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 said the LORD unto me: 'Go, and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.'

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

So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it upon my loins.

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

And the word of the LORD came unto 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 girdle that thou hast gotten, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Perath, 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 in Perath, as the LORD 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 the LORD said unto me: 'Arise, go to Perath, and take the girdle from thence, 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 Perath, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.

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

Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying:

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

Thus saith the LORD: After this manner will I 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.

even this evil people, that refuse to hear My words, that walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and are gone after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, that it be as this girdle, which is profitable 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 girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto Me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD, that they might be unto Me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory; but they would not hearken.

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?'

Moreover thou shalt speak unto them this word: Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: 'Every bottle is filled with wine'; and when they shall say unto thee: 'Do we not know that every bottle is 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 shalt thou say unto them: Thus saith the LORD: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that 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, saith the LORD; 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 the LORD hath 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 the LORD your God, before it grow dark, and before your feet stumble upon the mountains of twilight, and, while ye look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, and make 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 mine eyes shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the LORD'S flock is carried away 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 unto the king and to the queen-mother: 'Sit ye down low; for your headtires are come down, even your beautiful crown.'

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 them that 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 wilt thou say, when He shall set the friends over thee as head, whom thou thyself hast trained against thee? Shall not pangs 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: 'Wherefore are these things befallen me?' — for the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts 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 may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

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

Therefore will I scatter them, as the stubble that passeth 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 unto thee from Me, saith the LORD; because thou hast 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 will I 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?”

Thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy harlotry, on the hills in the field have I seen thy detestable acts. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! thou wilt not be made clean! When shall it ever be?