1 T hus saith the Lord unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not 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 got a girdle 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 unto me the second time, saying,

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

4 T ake the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole 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 Euphrates, as the Lord commanded me.

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

6 A nd it came to pass after many days, that the Lord said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee 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 Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable 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 unto me, saying,

Then Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

9 T hus saith 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 his evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good 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 cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the Lord; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.

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 thou shalt speak unto them this word; Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Every bottle shall be filled with wine: and they shall say unto thee, Do we not certainly know that every bottle shall 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 shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings that sit upon David’s throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.

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, saith the Lord: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but 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 ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken.

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

16 G ive glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross 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 ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because the Lord’s flock is carried away 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 unto the king and to the queen, Humble yourselves, sit down: for your principalities shall come down, even 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 shall be shut up, and none shall open them: Judah shall be carried away captive all of it, it shall be wholly carried away captive.

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 them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy 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 wilt thou say when he shall punish thee? for thou hast taught them to be captains, and as chief over thee: shall not sorrows take thee, as 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 thou say in thine heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts discovered, and thy heels made bare.

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 may ye also do good, that are accustomed 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 will I scatter them as the stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.

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

25 T his is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from me, saith the Lord; because thou hast 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 will I discover thy skirts upon thy face, that thy shame may appear.

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

27 I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, and thine abominations on the hills in the fields. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! wilt thou not be made clean? when shall it once be?

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?