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

Thus the Lord said to me, “Go and buy yourself a linen waistband and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water.”

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

So I bought the waistband in accordance with the word of the Lord and put it around my waist.

3 Y ahweh’s word came to me the second time, saying,

Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time, saying,

4 T ake 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.

“Take the waistband that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a crevice of the rock.”

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

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

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

After many days the Lord said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates and take from there the waistband which I commanded you to hide there.”

7 T hen 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.

Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the waistband from the place where I had hidden it; and lo, the waistband was ruined, it was totally worthless.

8 T hen Yahweh’s word came to me, saying,

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

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

“Thus says the Lord, ‘Just so will I destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10 T his 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.

This wicked people, who refuse to listen to My words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have gone after other gods to serve them and to bow down to them, let them be just like this waistband which is totally worthless.

11 F or 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.

For as the waistband clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah cling to Me,’ declares the Lord, ‘that they might be for Me a people, for renown, for praise and for glory; but they did not listen.’ Captivity Threatened

12 T herefore 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?

“Therefore you are to speak this word to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, “Every jug is to be filled with wine.”’ And when they say to you, ‘Do we not very well know that every jug is to be filled with wine?’

13 T hen 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.

then say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold I am about to fill all the inhabitants of this land—the kings that sit for David on his throne, the priests, the prophets and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness!

14 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.

I will dash them against each other, both the fathers and the sons together,” declares the Lord. “I will not show pity nor be sorry nor have compassion so as not to destroy them.”’”

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

Listen and give heed, do not be haughty, For the Lord has spoken.

16 G ive 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.

Give glory to the Lord your God, Before He brings darkness And before your feet stumble On the dusky mountains, And while you are hoping for light He makes it into deep darkness, And turns it into gloom.

17 B ut 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.

But if you will not listen to it, My soul will sob in secret for such pride; And my eyes will bitterly weep And flow down with tears, Because the flock of the Lord has been taken captive.

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

Say to the king and the queen mother, “ Take a lowly seat, For your beautiful crown Has come down from your head.”

19 T he 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.

The cities of the Negev have been locked up, And there is no one to open them; All Judah has been carried into exile, Wholly carried into exile.

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

“Lift up your eyes and see Those coming from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, Your beautiful sheep?

21 W hat 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?

“What will you say when He appoints over you— And you yourself had taught them— Former companions to be head over you? Will not pangs take hold of you Like a woman in childbirth?

22 I f 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.

“If you say in your heart, ‘ Why have these things happened to me?’ Because of the magnitude of your iniquity Your skirts have been removed And your heels have been exposed.

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

“ Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil.

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

“Therefore I will scatter them like drifting straw To the desert wind.

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

“This is your lot, the portion measured to you From Me,” declares the Lord, “Because you have forgotten Me And trusted in falsehood.

26 T herefore will I also uncover your skirts on your face, and your shame shall appear.

“So I Myself have also stripped your skirts off over your face, That your shame may be seen.

27 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?

“As for your adulteries and your lustful neighings, The lewdness of your prostitution On the hills in the field, I have seen your abominations. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will you remain unclean?”