כֹּה־אָמַ֨ר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י הָל֞וֹךְ וְקָנִ֤יתָ לְּךָ֙ אֵז֣וֹר פִּשְׁתִּ֔ים וְשַׂמְתּ֖וֹ עַל־מׇתְנֶ֑יךָ וּבַמַּ֖יִם לֹ֥א תְבִאֵֽהוּ׃ Thus GOD said to me: “Go buy yourself a loincloth of linen, and put it around your loins, but do not dip it into water.”
וָאֶקְנֶ֥ה אֶת־הָאֵז֖וֹר כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה וָאָשִׂ֖ם עַל־מׇתְנָֽי׃ {פ}
So I bought the loincloth in accordance with GOD’s command, and put it about my loins.
וַיְהִ֧י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֛ה אֵלַ֖י שֵׁנִ֥ית לֵאמֹֽר׃ And the word of GOD came to me a second time:
קַ֧ח אֶת־הָאֵז֛וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר קָנִ֖יתָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־מׇתְנֶ֑יךָ וְקוּם֙ לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְטׇמְנֵ֥הוּ שָׁ֖ם בִּנְקִ֥יק הַסָּֽלַע׃ “Take the loincloth that you bought, which is about your loins, and go at once to PerathaPerath Or “the Euphrates”; cf. “Parah,” Josh. 18.23. and cover it up there in a cleft of the rock.”
וָאֵלֵ֕ךְ וָאֶטְמְנֵ֖הוּ בִּפְרָ֑ת כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהֹוָ֖ה אוֹתִֽי׃ I went and buried it at Perath, as GOD had commanded me.
וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י ק֚וּם לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְקַ֤ח מִשָּׁם֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵז֔וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּיתִ֖יךָ לְטׇמְנוֹ־שָֽׁם׃ Then, after a long time, GOD said to me, “Go at once to Perath and take there the loincloth that I commanded you to bury there.”
וָאֵלֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וָאֶחְפֹּ֗ר וָֽאֶקַּח֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵז֔וֹר מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־טְמַנְתִּ֣יו שָׁ֑מָּה וְהִנֵּה֙ נִשְׁחַ֣ת הָאֵז֔וֹר לֹ֥א יִצְלַ֖ח לַכֹּֽל׃ {פ}
So I went to Perath and dug up the loincloth from the place where I had buried it; and found the loincloth ruined; it was not good for anything.
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃ The word of GOD came to me:
כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה כָּ֠כָה אַשְׁחִ֞ית אֶת־גְּא֧וֹן יְהוּדָ֛ה וְאֶת־גְּא֥וֹן יְרוּשָׁלַ֖͏ִם הָרָֽב׃ Thus said GOD: Even so will I ruin the overweening pride of Judah and Jerusalem.
הָעָם֩ הַזֶּ֨ה הָרָ֜ע הַֽמֵּאֲנִ֣ים ׀ לִשְׁמ֣וֹעַ אֶת־דְּבָרַ֗י הַהֹֽלְכִים֙ בִּשְׁרִר֣וּת לִבָּ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים לְעׇבְדָ֖ם וּלְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֺ֣ת לָהֶ֑ם וִיהִי֙ כָּאֵז֣וֹר הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹֽא־יִצְלַ֖ח לַכֹּֽל׃ {ס} This wicked people who refuse to heed My bidding, who follow the willfulness of their own hearts, who follow other gods and serve them and worship them, shall become like that loincloth, which is not good for anything.
