Jeremiah 13

1 Yahweh said this to me, “Go and buy a linen undergarment and put it on around your waist, but do not put it in water first.”

Thus says Jehovah to me, Go, and buy thee a linen sash, and put it upon thy loins, and do not put it in water.

2 So I bought an undergarment as Yahweh directed, and I put in on around my waist.

So I bought a sash according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins.

3 Then the word of Yahweh came to me a second time, saying,

And the word of Jehovah came to me the second time, saying,

4 “Take the undergarment that you purchased that is around your waist, get up and go now to Perath. Hide it there in a rock crevice.”

Take the sash that thou have bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.

5 So I went and hid it in Perath, just as Yahweh had commanded me.

So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah commanded me.

6 After many days, Yahweh said to me, “Get up and go back to Perath. Take from there the undergarment that I had told you to hide.”

And it came to pass after many days, that Jehovah said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the sash from there, which I commanded thee to hide there.

7 So I went back to Perath and dug out the undergarment where I had hid it, and behold, it was destroyed and completely useless.

Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the sash from the place where I had hid it. And, behold, the sash was rotten. It was good for nothing.

8 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,

Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,

9 “Yahweh says this: In the same way I will destroy the great arrogance of Judah and Jerusalem.

Thus says Jehovah, After this manner I will mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 This wicked people who refuses to listen to my word, who walk in the hardness of their heart, who go after other gods to worship them and bow down to them—they will be like this undergarment that is good for nothing.

This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and have gone after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this sash, which is good for nothing.

11 For just as an undergarment clings to someone's hips, so I have made all the house of Israel and all the house of Judah cling to me—this is Yahweh's declaration—to be my people, to bring me fame, praise, and honor. But they would not listen to me.

For as the sash clings to the loins of a man, so I have caused to cling to me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, says Jehovah, that they may be to me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory, but they would not hear.

12 So you must speak this word to them, 'Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this: Every jar will be filled with wine.' They will say to you, 'Do we not indeed know that every jar will be filled with wine?'

Therefore thou shall speak to them this word. Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel: Every bottle shall be filled with wine. And they shall say to thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?

13 So say to them, 'Yahweh says this: See, I am about to fill with drunkenness every inhabitant of this land, the kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Then thou shall say to them, Thus says Jehovah: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit upon David's throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

14 Then I will smash each man against the other, fathers and children together—this is Yahweh's declaration—I will not pity them or have compassion, and I will not spare them from destruction.'”

And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, says Jehovah. I will not pity, nor spare, nor have compassion, that I should not destroy them.

15 Listen and pay attention. Do not be arrogant, for Yahweh had spoken.

Hear ye, and give ear, be not proud, for Jehovah has spoken.

16 Give honor to Yahweh your God before he brings darkness, and before he causes your feet to stumble on the mountains at twilight. For you are hoping for light, but he will turn the place into a deep darkness, into a dark cloud.

Give glory to Jehovah your God, before he causes darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains. And, while ye look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it gross darkness.

17 So if you will not listen, I will weep alone because of your arrogance. My eyes will certainly weep and flow with tears, for Yahweh's flock has been taken captive.

But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride. And my eye shall weep greatly, and run down with tears, because Jehovah's flock is taken captive.

18 “Say to the king and to the queen mother, 'Come down from your thrones, for your splendid crowns have fallen from your heads.'

Say thou to the king and to the queen-mother: Humble yourselves. Sit down, for your coronets have come down, even the crown of your glory.

19 The cities in the Negev will be shut up, with no one to open them. All Judah will be taken captive, completely taken captive.

The cities of the South are shut up, and there is none to open them. Judah is carried away captive, all of it. It is wholly carried away captive.

20 Lift up your eyes and look at the ones coming from the north. Where is the flock he gave to you, the flock that was so beautiful to you?

Lift up your eyes, and behold those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

21 What will you say when God sets over you those you had trained to be your special allies? Are these not the beginnings of the labor pains that will seize you just like a woman in childbirth?

What will thou say when he shall set over thee as head those whom thou thyself have taught to be friends to thee? Shall not sorrows take hold of thee as of a woman in travail?

22 Then you might say in your heart, 'Why are these things happening to me?' It will be for the multitude of your iniquities that your skirts are raised up and you have been violated.

And if thou say in thy heart, Why have these things come upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity thy skirts are uncovered, and thy heels suffer violence.

23 Can the people of Cush change their skin color, or a leopard change its spots? If so, then you yourself, although accustomed to wickedness, would be able to do good.

Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then ye also may do good, who are accustomed to do evil.

24 So I will scatter them like chaff that perishes in the desert wind.

Therefore I will scatter them as the stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.

25 This is what I have given to you, the portion I have decreed for you—this is Yahweh's declaration— because you have forgotten me and trusted in deceit.

This is thy lot, the portion measured to thee from me, says Jehovah, because thou have forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

26 So also I myself will strip your skirts off you, and your private parts will be seen.

Therefore I will also uncover thy skirts upon thy face, and thy shame shall appear.

27 I have seen your adultery and neighing, the wickedness of your prostitution on the hills and in the fields, and I have seen these detestable things! Woe to you, Jerusalem! How long until you are made clean again?”

I have seen thine abominations, even thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, on the hills, in the field. Woe to thee, O Jerusalem! Thou will not be made clean. How long shall it yet be?