MLV(i)
1 Jehovah says thus to me, Go and buy you a linen sash and put it upon your loins and do not put it in water.
2 So I bought a sash according to the word of Jehovah and put it upon my loins.
3 And the word of Jehovah came to me the second time, saying, 4 Take the sash that you have bought, which is upon your loins and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft of the rock. 5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah commanded me.
6 And it happened after many days, that Jehovah said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates and take the sash from there, which I commanded you to hide there. 7 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 Jehovah came to me, saying, 9 Jehovah says thus, After this manner I will mar the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 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, will even be as this sash, which is good for nothing.
11 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 Therefore you will speak to them this word. Jehovah says thus, the God of Israel: Every jug will be filled with wine. And they will say to you, Do we not certainly know that every jug will be filled with wine?
13 Then you will say to them, Jehovah says thus: 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 And I will smash 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 Hear and listen, do not be proud, for Jehovah has spoken. 16 Give glory to Jehovah your* God, before he causes darkness and before your* feet stumble upon the dark mountains. And while you* look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death and makes it gross darkness.
17 But if you* will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your* pride. And my eye will weep greatly and run down with tears, because Jehovah's flock is taken captive.
18 You say 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 of the South are shut up and there is none to open them. Judah is carried away captive, all of it. It is entirely carried away captive. 20 Lift up your* eyes and behold those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?
21 What will you say when he will set over you as head those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you? Shall not sorrows take hold of you as of a woman in travail?
22 And if you say in your heart, Why have these things come upon me? For the greatness of your iniquity your skirts are uncovered and your heels suffer violence.
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then you* also may do good, who are accustomed to do evil. 24 Therefore I will scatter them as the stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.
25 This is your lot, the portion measured to you from me, says Jehovah, because you have forgotten me and trusted in falsehood. 26 Therefore I will also uncover your skirts upon your face and your shame will appear.
27 I have seen your abominations, even your adulteries and your neighings, the lewdness of your prostitution, on the hills, in the field. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! You will not be made clean. How long will it yet be?
3 And the word of Jehovah came to me the second time, saying, 4 Take the sash that you have bought, which is upon your loins and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft of the rock. 5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah commanded me.
6 And it happened after many days, that Jehovah said to me, Arise, go to the Euphrates and take the sash from there, which I commanded you to hide there. 7 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 Jehovah came to me, saying, 9 Jehovah says thus, After this manner I will mar the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 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, will even be as this sash, which is good for nothing.
11 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 Therefore you will speak to them this word. Jehovah says thus, the God of Israel: Every jug will be filled with wine. And they will say to you, Do we not certainly know that every jug will be filled with wine?
13 Then you will say to them, Jehovah says thus: 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 And I will smash 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 Hear and listen, do not be proud, for Jehovah has spoken. 16 Give glory to Jehovah your* God, before he causes darkness and before your* feet stumble upon the dark mountains. And while you* look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death and makes it gross darkness.
17 But if you* will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your* pride. And my eye will weep greatly and run down with tears, because Jehovah's flock is taken captive.
18 You say 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 of the South are shut up and there is none to open them. Judah is carried away captive, all of it. It is entirely carried away captive. 20 Lift up your* eyes and behold those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?
21 What will you say when he will set over you as head those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you? Shall not sorrows take hold of you as of a woman in travail?
22 And if you say in your heart, Why have these things come upon me? For the greatness of your iniquity your skirts are uncovered and your heels suffer violence.
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then you* also may do good, who are accustomed to do evil. 24 Therefore I will scatter them as the stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.
25 This is your lot, the portion measured to you from me, says Jehovah, because you have forgotten me and trusted in falsehood. 26 Therefore I will also uncover your skirts upon your face and your shame will appear.
27 I have seen your abominations, even your adulteries and your neighings, the lewdness of your prostitution, on the hills, in the field. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! You will not be made clean. How long will it yet be?