כִּ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ יִדְבַּ֨ק הָאֵז֜וֹר אֶל־מׇתְנֵי־אִ֗ישׁ כֵּ֣ן הִדְבַּ֣קְתִּי אֵ֠לַ֠י אֶת־כׇּל־בֵּ֨ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וְאֶת־כׇּל־בֵּ֤ית יְהוּדָה֙ נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֔ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וּלְשֵׁ֥ם וְלִתְהִלָּ֖ה וּלְתִפְאָ֑רֶת וְלֹ֖א שָׁמֵֽעוּ׃ For as a loincloth clings close to a man’s loins, so I brought close to Me the whole House of Israel and the whole House of Judah—declares GOD—that they might be My people, for fame, and praise, and splendor. But they would not obey.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה {ס} כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהֹוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כׇּל־נֵ֖בֶל יִמָּ֣לֵא יָ֑יִן וְאָמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ הֲיָדֹ֙עַ֙ לֹ֣א נֵדַ֔ע כִּ֥י כׇל־נֵ֖בֶל יִמָּ֥לֵא יָֽיִן׃ And speak this word to them: Thus said the ETERNAL, the God of Israel: “Every jar should be filled with wine.” And when they say to you, “Don’t we know that every jar should be filled with wine?”
וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֗ה הִנְנִ֣י מְמַלֵּ֣א אֶת־כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֪רֶץ הַזֹּ֟את וְאֶת־הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הַיֹּשְׁבִים֩ לְדָוִ֨ד עַל־כִּסְא֜וֹ וְאֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְאֶת־הַנְּבִאִ֗ים וְאֵ֛ת כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלָ֖͏ִם שִׁכָּרֽוֹן׃ say to them, “Thus said GOD: I am going to fill with drunkenness all the inhabitants of this land, and the kings who sit on the throne of David, and the priests and the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
וְנִפַּצְתִּים֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֜יו וְהָאָב֧וֹת וְהַבָּנִ֛ים יַחְדָּ֖ו נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה לֹֽא־אֶחְמ֧וֹל וְלֹא־אָח֛וּס וְלֹ֥א אֲרַחֵ֖ם מֵהַשְׁחִיתָֽם׃ And I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike—declares GOD; no pity, compassion, or mercy will stop Me from destroying them.”
שִׁמְע֥וּ וְהַאֲזִ֖ינוּ אַל־תִּגְבָּ֑הוּ כִּ֥י יְהֹוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃ Attend and give ear; be not haughty,
For GOD has spoken.
תְּנוּ֩ לַיהֹוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֤ם כָּבוֹד֙ בְּטֶ֣רֶם יַחְשִׁ֔ךְ וּבְטֶ֛רֶם יִֽתְנַגְּפ֥וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם עַל־הָ֣רֵי נָ֑שֶׁף וְקִוִּיתֶ֤ם לְאוֹר֙ וְשָׂמָ֣הּ לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת (ישית) [וְשִׁ֖ית] לַעֲרָפֶֽל׃ Give honor to the ETERNAL your God
Before darkness descends,
Before your feet stumble
On the mountains in shadow—
When you hope for light,
And it is turned to darkness
And becomes deep gloom.
וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תִשְׁמָע֔וּהָ בְּמִסְתָּרִ֥ים תִּבְכֶּֽה־נַפְשִׁ֖י מִפְּנֵ֣י גֵוָ֑ה וְדָמֹ֨עַ תִּדְמַ֜ע וְתֵרַ֤ד עֵינִי֙ דִּמְעָ֔ה כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה עֵ֥דֶר יְהֹוָֽה׃ {ס} For if you will not give heed,
My inmost self must weep,
Because of your arrogance;
My eye must stream and flow
With copious tears,
Because GOD’s flock
Is taken captive.
אֱמֹ֥ר לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְלַגְּבִירָ֖ה הַשְׁפִּ֣ילוּ שֵׁ֑בוּ כִּ֤י יָרַד֙ מַרְאֲשׁ֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם עֲטֶ֖רֶת תִּֽפְאַרְתְּכֶֽם׃ Say to the king and the queen mother,
“Sit in a lowly spot;
For your diadems are abased,
Your glorious crowns.”
