CLV(i)
1 Thus said Yahweh unto me, `Go, and you have got for you a girdle of linen, and have placed it on your loins, and into water you do not cause it to enter:'"
2 and I get the girdle, according to the word of Yahweh, and I place [it] on my loins."
3 And there is a word of Yahweh unto me a second time, saying,
4 `Take the girdle that you have got, that [is] on your loins, and rise, go to Phrat, and hide it there in a hole of the rock;"
5 and I go and hide it by Phrat, as Yahweh commanded me."
6 And it comes to pass, at the end of many days, that Yahweh said unto me, `Rise, go to Phrat, and take thence the girdle, that I commanded you to hide there;'"
7 and I go to Phrat, and dig, and take the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and lo, the girdle has been marred, it is not profitable for anything."
8 And there is a word of Yahweh unto me, saying, `Thus said Yahweh:"
9 Thus do I mar the excellency of Judah, And the great excellency of Jerusalem."
10 This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, Who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, And go after other elohims to serve them, And to bow themselves to them, Yea it is--as this girdle, that is not profitable for anything."
11 For, as the girdle cleaves unto the loins of a man, So I caused to cleave unto Me The whole house of Israel, And the whole house of Judah, an affirmation of Yahweh, To be to Me for a people, and for a name, And for praise, and for beauty, And they have not hearkened."
12 And you have said unto them this word, Thus said Yahweh, Elohim of Israel, `Every bottle is full of wine,' And they have said unto you:`Do we not certainly know that every bottle is full of wine?'"
13 And you have said unto them, `Thus said Yahweh:Lo, I am filling all the inhabitants of this land, And the kings who sit for David on his throne, And the priests, and the prophets, And all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, [With] drunkenness,
14 And have dashed them one against another, And the fathers and the sons together, An affirmation of Yahweh, I do not pity, nor spare, nor have I mercy, So as not to destroy them."
15 Hear, and give ear--be not haughty, For Yahweh has spoken."
16 Give you to Yahweh your Elohim honor, Before He does cause darkness, And before your feet stumble on dark mountains, And you have waited for light, And He has made it for death-shade, And has appointed [it] for thick darkness."
17 And if you do not hear it, In secret places does my soul weep, because of pride, Yea, it weeps sore, And the tear comes down mine eyes, For the flock of Yahweh has been taken captive."
18 Say to the king and to the mistress:Make yourselves low--sit still, For come down have your principalities, The crown of your beauty."
19 The cities of the south have been shut up, And there is none opening, Judah has been removed--all of her, She has been removed completely--"
20 Lift up your eyes, and see those coming in from the north, Where [is] the drove given to you, your beautiful flock?
21 What do you say, when He looks after you? And you--you have taught them [to be] over you--leaders for head? Do not pangs seize you as a travailing woman?
22 And when you do say in your heart, `Wherefore have these met me?' For the abundance of your iniquity Have your skirts been uncovered, Have your heels suffered violence."
23 Does a Cushite change his skin? and a leopard his spots? You also are able to do good, who are accustomed to do evil."
24 And I scatter them as stubble, Passing away, by a wind of the wilderness."
25 This [is] your lot, the portion of your measures from Me--an affirmation of Yahweh, Because you have forgotten me, And do trust in falsehood."
26 I also have made bare your skirts before your face, And your shame has been seen."
27 Your adulteries, and your neighings, The wickedness of your whoredom, on heights in a field, I have seen your abominations. Woe to you, O Jerusalem, You are not cleansed, after when [is it] again?