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TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

undefined - Chapter 5

Translation and Transliteration of  undefined - Chapter 5

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1Roam the streets of Yerushalayim, Search its squares, Look about and take note: You will not find a man, There is none who acts justly, Who seeks integrity— That I should pardon her.

אשׁוֹטְטוּ בְּחוּצוֹת יְרוּשָׁלַ ִם וּרְאוּ־נָא וּדְעוּ וּבַקְשׁוּ בִרְחוֹבוֹתֶיהָ אִם־תִּמְצְאוּ אִישׁ אִם־יֵשׁ עֹשֶׂה מִשְׁפָּט מְבַקֵּשׁ אֱמוּנָה וְאֶסְלַח לָהּ׃

2Even when they say, “As Hashem lives,” They are sure to be swearing falsely.

בוְאִם חַי־יְהֹוָה יֹאמֵרוּ לָכֵן לַשֶּׁקֶר יִשָּׁבֵעוּ׃

3Hashem, Your eyes look for integrity. You have struck them, but they sensed no pain; You have consumed them, but they would accept no discipline. They made their faces harder than rock, They refused to turn back.

גיְהֹוָה עֵינֶיךָ הֲלוֹא לֶאֱמוּנָה הִכִּיתָה אֹתָם וְלֹא־חָלוּ כִּלִּיתָם מֵאֲנוּ קַחַת מוּסָר חִזְּקוּ פְנֵיהֶם מִסֶּלַע מֵאֲנוּ לָשׁוּב׃

4Then I thought: These are just poor folk; They act foolishly; For they do not know the way of Hashem, The rules of their God.

דוַאֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אַךְ־דַּלִּים הֵם נוֹאֲלוּ כִּי לֹא יָדְעוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְהֹוָה מִשְׁפַּט אֱלֹהֵיהֶם׃

5So I will go to the wealthy And speak with them: Surely they know the way of Hashem, The rules of their God. But they as well had broken the yoke, Had snapped the bonds.

האֵלֲכָה־לִּי אֶל־הַגְּדֹלִים וַאֲדַבְּרָה אוֹתָם כִּי הֵמָּה יָדְעוּ דֶּרֶךְ יְהֹוָה מִשְׁפַּט אֱלֹהֵיהֶם אַךְ הֵמָּה יַחְדָּו שָׁבְרוּ עֹל נִתְּקוּ מוֹסֵרוֹת׃

6Therefore, The lion of the forest strikes them down, The wolf of the desert ravages them. A leopard lies in wait by their towns; Whoever leaves them will be torn in pieces. For their transgressions are many, Their rebellious acts unnumbered.

al KAYN hi-KAM ar-YAY mi-YA-ar z'-AYV a-ra-VOT y'-sho-d'-DAYM na-MAYR sho-KAYD al a-ray-HEM kol ha-yo-TZAY may-HAY-nah yi-ta-RAYF KEE ra-BU pish-ay-HEM a-tz'-MU m'-shu-vo-tay-HEM

ועַל־כֵּן הִכָּם אַרְיֵה מִיַּעַר זְאֵב עֲרָבוֹת יְשָׁדְדֵם נָמֵר שֹׁקֵד עַל־עָרֵיהֶם כָּל־הַיּוֹצֵא מֵהֵנָּה יִטָּרֵף כִּי רַבּוּ פִּשְׁעֵיהֶם עָצְמוּ משבותיהם [מְשׁוּבוֹתֵיהֶם׃]

5:6   The lion of the forest strikes them down

A lion at the Ramat Gan safari

In ancient times, the Land of Israel was filled with a variety of animal species, including lions, wolves and leopards, some of which are still found in Israel today. When the Jewish people were obedient to Hashem, these animals would not pose a threat, as it says in Sefer Vayikra (26:6), “I will grant peace in the land … I will give the land respite from vicious beasts.” Should the people sin, however, the animals would become their enemy (Leviticus 26:22). Reflecting these verses, Yirmiyahu describes the dangers that await the besieged Israelites by comparing them to wild animals preparing to attack.

7Why should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken Me And sworn by no-gods. When I fed them their fill, They committed adultery And went trooping to the harlot's house.

זאֵי לָזֹאת אסלוח־[אֶסְלַח־] לָךְ בָּנַיִךְ עֲזָבוּנִי וַיִּשָּׁבְעוּ בְּלֹא אֱלֹהִים וָאַשְׂבִּעַ אוֹתָם וַיִּנְאָפוּ וּבֵית זוֹנָה יִתְגֹּדָדוּ׃

8They were well-fed, lusty stallions, Each neighing at another's wife.

