< Jeremiah 13 >

1 The LORD said to me, “Go, and buy yourself a linen belt, and put it on your waist, and don’t put it in water.”
כֹּֽה־אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י הָל֞וֹךְ וְקָנִ֤יתָ לְּךָ֙ אֵז֣וֹר פִּשְׁתִּ֔ים וְשַׂמְתּ֖וֹ עַל־מָתְנֶ֑יךָ וּבַמַּ֖יִם לֹ֥א תְבִאֵֽהוּ׃
2 So I bought a belt according to the LORD’s word, and put it on my waist.
וָאֶקְנֶ֥ה אֶת־הָאֵז֖וֹר כִּדְבַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה וָאָשִׂ֖ם עַל־מָתְנָֽי׃ ס
3 The LORD’s word came to me the second time, saying,
וַיְהִ֧י דְבַר־יְהוָ֛ה אֵלַ֖י שֵׁנִ֥ית לֵאמֹֽר׃
4 “Take the belt that you have bought, which is on your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.”
קַ֧ח אֶת־הָאֵז֛וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר קָנִ֖יתָ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עַל־מָתְנֶ֑יךָ וְקוּם֙ לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְטָמְנֵ֥הוּ שָׁ֖ם בִּנְקִ֥יק הַסָּֽלַע׃
5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
וָאֵלֵ֕ךְ וָאֶטְמְנֵ֖הוּ בִּפְרָ֑ת כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר צִוָּ֥ה יְהוָ֖ה אוֹתִֽי׃
6 After many days, the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the belt from there, which I commanded you to hide there.”
וַיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ יָמִ֣ים רַבִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלַ֗י ק֚וּם לֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וְקַ֤ח מִשָּׁם֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵז֔וֹר אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוִּיתִ֖יךָ לְטָמְנוֹ־שָֽׁם׃
7 Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and took the belt from the place where I had hidden it; and behold, the belt was ruined. It was profitable for nothing.
וָאֵלֵ֣ךְ פְּרָ֔תָה וָאֶחְפֹּ֗ר וָֽאֶקַּח֙ אֶת־הָ֣אֵז֔וֹר מִן־הַמָּק֖וֹם אֲשֶׁר־טְמַנְתִּ֣יו שָׁ֑מָּה וְהִנֵּה֙ נִשְׁחַ֣ת הָאֵז֔וֹר לֹ֥א יִצְלַ֖ח לַכֹּֽל׃ פ
8 Then the LORD’s word came to me, saying,
וַיְהִ֥י דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה אֵלַ֥י לֵאמֹֽר׃
9 “The LORD says, ‘In this way I will ruin the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה כָּ֠כָה אַשְׁחִ֞ית אֶת־גְּא֧וֹן יְהוּדָ֛ה וְאֶת־גְּא֥וֹן יְרוּשָׁלִַ֖ם הָרָֽב׃
10 This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and have gone after other gods to serve them and to worship them, will even be as this belt, which is profitable for nothing.
הָעָם֩ הַזֶּ֨ה הָרָ֜ע הַֽמֵּאֲנִ֣ים ׀ לִשְׁמ֣וֹעַ אֶת־דְּבָרַ֗י הַהֹֽלְכִים֙ בִּשְׁרִר֣וּת לִבָּ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֗וּ אַֽחֲרֵי֙ אֱלֹהִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים לְעָבְדָ֖ם וּלְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹ֣ת לָהֶ֑ם וִיהִי֙ כָּאֵז֣וֹר הַזֶּ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יִצְלַ֖ח לַכֹּֽל׃
11 For as the belt clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to me,’ says the LORD; ‘that they may be to me for a people, for a name, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’
כִּ֡י כַּאֲשֶׁר֩ יִדְבַּ֨ק הָאֵז֜וֹר אֶל־מָתְנֵי־אִ֗ישׁ כֵּ֣ן הִדְבַּ֣קְתִּי אֵ֠לַי אֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֨ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל וְאֶת־כָּל־בֵּ֤ית יְהוּדָה֙ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֔ה לִֽהְי֥וֹת לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וּלְשֵׁ֥ם וְלִתְהִלָּ֖ה וּלְתִפְאָ֑רֶת וְלֹ֖א שָׁמֵֽעוּ׃
12 “Therefore you shall speak to them this word: ‘The LORD, the God of Israel says, “Every container should be filled with wine.”’ They will tell you, ‘Do we not certainly know that every container should be filled with wine?’
וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם אֶת־הַדָּבָ֣ר הַזֶּ֗ה ס כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כָּל־נֵ֖בֶל יִמָּ֣לֵא יָ֑יִן וְאָמְר֣וּ אֵלֶ֔יךָ הֲיָדֹ֙עַ֙ לֹ֣א נֵדַ֔ע כִּ֥י כָל־נֵ֖בֶל יִמָּ֥לֵא יָֽיִן׃
13 Then tell them, ‘The LORD says, “Behold, I will fill all the inhabitants of this land, even the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, with drunkenness.
וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֲלֵיהֶ֜ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה הִנְנִ֣י מְמַלֵּ֣א אֶת־כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֪רֶץ הַזֹּ֟את וְאֶת־הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הַיֹּשְׁבִים֩ לְדָוִ֨ד עַל־כִּסְא֜וֹ וְאֶת־הַכֹּהֲנִ֣ים וְאֶת־הַנְּבִיאִ֗ים וְאֵ֛ת כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י יְרוּשָׁלִָ֖ם שִׁכָּרֽוֹן׃
14 I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together,” says the LORD: “I will not pity, spare, or have compassion, that I should not destroy them.”’”
וְנִפַּצְתִּים֩ אִ֨ישׁ אֶל־אָחִ֜יו וְהָאָב֧וֹת וְהַבָּנִ֛ים יַחְדָּ֖ו נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה לֹֽא־אֶחְמ֧וֹל וְלֹֽא־אָח֛וּס וְלֹ֥א אֲרַחֵ֖ם מֵהַשְׁחִיתָֽם׃ ס
15 Hear, and give ear. Don’t be proud, for the LORD has spoken.
שִׁמְע֥וּ וְהַאֲזִ֖ינוּ אַל־תִּגְבָּ֑הוּ כִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃
16 Give glory to the LORD your God, before he causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while you look for light, he turns it into the shadow of death, and makes it deep darkness.
תְּנוּ֩ לַיהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֤ם כָּבוֹד֙ בְּטֶ֣רֶם יַחְשִׁ֔ךְ וּבְטֶ֛רֶם יִֽתְנַגְּפ֥וּ רַגְלֵיכֶ֖ם עַל־הָ֣רֵי נָ֑שֶׁף וְקִוִּיתֶ֤ם לְאוֹר֙ וְשָׂמָ֣הּ לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת וְשִׁ֖ית לַעֲרָפֶֽל׃
17 But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride. My eye will weep bitterly, and run down with tears, because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.
וְאִם֙ לֹ֣א תִשְׁמָע֔וּהָ בְּמִסְתָּרִ֥ים תִּבְכֶּֽה־נַפְשִׁ֖י מִפְּנֵ֣י גֵוָ֑ה וְדָמֹ֨עַ תִּדְמַ֜ע וְתֵרַ֤ד עֵינִי֙ דִּמְעָ֔ה כִּ֥י נִשְׁבָּ֖ה עֵ֥דֶר יְהוָֽה׃ ס
18 Say to the king and to the queen mother, “Humble yourselves. Sit down, for your crowns have come down, even the crown of your glory.
אֱמֹ֥ר לַמֶּ֛לֶךְ וְלַגְּבִירָ֖ה הַשְׁפִּ֣ילוּ שֵׁ֑בוּ כִּ֤י יָרַד֙ מַרְאֲשׁ֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם עֲטֶ֖רֶת תִּֽפְאַרְתְּכֶֽם׃
19 The cities of the South are shut up, and there is no one to open them. Judah is carried away captive: all of them. They are wholly carried away captive.
