But my people have forgotten me. They burn incense to worthless gods. Their gods made them trip and fall as they walked on the old paths. They made them use side roads instead of roads that were built up.

我的百姓竟忘记我，向假神烧香，使他们在所行的路上，在古道上绊跌，使他们行没有修筑的斜路，

我的百姓竟忘记我，向那虚无的神明烧香，它们使百姓在所行的路上、在古道上绊跌，去行未修筑的斜路，

我的百姓竟忘记我，向那虚无的神明烧香，它们使百姓在所行的路上、在古道上绊跌，去行未修筑的斜路，

然而，我的子民却把我抛诸脑后，向虚无的神明烧香，偏离古道，在歧途上绊绊跌跌。

但我的子民竟忘记我，向虚无的偶像烧香，以致他们在自己的路上、在古道上绊倒，行走小路，不是修建过的大道。

我的百姓竟忘記我，向假神燒香，使他們在所行的路上，在古道上絆跌，使他們行沒有修築的斜路，

我的百姓竟忘記我，向那虛無的神明燒香，它們使百姓在所行的路上、在古道上絆跌，去行未修築的斜路，

我的百姓竟忘記我，向那虛無的神明燒香，它們使百姓在所行的路上、在古道上絆跌，去行未修築的斜路，

然而，我的子民卻把我拋諸腦後，向虛無的神明燒香，偏離古道，在歧途上絆絆跌跌。

但我的子民竟忘記我，向虛無的偶像燒香，以致他們在自己的路上、在古道上絆倒，行走小路，不是修建過的大道。

然而我人民竟忘記了我，去向虛空的神燻祭，在他們的路上、往古的路途上、絆跌，去行偏的路徑，不是填高的道路，

惟我民忘我、焚香於虛無之物、蹶於故轍、致行未築之路、

我民忘予、焚香以敬偶像、舍平坦之舊道、而不由、行崎嶇之僻路、而顛趾。

我民忘我、焚香於虛無之神、人使之蹶於其道、即舊道、使行未平治之途、

Yet my people have forgotten me; they burn incense to worthless idols, which made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths. They made them walk in byways, on roads not built up.

But my people have forgotten me; they make offerings to false gods; they made them stumble in their ways, in the ancient roads, and to walk into side roads, not the highway,

But my people are not so reliable, for they have deserted me; they burn incense to worthless idols. They have stumbled off the ancient highways and walk in muddy paths.

Yet my people have forgotten me. They burn incense to worthless idols that make them stumble in their ways on the ancient roads, and make them walk on new paths, not the highway.

For My people have forgotten Me, They burn incense to worthless gods. And they have stumbled in their ways, In the ancient roads, To walk on paths, Not on a highway,

“ Because My people have forgotten Me, They have burned incense to worthless idols. And they have caused themselves to stumble in their ways, From the ancient paths, To walk in pathways and not on a highway,

For my people have forgotten me, they have burned incense to false gods; and they have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, in a way not cast up;

Yet My people have forgotten Me. They burn incense to false idols that make them stumble in their ways on the ancient roads and walk on new paths, not the highway.

Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways[ from] the ancient paths, to walk in paths,[ in] a way not cast up;

Yet my people have forgotten me and offered sacrifices to worthless idols! This makes them stumble along in the way they live and leave the old reliable path of their fathers. They have left them to walk in bypaths, in roads that are not smooth and level.

For my people have forgotten me. They have burned incense to false gods. They have been made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in byways, in a way not built up,

The Lord tells the people of Judah,“ Stand where the roads cross, and look around. Ask where the old paths are. Ask for the good path, and walk on it. Then your hearts will find rest in me. But you said,‘ We won’t walk on it.’

A messenger says,“ Build up the road! Build it up! Get it ready! Remove anything that would keep my people from coming back.”

Does a young woman forget all about her jewelry? Does a bride forget her wedding jewels? But my people have forgotten me more days than anyone can count.

But the more I called out to Israel, the more they went away from me. They brought sacrifices to the statues of the gods that were named Baal. And they burned incense to them.

But you have turned away from the right path. Your teaching has caused many people to trip and fall. You have broken my covenant with Levi,” says the Lord who rules over all.

They are worthless things that people make fun of. When the Lord judges them, they will be destroyed.

“ My people have sinned twice. They have deserted me, even though I am the spring of water that gives life. And they have dug their own wells. But those wells are broken. They can’t hold any water.

Israel burned incense to the gods that were named Baal. I will punish her for all the times she did that. She decorated herself with rings and jewelry. Then she went after her lovers. But she forgot all about me,” declares the Lord.

All the Jews who were living in Lower and Upper Egypt gathered to give Jeremiah their answer. A large crowd had come together. It included men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods. Their wives were there with them. All of them said to Jeremiah,“ We won’t listen to the message you have spoken to us in the Lord’ s name!We will certainly do everything we said we would. We’ll burn incense to the female god called the Queen of Heaven. We’ll pour out drink offerings to her. We’ll do just as we and our people of long ago have done. Our kings and our officials also did it. All of us did it in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food. We were well off. We didn’t suffer any harm.But then we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven. We stopped pouring out drink offerings to her. And ever since that time we haven’t had anything. Instead, we’ve been dying of war and hunger.”The women added,“ We burned incense to the Queen of Heaven. We poured out drink offerings to her. And our husbands knew we were making cakes that looked like her. They knew we were pouring out drink offerings to her.”

So they are not really gods at all. What they do does not amount to anything. They are as useless as wind.

Lord, you are Israel’s only hope. Everyone who deserts you will be put to shame. The names of those who turn away from you will be listed among the dead. Lord, they have deserted you. You are the spring of water that gives life.

This is what will happen to you. I have appointed it for you,” announces the Lord.“ You have forgotten me. You have trusted in other gods.

I will punish them for their sins. I will also punish them for the sins of their people before them.” This is what the Lord says.“ They burned sacrifices on the mountains. They disobeyed me by worshiping other gods on the hills. So I will make sure they are fully punished for all the sins they have committed.”

A cry is heard on the bare hilltops. The people of Israel are weeping and begging for help. That’s because their lives are so twisted. They’ve forgotten the Lord their God.

Lord, you give me strength. You are like a fort to me. When I’m in trouble, I go to you for safety. The nations will come to you from one end of the earth to the other. They will gather together and say,“ Our people of long ago didn’t own anything except statues of gods. The statues were worthless. They didn’t do them any good.

Don’t eat meat if it causes your brother or sister to sin. Don’t drink wine or do anything else that will make them sin.

The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says,‘ You and your wives have done what you promised you would do. You said,“ We will certainly keep the promises we made to the Queen of Heaven. We’ll burn incense to her. We’ll pour out drink offerings to her.” ’“ Go ahead then. Do what you said you would! Keep your promises!

Those who guide the people of Israel are leading them down the wrong path. So those who follow them aren’t on the right road.

Those who are young treat my people badly. Women rule over them. My people, your leaders have taken you down the wrong path. They have turned you away from the right path.

Go out through your gates, people of Jerusalem! Go out! Prepare the way for the rest of your people to return. Build up the road! Build it up! Remove the stones. Raise a banner over the city for the nations to see.

So they do not need to honor their father or mother with their gift. You make the word of God useless in order to follow your own teachings.

They have built the high places where they worship Baal. There they sacrifice their children in the fire as offerings to Baal. That is something I did not command or talk about. It did not even enter my mind.

You will be punished because you have sinned. You will be corrected for turning away from me. I am the Lord your God. If you desert me, bad things will happen to you. If you do not respect me, you will suffer bitterly. I want you to understand that,” announces the Lord who rules over all.