חסוּסִים מְיֻזָּנִים מַשְׁכִּים הָיוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ יִצְהָלוּ׃

9Shall I not punish such deeds? —says Hashem— Shall I not bring retribution On a nation such as this?

טהַעַל־אֵלֶּה לוֹא־אֶפְקֹד נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה וְאִם בְּגוֹי אֲשֶׁר־כָּזֶה לֹא תִתְנַקֵּם נַפְשִׁי׃

10Go up among her vines and destroy; Lop off her trailing branches, For they are not of Hashem. (But do not make an end.)

יעֲלוּ בְשָׁרוֹתֶיהָ וְשַׁחֵתוּ וְכָלָה אַל־תַּעֲשׂוּ הָסִירוּ נְטִישׁוֹתֶיהָ כִּי לוֹא לַיהֹוָה הֵמָּה׃

11For the House of Yisrael and the House of Yehuda Have betrayed Me —declares Hashem.

יאכִּי בָגוֹד בָּגְדוּ בִּי בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבֵית יְהוּדָה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה׃

12They have been false to Hashem And said: “It is not so! No trouble shall come upon us, We shall not see sword or famine.

יבכִּחֲשׁוּ בַּיהֹוָה וַיֹּאמְרוּ לֹא־הוּא וְלֹא־תָבוֹא עָלֵינוּ רָעָה וְחֶרֶב וְרָעָב לוֹא נִרְאֶה׃

13The Neviim shall prove mere wind For the Word is not in them; Thus-and-thus shall be done to them!”

יגוְהַנְּבִיאִים יִהְיוּ לְרוּחַ וְהַדִּבֵּר אֵין בָּהֶם כֹּה יֵעָשֶׂה לָהֶם׃

14Assuredly, thus said Hashem, The God of Hosts: Because they said that, I am putting My words into your mouth as fire, And this people shall be firewood, Which it will consume.

ידלָכֵן כֹּה־אָמַר יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵי צְבָאוֹת יַעַן דַּבֶּרְכֶם אֶת־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה הִנְנִי נֹתֵן דְּבָרַי בְּפִיךָ לְאֵשׁ וְהָעָם הַזֶּה עֵצִים וַאֲכָלָתַם׃

15Lo, I am bringing against you, O House of Yisrael, A nation from afar —declares Hashem; It is an enduring nation, It is an ancient nation; A nation whose language you do not know— You will not understand what they say.

טוהִנְנִי מֵבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם גּוֹי מִמֶּרְחָק בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה גּוֹי אֵיתָן הוּא גּוֹי מֵעוֹלָם הוּא גּוֹי לֹא־תֵדַע לְשֹׁנוֹ וְלֹא תִשְׁמַע מַה־יְדַבֵּר׃

16Their quivers are like a yawning grave— They are all mighty men.

טזאַשְׁפָּתוֹ כְּקֶבֶר פָּתוּחַ כֻּלָּם גִּבּוֹרִים׃

17They will devour your harvest and food, They will devour your sons and daughters, They will devour your flocks and herds, They will devour your vines and fig trees. They will batter down with the sword The fortified towns on which you rely.

יזוְאָכַל קְצִירְךָ וְלַחְמֶךָ יֹאכְלוּ בָּנֶיךָ וּבְנוֹתֶיךָ יֹאכַל צֹאנְךָ וּבְקָרֶךָ יֹאכַל גַּפְנְךָ וּתְאֵנָתֶךָ יְרֹשֵׁשׁ עָרֵי מִבְצָרֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בּוֹטֵחַ בָּהֵנָּה בֶּחָרֶב׃

18But even in those days—declares Hashem—I will not make an end of you.

יחוְגַם בַּיָּמִים הָהֵמָּה נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה לֹא־אֶעֱשֶׂה אִתְּכֶם כָּלָה׃

19And when they ask, “Because of what did Hashem our God do all these things?” you shall answer them, “Because you forsook Me and served alien gods on your own land, you will have to serve foreigners in a land not your own.”

יטוְהָיָה כִּי תֹאמְרוּ תַּחַת מֶה עָשָׂה יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ לָנוּ אֶת־כָּל־אֵלֶּה וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵיהֶם כַּאֲשֶׁר עֲזַבְתֶּם אוֹתִי וַתַּעַבְדוּ אֱלֹהֵי נֵכָר בְּאַרְצְכֶם כֵּן תַּעַבְדוּ זָרִים בְּאֶרֶץ לֹא לָכֶם׃

20Proclaim this to the House of Yaakov And announce it in Yehuda:

כהַגִּידוּ זֹאת בְּבֵית יַעֲקֹב וְהַשְׁמִיעוּהָ בִיהוּדָה לֵאמֹר׃

21Hear this, O foolish people, Devoid of intelligence, That have eyes but can't see, That have ears but can't hear!

