Jeremiah 13

1Thus saith Jehovah unto me, Go, and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.

1The LORD said to me, 'Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.'

2So I bought a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins.

2So I bought a belt just as the LORD told me and put it around my waist.

3And the word of Jehovah came unto me the second time, saying,

3Then the word of the LORD came to me a second time:

4Take the girdle that thou hast bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.

4'Take the belt you bought and are wearing, and go at once to the Euphrates River and hide it there in a crack in the rocks.'

5So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah commanded me.

5So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, just as the LORD commanded me.

6And it came to pass after many days, that Jehovah said unto me, Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.

6Many days later, the LORD said to me, 'Go back to the Euphrates and get the belt I told you to hide there.'

7Then I went to the 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.

7I went to the Euphrates and dug up the belt from the place where I had hidden it, but it was ruined. It was completely useless.

8Then the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,

8Then the word of the LORD came to me:

9Thus saith Jehovah, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.

9'This is what the LORD says: In the same way, I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.

10This evil people, that refuse to hear my words, that 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 girdle, which is profitable for nothing.

10These wicked people refuse to listen to my words. They follow their own stubborn hearts and go after other gods to serve and worship them. They will become just like this belt—completely useless.

11For 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 Jehovah; that they may be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.

11For just as a belt clings to a person’s waist, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me,' declares the LORD. 'I did this so they would be my people, bringing me fame, praise, and honor. But they would not listen.'

12Therefore thou shalt speak unto them this word: Thus saith Jehovah, the 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?

12'Tell them this: This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Every wine jar should be filled with wine. And if they say to you, "Don’t we already know that every wine jar should be filled with wine?"

13Then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, 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.

13then tell them, "This is what the LORD says: I am going to fill everyone living in this land with drunkenness—including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and everyone living in Jerusalem.

14And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith Jehovah: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have compassion, that I should not destroy them.

14I will smash them against each other, even fathers and sons together," declares the LORD. "I will have no pity, mercy, or compassion that would stop me from destroying them."'

15Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud; for Jehovah hath spoken.

15Listen and pay attention! Do not be proud, for the LORD has spoken.

16Give glory to Jehovah 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.

16Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings the darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains. You will look for light, but he will turn it into deep shadows and thick darkness.

17But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret for your pride; and mine eye shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because Jehovah’s flock is taken captive.

17But if you do not listen, I will weep in private because of your pride. My eyes will cry bitterly and flow with tears because the LORD’s flock will be taken away as captives.

18Say thou unto the king and to the queen-mother, Humble yourselves, sit down; for your headtires are come down, even the crown of your glory.

18Tell the king and the queen mother, 'Come down from your thrones, for your glorious crowns have fallen from your heads.'

19The cities of the South are shut up, and there is none to open them: Judah is carried away captive, all of it; it is wholly carried away captive.

19The towns in the Negev desert are shut tight, and no one can open them. All of Judah will be taken away into exile; everyone will be carried off.

20Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north: where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?

20Look up and see the enemy coming from the north. Where is the flock that was entrusted to you, your beautiful sheep?

21What wilt thou say, when he shall set over thee as head those whom thou hast thyself taught to be friends to thee? shall not sorrows take hold of thee, as of a woman in travail?

21What will you say when the LORD appoints as your masters those you once treated as your allies? Won’t pain grip you like a woman in labor?

22And if thou say in thy heart, Wherefore are these things come upon me? for the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, and thy heels suffer violence.

22And if you ask yourself, 'Why has this happened to me?' it is because of your many sins that your skirts have been torn off and your body treated roughly.

23Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

23Can an Ethiopian change the color of his skin, or a leopard change its spots? Neither can you do good, since you are so used to doing evil.

24Therefore will I scatter them, as the stubble that passeth away, by the wind of the wilderness.

24'I will scatter you like straw blown away by the desert wind.

25This is thy lot, the portion measured unto thee from me, saith Jehovah; because thou hast forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.

25This is your lot, the portion I have assigned to you,' declares the LORD, 'because you have forgotten me and trusted in false gods.

26Therefore will I also uncover thy skirts upon thy face, and thy shame shall appear.

26I myself will pull your skirts up over your face so that your shame will be seen.

27I have seen thine abominations, even thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy whoredom, on the hills in the field. Woe unto thee, O Jerusalem! thou wilt not be made clean; how long shall it yet be?

27I have seen your disgusting acts: your spiritual unfaithfulness, your lustful cries, and your cheap local shrines on the hills in the fields. How terrible for you, Jerusalem! How long will it be before you are made clean?'