Jeremiah 13

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 Yahweh said this to me, 'Go and buy a linen waistcloth and put it round your waist. But do not dip it inwater.'	1 The LORD said to me: Go buy yourself a linen loincloth; wear it on your loins, but do not put it in water.
2 And so, as Yahweh had ordered, I bought a waistcloth and put it round my waist.	2 I bought the loincloth, as the LORD commanded, and put it on.
3 A second time the word of Yahweh came to me,	3 A second time the word of the LORD came to me thus:
4 'Take the waistcloth that you have bought and are wearing round your waist. Up, go to the Euphratesand hide it there in a hole in the rock.'	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.
5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates as Yahweh had ordered me.	5 Obedient to the LORD'S command, I went to the Parath and buried the loincloth.
6 A long time later, Yahweh said to me, 'Up, go to the Euphrates and fetch the waistcloth I ordered you tohide there.'	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.
7 So I went to the Euphrates, and I searched, and I took the waistcloth from the place where I had hiddenit. And there was the waistcloth ruined, no use for anything.	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!
8 Then the word of Yahweh was addressed to me as follows,	8 Then the message came to me from the LORD:
9 'Yahweh says this, "In the same way I shal ruin the pride of Judah, the immense pride of Jerusalem.	9 Thus says the LORD: So also I will allow the pride of Judah to rot, the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 This evil people, these people who refuse to listen to my words, who fol ow their own stubborninclinations and run after other gods, serving and worshipping them -- this people wil become like this waistcloth,no good for anything.	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.
11 For just as a waistcloth clings to a man's waist, so I made the whole House of Israel and the wholeHouse of Judah cling to me, Yahweh declares, to be my people, my glory, my honour and my pride. But theyhave not listened."	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.
12 'You wil also say this to them, "Yahweh, God of Israel, says this: Any jug can be fil ed with wine." And if they answer you, "Do you think we do not know that any jug can be fil ed with wine?"	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?"
13 you are to say, "Yahweh says this: Look, I shal fil al the inhabitants of this country, the kings whooccupy the throne of David, the priests, the prophets and al the citizens of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.	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.
14 Then I shal smash them one against the other, parents and children al together, Yahweh declares.Mercilessly, relentlessly, pitilessly, I shal destroy them." '	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.
15 Listen and pay attention, do not be proud: Yahweh is speaking!	15 Give ear, listen humbly, for the LORD speaks.
16 Give glory to Yahweh your God before the darkness comes, before your feet stumble on the darkenedmountains. You hope for light, but he wil turn it to shadow dark as death, wil change it to blackness.	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.
17 If you do not listen to this warning, I shal weep in secret for your pride; my eyes wil weep bitterly andstream with tears, for Yahweh's flock is being led into captivity.	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.
18 Tel the king and the queen mother, 'Sit in a lower place, since your glorious crown has fal en fromyour head.	18 Say to the king and to the queen mother: come down from your throne; From your heads fall your magnificent crowns.
19 The towns of the Negeb are shut off with no one to give access to them. Al Judah has been deported,deported wholesale.'	19 The cities of the Negeb are besieged, with no one to relieve them; All Judah is banished in universal exile.
20 Raise your eyes and look at these now coming from the north. Where is the flock once entrusted toyou, the flock which was your pride?	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?
21 What wil you say when they come and punish you, you yourself having taught them? Against you, inthe lead, wil come your friends. Then will not anguish grip you as it grips a woman in labour?	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?
22 And should you ask yourself, 'Why is al this happening to me?' it is because of your great guilt thatyour skirts have been pulled up and you have been manhandled.	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.
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? And you, can you do right, being soaccustomed to wrong?	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.
24 'I shall scatter you like chaff on the desert wind.	24 I will scatter them like chaff that flies when the desert wind blows.
25 This is your share, the part allotted you, from me, Yahweh declares, because you have forgotten meand put your trust in Delusion.	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,
26 I am the one who pul s your skirts up over your face to let your shame be seen.	26 I now will strip off your skirts from you, so that your shame will appear.
27 Oh! Your adulteries, your shrieks of pleasure, your vile prostitution! On the hills, in the fields, I haveseen your Horrors. Jerusalem, disaster is coming for you! How much longer till you are made clean?'	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!