Thus the LORD
said
to me, "Go
and abuy
yourself a linen
waistband
and put
it around
your waist
, but do not put
it in water
."
So I bought the waistband
in accordance with the aword
of the LORD
and put
it around
my waist
.
Then the word of the LORD
came
to me a second
time
, saying
,
"Take the waistband
that you have bought
, which
is around
your waist
, and arise
, go
to 1the aEuphrates
and hide
it there
in a crevice
of the rock
."
So I went and hid
it by the Euphrates
, aas the LORD
had commanded
me.
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
."
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
.
Then the word of the LORD
came
to me, saying
,
"Thus says
the LORD
, `Just
so
will I destroy
the apride
of Judah
and the great
pride
of Jerusalem
.
`This wicked
people
, who
arefuse
to listen
to My words
, who bwalk
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
.
`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
acling
to Me,' declares
the LORD
, `that they might be for Me a people
, for 1 brenown
, for cpraise
and for glory
; but they ddid not listen
.'
"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
?'
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 adrunkenness
!
"I will adash them against
each
other
, both the bfathers
and the sons
together
," declares
the LORD
. "I will cnot show
pity
nor
be sorry
nor
have
compassion
so as not to destroy
them.""'
Listen and give
heed
, do not be ahaughty
, For the LORD
has spoken
.
aGive glory
to the LORD
your God
, Before
He brings
bdarkness
And before
your cfeet
stumble
On the dusky
mountains
, And while you are hoping
for light
He makes
it into ddeep
darkness
, And turns
it into gloom
.
But aif you will not listen
to it, My soul
will bsob
in secret
for such pride
; And my eyes
will bitterly
weep
And flow
down
with tears
, Because
the cflock
of the LORD
has been taken
captive
.
Say to the aking
and the queen
mother
, " bTake
a lowly
seat
, For your beautiful
ccrown
Has come
down
from your head
."
The acities of the Negev
have been locked
up, And there
is no
one
to open
them; All
bJudah
has been carried
into exile
, Wholly
carried
into exile
.
"Lift up your eyes
and see
Those coming
afrom the north
. Where
is the bflock
that was given
you, Your beautiful
sheep
?
"What will you say
when
He appoints
over
you-- And you yourself
had taught
them-- Former 1 acompanions
to be head
over
you? Will not bpangs
take
hold
of you Like
a woman
in childbirth
?
"If you asay
in your heart
, ` bWhy
have these
things
happened
to me?' Because of the cmagnitude
of your iniquity
dYour skirts
have been removed
And your heels
have 1been exposed
.
" aCan the Ethiopian change
his skin
Or the leopard
his spots
? Then you also
can
bdo
good
Who are accustomed
to doing
evil
.
"Therefore I will ascatter them like drifting
straw
To the desert
bwind
.
"This is your alot
, the portion
measured
to you From Me," declares
the LORD
, "Because
you have bforgotten
Me And trusted
in falsehood
.
"So I Myself have also
astripped
your skirts
off
over
your face
, That your shame
may be seen
.
"As for your aadulteries and your lustful neighings
, The blewdness
of your prostitution
On the chills
in the field
, I have seen
your abominations
. Woe
to you, O Jerusalem
! dHow
long
will you remain
unclean
?"