The Darby Translation DBY
GOD'S WORD Translation GW
1 Thus said Jehovah unto me: Go and buy thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins; but dip it not in water.
1
This is what the LORD said to me: "Buy a linen belt. Put it around your waist. Don't let it get wet."
2 And I bought a girdle according to the word of Jehovah, and put it upon my loins.
2
So I bought the belt, as the LORD had told me, and put it around my waist.
3 And the word of Jehovah came unto me the second time, saying,
3
The LORD spoke his word to me again. He said,
4 Take the girdle that thou hast bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
4
"Take the belt that you bought, the one you're wearing. Go to the Euphrates River, and bury it there in a crack in the rocks."
5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as Jehovah had commanded me.
5
So I went and buried it by the Euphrates, as the LORD had told me.
6 And it came to pass at the end of 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.
6
After many days the LORD said to me, "Go to the Euphrates, and get the belt from where I told you to bury it."
7 And I went to the Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it; and behold, the girdle was spoiled, it was good for nothing.
7
So I went back to the Euphrates and dug it up. I got the belt from where I had buried it. Now the belt was ruined. It was good for nothing.
8 And the word of Jehovah came unto me, saying,
8
Then the LORD spoke his word to me. He said,
9 Thus saith Jehovah: After this manner will I spoil the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
9
"This is what the LORD says: This is how I will destroy Judah's arrogance and Jerusalem's extreme arrogance.
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 worship them, shall even be as this girdle which is good for nothing.
10
These wicked people refuse to listen to me. They go their own stubborn ways and follow other gods in order to serve them and worship them. They are like this good-for-nothing belt.
11 For as a 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 might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
11
As a belt clings to a person's waist, so I have made the entire nation of Israel and the entire nation of Judah cling to me," declares the LORD. "I did this so that they would be my people and bring fame, praise, and honor to me. However, they wouldn't listen.
12 And thou shalt speak unto them this word: Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Every skin shall be filled with wine. And they will say unto thee, Do we not very well know that every skin shall be filled with wine?
12
"Give this message to them, 'This is what the LORD God of Israel says: Every bottle will be filled with wine.' Then they will say to you, 'We know that every bottle will be filled with wine.'
13 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, and the kings that sit for David upon his throne, and the priests and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
13
Say to them, 'This is what the LORD says: I'm going to make everyone who lives in this land drunk. The kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, the prophets, and all those who live in Jerusalem will become drunk.
14 And I will dash them one against another, both the fathers and the sons together, saith Jehovah; I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy so as not to destroy them.
14
Then I will smash them like bottles against each other. I will smash parents and children together, declares the LORD. I will have no pity, mercy, or compassion when I destroy them.'"
15 Hear ye, and give ear, be not lifted up; for Jehovah hath spoken.
15
Listen, and pay attention! Don't be arrogant. The LORD has spoken.
16 Give glory to Jehovah your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the mountains of twilight; and ye shall look for light, but he will turn it into the shadow of death, and make [it] gross darkness.
16
Honor the LORD your God before it gets dark, before your feet stumble on the mountains in the twilight. You will look for light, but the LORD will turn it into the shadow of death and change it into deep darkness.
17 And 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 Jehovah's flock is gone into captivity.
17
If you won't listen, I will cry secretly over your arrogance. I will cry bitterly, and my eyes will flow with tears because the LORD's flock will be taken captive.
18 Say unto the king and to the queen: Humble yourselves, sit down low; for from your heads shall come down the crown of your magnificence.
18
Say to the king and his mother, "Come down from your thrones, because your crowns have fallen off your heads."
19 The cities of the south are shut up, and there is none to open [them]; all Judah is carried away captive: it is wholly carried away captive.
19
The cities in the Negev will be locked up, and there will be no one to reopen them. All the people of Judah will be taken away into captivity.
20 Lift up your eyes, and behold them that come from the north. Where is the flock that was given thee, thy beautiful flock?
20
Look up, and see those who are coming from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you--your beautiful sheep?
21 What wilt thou say when he shall visit thee, since thou thyself hast trained them to be princes in chief over thee? Shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?
21
What will you say when God makes the people you thought were your friends your new masters? Won't pain grip you like a woman in labor?
22 And if thou say in thy heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, [and] thy heels have suffered violence.
22
If you ask yourself, "Why do these things happen to me?" it's because you have so many sins. Your clothes have been torn off and your limbs are bare.
23 Can an Ethiopian change his skin, or a leopard his spots? [Then] may ye also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
23
Can Ethiopians change the color of their skin or leopards change their spots? Can you do good when you're taught to do wrong?
24 And I will scatter them as stubble that passeth away by the wind of the wilderness.
24
"I will scatter you like straw that is blown away by a desert wind.
25 This shall be thy lot, thy measured portion from me, saith Jehovah; because thou hast forgotten me, and confided in falsehood.
25
This is your fate, the destiny I have planned for you," declares the LORD. "You have forgotten me and trusted false gods.
26 Therefore will I also turn thy skirts over thy face, and thy shame shall be seen.
26
I will also tear off your clothes, and your shame will be seen.
27 Thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the lewdness of thy fornication, on the hills, in the fields, -- thine abominations, have I seen. Woe unto thee, Jerusalem! Wilt thou not be made clean? after how long a time yet?
27
I have seen you commit adultery and squeal with delight. I have seen you act like a shameless prostitute on the hills and in the fields. How horrible it will be for you, Jerusalem! Will you ever be clean?"
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GOD'S WORD® is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Copyright © 1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All rights reserved. Used by permission.