עָרֵ֥י הַנֶּ֛גֶב סֻגְּר֖וּ וְאֵ֣ין פֹּתֵ֑חַ הׇגְלָ֧ת יְהוּדָ֛ה כֻּלָּ֖הּ הׇגְלָ֥ת שְׁלוֹמִֽים׃ {ס} The cities of the Negeb are shut,
There is no one to open them;
Judah is exiled completely,
All of it exiled.bJudah is exiled completely, / All of it exiled I.e., most of Judah has been annexed by an alien people.
(שאי) [שְׂא֤וּ] עֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ (וראי) [וּרְא֔וּ] הַבָּאִ֖ים מִצָּפ֑וֹן אַיֵּ֗ה הָעֵ֙דֶר֙ נִתַּן־לָ֔ךְ צֹ֖אן תִּפְאַרְתֵּֽךְ׃ Raise your eyes and behold
Those who come from the north:
Where are the sheep entrusted to you,
The flock you took pride in?
מַה־תֹּֽאמְרִי֙ כִּֽי־יִפְקֹ֣ד עָלַ֔יִךְ וְ֠אַ֠תְּ לִמַּ֨דְתְּ אֹתָ֥ם עָלַ֛יִךְ אַלֻּפִ֖ים לְרֹ֑אשׁ הֲל֤וֹא חֲבָלִים֙ יֹֽאחֱז֔וּךְ כְּמ֖וֹ אֵ֥שֶׁת לֵדָֽה׃ What will you say when they appoint as your heads
Those among you whom you trained to be tame?cWhat will you say … to be tame? Meaning of Heb. uncertain.
Shall not pangs seize you
Like a woman in childbirth?
וְכִ֤י תֹֽאמְרִי֙ בִּלְבָבֵ֔ךְ מַדּ֖וּעַ קְרָאֻ֣נִי אֵ֑לֶּה בְּרֹ֧ב עֲוֺנֵ֛ךְ נִגְל֥וּ שׁוּלַ֖יִךְ נֶחְמְס֥וּ עֲקֵבָֽיִךְ׃ And when you ask yourself,
“Why have these things befallen me?”
It is because of your great iniquity
That your skirts are lifted up,
Your limbs exposed.
הֲיַהֲפֹ֤ךְ כּוּשִׁי֙ עוֹר֔וֹ וְנָמֵ֖ר חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑יו גַּם־אַתֶּם֙ תּוּכְל֣וּ לְהֵיטִ֔יב לִמֻּדֵ֖י הָרֵֽעַ׃ Can the CushitesdCushites People of Cush, the region south of Egypt. change their skin,
Or leopards their spots?
Just as much can you do good,
Who are practiced in doing evil!
וַאֲפִיצֵ֖ם כְּקַשׁ־עוֹבֵ֑ר לְר֖וּחַ מִדְבָּֽר׃ So I will scatter youeyou Heb. “them.” like straw that flies
Before the desert wind.
זֶ֣ה גוֹרָלֵ֧ךְ מְנָת־מִדַּ֛יִךְ מֵאִתִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהֹוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ שָׁכַ֣חַתְּ אוֹתִ֔י וַֽתִּבְטְחִ֖י בַּשָּֽׁקֶר׃ This shall be your lot,
Your measured portion from Me
—declares GOD.
Because you forgot Me
And trusted in falsehood,
וְגַם־אֲנִ֛י חָשַׂ֥פְתִּי שׁוּלַ֖יִךְ עַל־פָּנָ֑יִךְ וְנִרְאָ֖ה קְלוֹנֵֽךְ׃ I in turn will lift your skirts over your face
And your shame shall be seen.
נִאֻפַ֤יִךְ וּמִצְהֲלוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ זִמַּ֣ת זְנוּתֵ֔ךְ עַל־גְּבָעוֹת֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי שִׁקּוּצָ֑יִךְ א֥וֹי לָךְ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלַ֔͏ִם לֹ֣א תִטְהֲרִ֔י אַחֲרֵ֥י מָתַ֖י עֹֽד׃ {ס} I behold your adulteries,
Your lustful neighing,
Your unbridled depravity, your vile acts
On the hills of the countryside.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem,
Who will not be pure!
How much longer shall it be?