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 saith Jehovah to me: Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it on thy loins, and put it not into 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 Jehovah, and put it on my loins.
3 Then the word of Yahweh came to me a second time, saying,
Then 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 girdle which thou hast gotten, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
5 So I went and hid it in Perath, just as Yahweh had commanded me.
So I went and hid it near 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 after many days Jehovah said to me. Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take thence the girdle 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 digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hidden it; and, behold, the girdle was marred, so that 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 saith Jehovah: 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.
This evil people, Who refuse to hearken to my words, Who walk after the obstinacy of their heart, And walk after strange gods, To serve them and to worship them, Shall be like this girdle, 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 a girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, So have I caused to cleave to me the whole house of Israel, And the whole house of Judah, saith Jehovah, That they might be to me a people, And a name, and a praise, and a glory; But they hearkened not to me.
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?'
Then shalt thou speak to them in this manner. Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Every flagon shall be filled with wine. And they will say to thee, “Do we not know that every flagon 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 shalt thou say to them, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, And 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 fathers and children together, saith Jehovah; I will not pity, nor spare, Nor show mercy, so as not to destroy them.
15 Listen and pay attention. Do not be arrogant, for Yahweh had spoken.
Hear ye, and attend! be not lifted up! For Jehovah speaketh.
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 bring darkness, And your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, And, while ye look for light, He turn it into deathlike shade, 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, I will mourn in secret places for your pride, I will weep continually, And my eyes shall run down with tears, Because the flock of Jehovah 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 to the king and to the queen, Sit ye down upon the ground, For your beautiful crown shall fall from your heads.
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 none openeth them; Judah is carried away captive, all of it, Every man of it is 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 punish thee? For thou thyself hast taught them to be lords over thee. Shall not sorrows seize thee, as 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 thine heart, “Wherefore are these things coming upon me?” For the greatness of thy iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, And thy heels made bare.
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, Who have been accustomed to do evil.
24 So I will scatter them like chaff that perishes in the desert wind.
Therefore will I scatter you like stubble, Which passeth away before the wind of the desert.
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 out for thee by me, saith Jehovah, 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 lift up thy skirts over thy head, So that thy shame shall be seen.
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, thy neighings, The lewdness of thy whoredom on the hills, in the fields, All thy abominations, have I seen. Woe to thee, O Jerusalem! How long ere thou wilt become pure!