כאשִׁמְעוּ־נָא זֹאת עַם סָכָל וְאֵין לֵב עֵינַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִרְאוּ אָזְנַיִם לָהֶם וְלֹא יִשְׁמָעוּ׃

22Should you not revere Me —says Hashem— Should you not tremble before Me, Who set the sand as a boundary to the sea, As a limit for all time, not to be transgressed? Though its waves toss, they cannot prevail; Though they roar, they cannot pass it.

כבהַאוֹתִי לֹא־תִירָאוּ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה אִם מִפָּנַי לֹא תָחִילוּ אֲשֶׁר־שַׂמְתִּי חוֹל גְּבוּל לַיָּם חָק־עוֹלָם וְלֹא יַעַבְרֶנְהוּ וַיִּתְגָּעֲשׁוּ וְלֹא יוּכָלוּ וְהָמוּ גַלָּיו וְלֹא יַעַבְרֻנְהוּ׃

23Yet this people has a wayward and defiant heart; They have turned aside and gone their way.

כגוְלָעָם הַזֶּה הָיָה לֵב סוֹרֵר וּמוֹרֶה סָרוּ וַיֵּלֵכוּ׃

24They have not said to themselves, “Let us revere Hashem our God, Who gives the rain, The early and late rain in season, Who keeps for our benefit The weeks appointed for harvest.”

כדוְלֹא־אָמְרוּ בִלְבָבָם נִירָא נָא אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ הַנֹּתֵן גֶּשֶׁם וירה [יוֹרֶה] וּמַלְקוֹשׁ בְּעִתּוֹ שְׁבֻעוֹת חֻקּוֹת קָצִיר יִשְׁמָר־לָנוּ׃

25It is your iniquities that have diverted these things, Your sins that have withheld the bounty from you.

כהעֲוׂנוֹתֵיכֶם הִטּוּ־אֵלֶּה וְחַטֹּאותֵיכֶם מָנְעוּ הַטּוֹב מִכֶּם׃

26For among My people are found wicked men, Who lurk, like fowlers lying in wait; They set up a trap to catch men.

כוכִּי־נִמְצְאוּ בְעַמִּי רְשָׁעִים יָשׁוּר כְּשַׁךְ יְקוּשִׁים הִצִּיבוּ מַשְׁחִית אֲנָשִׁים יִלְכֹּדוּ׃

27As a cage is full of birds, So their houses are full of guile; That is why they have grown so wealthy.

כזכִּכְלוּב מָלֵא עוֹף כֵּן בָּתֵּיהֶם מְלֵאִים מִרְמָה עַל־כֵּן גָּדְלוּ וַיַּעֲשִׁירוּ׃

28They have become fat and sleek; They pass beyond the bounds of wickedness, And they prosper. They will not judge the case of the orphan, Nor give a hearing to the plea of the needy.

כחשָׁמְנוּ עָשְׁתוּ גַּם עָבְרוּ דִבְרֵי־רָע דִּין לֹא־דָנוּ דִּין יָתוֹם וְיַצְלִיחוּ וּמִשְׁפַּט אֶבְיוֹנִים לֹא שָׁפָטוּ׃

29Shall I not punish such deeds —says Hashem— Shall I not bring retribution On a nation such as this?

כטהַעַל־אֵלֶּה לֹא־אֶפְקֹד נְאֻם־יְהֹוָה אִם בְּגוֹי אֲשֶׁר־כָּזֶה לֹא תִתְנַקֵּם נַפְשִׁי׃

30An appalling, horrible thing Has happened in the land:

לשַׁמָּה וְשַׁעֲרוּרָה נִהְיְתָה בָּאָרֶץ׃

31The Neviim prophesy falsely, And the Kohanim rule accordingly; And My people like it so. But what will you do at the end of it?

לאהַנְּבִיאִים נִבְּאוּ־בַשֶּׁקֶר וְהַכֹּהֲנִים יִרְדּוּ עַל־יְדֵיהֶם וְעַמִּי אָהֲבוּ כֵן וּמַה־תַּעֲשׂוּ לְאַחֲרִיתָהּ׃