1
Thus said YHWH to me: “Go, and you have acquired a girdle of linen for yourself, and have placed it on your loins, and you do not cause it to enter into water.”
2
And I get the girdle, according to the word of YHWH, and I place [it] on my loins.
3
And there is a word of YHWH to me a second time, saying,
4
“Take the girdle that you have acquired, that [is] on your loins, and rise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock”;
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and I go and hide it by the Euphrates, as YHWH commanded me.
6
And it comes to pass, at the end of many days, that YHWH says to me, “Rise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle there, that I commanded you to hide there”;
7
and I go to the Euphrates, and dig, and take the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and behold, the girdle has been marred, it is not profitable for anything.
8
And there is a word of YHWH to me, saying, “Thus said YHWH:
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Thus I mar the excellence of Judah, || And the great excellence of Jerusalem.
10
This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, || Who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, || And go after other gods to serve them, || And to bow themselves to them, || Indeed it is—as this girdle, that is not profitable for anything.
11
For as the girdle cleaves to the loins of a man, || So I caused to cleave to Me || The whole house of Israel, || And the whole house of Judah,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “To be to Me for a people, and for a name, || And for praise, and for beauty, || And they have not listened.
The Wineskins
12
And you have said this word to them, || Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Every bottle is full of wine, || And they have said to you: Do we not certainly know that every bottle is full of wine?
13
And you have said to them, || Thus said YHWH: Behold, 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,
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And have dashed them against one another, || And the fathers and the sons together,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “I do not pity, nor spare, nor do I have mercy, || So as not to destroy them.”
Captivity Threatened
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Hear, and give ear—do not be haughty, || For YHWH has spoken.
16
Give glory to your God YHWH, || Before He causes 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, || My soul weeps in secret places, because of pride, || Indeed, it weeps and wails, || And the tear comes down my eyes, || For the flock of YHWH has been taken captive.
18
Say to the king and to the mistress: Make yourselves low—sit still, || For your principalities have come down, || 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 completely removed—
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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 have taught them [to be] over you—leaders for head? Do pangs not seize you as a travailing woman?
22
And when you say in your heart, “Why 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? Can you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil?
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And I scatter them as stubble, || Passing away, by a wind of the wilderness.
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This [is] your lot, the portion of your measures from Me,” || A declaration of YHWH, || “Because you have forgotten Me, || And trust in falsehood.
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I have also made your skirts bare 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 [yet] made clean—after when [will you be] again?”
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