1 T hus the Lord said to me: Go and buy yourself a linen girdle and put it on your loins, but do not put it in water.

Yahweh says to me, Go, and buy yourself a linen belt, and put it on your waist, and don’t put it in water.

2 S o I bought a girdle or waistcloth, according to the word of the Lord, and put it on my loins.

So I bought a belt according to Yahweh’s word, and put it on my waist.

3 A nd the word of the Lord came to me the second time, saying,

Yahweh’s word came to me the second time, saying,

4 T ake the girdle which you have bought, which is on your loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.

Take the belt that you have bought, which is on your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.

5 S o I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me.

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

6 A nd after many days the Lord said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the girdle which I commanded you to hide there.

After many days, Yahweh said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the belt from there, which I commanded you to hide there.

7 T hen I went to the Euphrates and dug and took the girdle or waistcloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the girdle was decayed and spoiled; it was good for nothing.

Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the belt from the place where I had hidden it; and behold, the belt was marred, it was profitable for nothing.

8 T hen the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

Then Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

9 T hus says the Lord: After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.

Yahweh says, In this way I will mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 T hese evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have gone after other gods to serve them and to worship them, shall even be like this girdle or waistcloth, which is profitable for nothing.

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

11 F or as the girdle clings to the loins of a man, so I caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me, says the Lord, that they might be for Me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory; but they would not listen or obey.

For as the belt clings to the waist of a man, so have I caused to cling to me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, says Yahweh; 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 T herefore you shall speak to them this word: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Every bottle and jar should be filled with wine. will say to you, Do we not certainly know that every bottle and jar should be filled with wine?

Therefore you shall speak to them this word: Yahweh, the God of Israel says, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall tell you, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall be filled with wine?

13 T hen say to them, Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will fill with drunkenness all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit upon David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Then you shall tell them, Yahweh says, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit on David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

14 A nd I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, says the Lord. I will not pity or spare or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.

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

15 H ear and give ear, do not be proud, for the Lord has spoken.

Hear, and give ear; don’t be proud; for Yahweh has spoken.

16 G ive glory to the Lord your God before He brings darkness and before your feet stumble upon the dark and twilit mountains, and, while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death and makes it thick darkness.

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

17 B ut if you will not hear and obey, I will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock has been taken captive.

But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride; and my eye shall weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because Yahweh’s flock is taken captive.

18 S ay to the king and the queen mother, Humble yourselves and take a lowly seat, for down from your head has come your beautiful crown (the crown of your glory).

Say to the king and to the queen mother, Humble yourselves, sit down; for your headdresses have come down, even the crown of your glory.

19 T he cities of the South (the Negeb) have been shut up, and there is no one to open them; all Judah has been carried away captive, it has been wholly taken captive and into exile.

The cities of the South are shut up, and there is no one to open them: Judah is carried away captive, all of it; it is wholly carried away captive.

20 L ift up your eyes and behold those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, your beautiful flock?

Lift up your eyes, and see those who come from the north: where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?

21 W hat will you say when He sets over you as head those whom you yourselves have taught to be lovers (allies) with you ? Will not pangs take hold of you like that of a woman in travail?

What will you say, when he shall set over you as head those whom you have yourself taught to be friends to you? shall not sorrows take hold of you, as of a woman in travail?

22 A nd if you say in your heart, Why have these things come upon me?—, Because of the greatness of your iniquity has your long robe been pulled aside and have you suffered violence.

If you say in your heart, Why are these things come on me? for the greatness of your iniquity are your skirts uncovered, and your heels suffer violence.

23 C an the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also can you do good who are accustomed and taught to do evil.

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

24 T herefore I will scatter you like chaff driven away by the wind from the desert.

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

25 T his is your lot, the portion measured to you from Me, says the Lord, because you have forgotten Me and trusted in falsehood.

This is your lot, the portion measured to you from me, says Yahweh; because you have forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

26 T herefore I Myself will, throwing your skirts up over your face, that your shame may be exposed.

Therefore will I also uncover your skirts on your face, and your shame shall appear.

27 I have seen your detestable acts, even your adulteries and your lustful neighings, and the lewdness of your harlotry on the hills in the field. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! For how long a time yet will you not be made clean?

I have seen your abominations, even your adulteries, and your neighing, the lewdness of your prostitution, on the hills in the field. Woe to you, Jerusalem! You will not be made clean; how long shall it yet be?