me,

‘My Father, You are jthe guide of kmy youth?

5 lWill He remain angry forever?

Will He keep it to the end?’

Behold, you have spoken and done evil things,

As you were able.”