Jeremiah 13

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
1 The LORD said to me: Go buy yourself a linen loincloth; wear it on your loins, but do not put it in water.	1 Thus said the LORD to me, "Go and buy a linen waistcloth, and put it on your loins, and do not dip it in water."
2 I bought the loincloth, as the LORD commanded, and put it on.	2 So I bought a waistcloth according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.
3 A second time the word of the LORD came to me thus:	3 And the word of the LORD came to me a second time,
4 Take the loincloth which you bought and are wearing, and go now to the Parath; there hide it in a cleft of the rock.	4 "Take the waistcloth which you have bought, which is upon your loins, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock."
5 Obedient to the LORD'S command, I went to the Parath and buried the loincloth.	5 So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
6 After a long interval, he said to me: Go now to the Parath and fetch the loincloth which I told you to hide there.	6 And after many days the LORD said to me, "Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the waistcloth which I commanded you to hide there."
7 Again I went to the Parath, sought out and took the loincloth from the place where I had hid it. But it was rotted, good for nothing!	7 Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took the waistcloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the waistcloth was spoiled; it was good for nothing.
8 Then the message came to me from the LORD:	8 Then the word of the LORD came to me:
9 Thus says the LORD: So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot, the great pride of Jerusalem.	9 "Thus says the LORD: Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 This wicked people who refuse to obey my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their hearts, and follow strange gods to serve and adore them, shall be like this loincloth which is good for nothing.	10 This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this waistcloth, which is good for nothing.
11 For, as close as the loincloth clings to a man's loins, so had I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD; to be my people, my renown, my praise, my beauty. But they did not listen.	11 For as the waistcloth clings to the loins of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.
12 Now speak to them this word: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Every wineflask is meant to be filled with wine. If they reply, "Do we not know that every wineflask is meant to be filled with wine?"	12 "You shall speak to them this word: 'Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, "Every jar shall be filled with wine."' And they will say to you, 'Do we not indeed know that every jar will be filled with wine?'
13 say to them: Thus says the LORD: Beware! I am filling with drunkenness all the inhabitants of this land, the kings who succeed to David's throne, the priests and prophets, and all the citizens of Jerusalem.	13 Then you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: Behold, I will fill with drunkenness all the inhabitants of this land: the kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
14 I will dash them against each other, fathers and sons together, says the LORD; I will show no compassion, I will not spare or pity, but will destroy them.	14 And I will dash them one against another, fathers and sons together, says the LORD. I will not pity or spare or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.'"
15 Give ear, listen humbly, for the LORD speaks.	15 Hear and give ear; be not proud, for the LORD has spoken.
16 Give glory to the LORD, your God, before it grows dark; Before your feet stumble on darkening mountains; Before the light you look for turns to darkness, changes into black clouds.	16 Give glory to the LORD your God before he brings darkness, before your feet stumble on the twilight mountains, and while you look for light he turns it into gloom and makes it deep darkness.
17 If you do not listen to this in your pride, I will weep in secret many tears; My eyes will run with tears for the LORD'S flock, led away to exile.	17 But if you will not listen, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the LORD's flock has been taken captive.
18 Say to the king and to the queen mother: come down from your throne; From your heads fall your magnificent crowns.	18 Say to the king and the queen mother: "Take a lowly seat, for your beautiful crown has come down from your head."
19 The cities of the Negeb are besieged, with no one to relieve them; All Judah is banished in universal exile.	19 The cities of the Negeb are shut up, with none to open them; all Judah is taken into exile, wholly taken into exile.
20 Lift up your eyes and see men coming from the north. Where is the flock entrusted to you, the sheep that were your glory?	20 "Lift up your eyes and see those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?
21 What will you say when they place as rulers over you those whom you taught to be your lovers? Will not pangs seize you like those of a woman giving birth?	21 What will you say when they set as head over you those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you? Will not pangs take hold of you, like those of a woman in travail?
22 If you ask in your heart why these things befall you: For your great guilt your skirts are stripped away and you are violated.	22 And if you say in your heart, 'Why have these things come upon me?' it is for the greatness of your iniquity that your skirts are lifted up, and you suffer violence.
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin? the leopard his spots? As easily would you be able to do good, accustomed to evil as you are.	23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then also you can do good who are accustomed to do evil.
24 I will scatter them like chaff that flies when the desert wind blows.	24 I will scatter you like chaff driven by the wind from the desert.
25 This is your lot, the portion measured out to you from me, says the LORD. Because you have forgotten me, and trusted in the lying idol,	25 This is your lot, the portion I have measured out to you, says the LORD, because you have forgotten me and trusted in lies.
26 I now will strip off your skirts from you, so that your shame will appear.	26 I myself will lift up your skirts over your face, and your shame will be seen.
27 Your adulteries, your neighings, your shameless prostitutions: On the hills in the highlands I see these horrible crimes of yours. Woe to you, Jerusalem, how long will it yet be before you become clean!	27 I have seen your abominations, your adulteries and neighings, your lewd harlotries, on the hills in the field. Woe to you, O Jerusalem! How long will it be before you are made clean?"