עָרֵ֥י הַנֶּ֛גֶב סֻגְּר֖וּ וְאֵ֣ין פֹּתֵ֑חַ הָגְלָ֧ת יְהוּדָ֛ה כֻּלָּ֖הּ הָגְלָ֥ת שְׁלוֹמִֽים׃ ס
20 Lift up your eyes, and see those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given to you, your beautiful flock?
שְׂא֤וּ עֵֽינֵיכֶם֙ וּרְא֔וּ הַבָּאִ֖ים מִצָּפ֑וֹן אַיֵּ֗ה הָעֵ֙דֶר֙ נִתַּן־לָ֔ךְ צֹ֖אן תִּפְאַרְתֵּֽךְ׃
21 What will you say when he sets over you as head those whom you have yourself taught to be friends to you? Won’t sorrows take hold of you, as of a woman in travail?
מַה־תֹּֽאמְרִי֙ כִּֽי־יִפְקֹ֣ד עָלַ֔יִךְ וְ֠אַתְּ לִמַּ֨דְתְּ אֹתָ֥ם עָלַ֛יִךְ אַלֻּפִ֖ים לְרֹ֑אשׁ הֲל֤וֹא חֲבָלִים֙ יֹאחֱז֔וּךְ כְּמ֖וֹ אֵ֥שֶׁת לֵדָֽה׃
22 If you say in your heart, “Why have these things come on me?” Your skirts are uncovered because of the greatness of your iniquity, and your heels suffer violence.
וְכִ֤י תֹאמְרִי֙ בִּלְבָבֵ֔ךְ מַדּ֖וּעַ קְרָאֻ֣נִי אֵ֑לֶּה בְּרֹ֧ב עֲוֹנֵ֛ךְ נִגְל֥וּ שׁוּלַ֖יִךְ נֶחְמְס֥וּ עֲקֵבָֽיִךְ׃
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then may you also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.
הֲיַהֲפֹ֤ךְ כּוּשִׁי֙ עוֹר֔וֹ וְנָמֵ֖ר חֲבַרְבֻּרֹתָ֑יו גַּם־אַתֶּם֙ תּוּכְל֣וּ לְהֵיטִ֔יב לִמֻּדֵ֖י הָרֵֽעַ׃
24 “Therefore I will scatter them as the stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.
וַאֲפִיצֵ֖ם כְּקַשׁ־עוֹבֵ֑ר לְר֖וּחַ מִדְבָּֽר׃
25 This is your lot, the portion measured to you from me,” says the LORD, “because you have forgotten me, and trusted in falsehood.”
זֶ֣ה גוֹרָלֵ֧ךְ מְנָת־מִדַּ֛יִךְ מֵֽאִתִּ֖י נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה אֲשֶׁר֙ שָׁכַ֣חַתְּ אוֹתִ֔י וַֽתִּבְטְחִ֖י בַּשָּֽׁקֶר׃
26 Therefore I will also uncover your skirts on your face, and your shame will appear.
וְגַם־אֲנִ֛י חָשַׂ֥פְתִּי שׁוּלַ֖יִךְ עַל־פָּנָ֑יִךְ וְנִרְאָ֖ה קְלוֹנֵֽךְ׃
27 I have seen your abominations, even your adulteries and your neighing, the lewdness of your prostitution, on the hills in the field. Woe to you, Jerusalem! You will not be made clean. How long will it yet be?”
נִֽאֻפַ֤יִךְ וּמִצְהֲלוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ זִמַּ֣ת זְנוּתֵ֔ךְ עַל־גְּבָעוֹת֙ בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה רָאִ֖יתִי שִׁקּוּצָ֑יִךְ א֥וֹי לָךְ֙ יְר֣וּשָׁלִַ֔ם לֹ֣א תִטְהֲרִ֔י אַחֲרֵ֥י מָתַ֖י עֹֽד׃ פ

< Jeremiah 13 >