Jeremiæ 13
1 Hæc dicit Dominus ad me: Vade, et posside tibi lumbare lineum, et pones illud super lumbos tuos, et in aquam non inferes illud.
[One day] Yahweh said to me, “Go and buy a linen waistcloth. Put it on, but do not wash it.”
2 Et possedi lumbare iuxta verbum Domini, et posui circa lumbos meos.
So I bought a [very nice] waistcloth, which is what Yahweh told me to do, and I put it on.
3 Et factus est sermo Domini ad me, secundo, dicens:
Then [later] Yahweh gave me another message.
4 Tolle lumbare, quod possedisti, quod est circa lumbos tuos, et surgens vade ad Euphraten, et absconde ibi illud in foramine petræ.
He said, “Go to the small Perath Stream [near Jerusalem] and hide your waistcloth in a crevice/hole in the rocks.”
5 Et abii, et abscondi illud in Euphrate, sicut præceperat mihi Dominus.
So I went to the stream and did what Yahweh told me to do.
6 Et factum est post dies plurimos, dixit Dominus ad me: Surge, vade ad Euphraten: et tolle inde lumbare, quod præcepi tibi ut absconderes illud ibi.
A long time later, Yahweh said to me, “Go [back] to that stream and get the waistcloth that I told you to hide there.”
7 Et abii ad Euphraten, et fodi, et tuli lumbare de loco, ubi absconderam illud: et ecce computruerat lumbare, ita ut nulli usui aptum esset.
So I went to the Perath Stream and dug out the waistcloth from the crevice/hole in which I had hidden it. But it was ruined, and useless.
8 Et factum est verbum Domini ad me, dicens:
Then Yahweh gave me this message:
9 Hæc dicit Dominus: Sic putrescere faciam superbiam Iuda, et superbiam Ierusalem multam.
“[What happened to your waistcloth] shows that I will destroy the things that [the people of] Jerusalem and [other places in] Judah are very proud of.
10 Populum istum pessimum, qui nolunt audire verba mea, et ambulant in pravitate cordis sui: abieruntque post deos alienos ut servirent eis, et adorarent eos: et erunt sicut lumbare istud, quod nulli usui aptum est.
Those wicked people refuse to pay attention to what I say. They stubbornly do just what they desire to do; they worship other gods. Therefore, they will become completely useless, like your waistcloth.
11 Sicut enim adhæret lumbare ad lumbos viri, sic agglutinavi mihi omnem domum Israel, et omnem domum Iuda, dicit Dominus: ut essent mihi in populum, et in nomen, et in laudem, et in gloriam: et non audierunt.
Just like a waistcloth clings closely/tightly to a man’s waist, I wanted the people [MTY] of Israel and Judah to cling closely to me. I wanted them to be my people, people who would praise me and honor me. But they would not pay attention [to me]. “
12 Dices ergo ad eos sermonem istum: Hæc dicit Dominus Deus Israel: Omnis laguncula implebitur vino. Et dicent ad te: Numquid ignoramus quia omnis laguncula implebitur vino?
“[So], tell this to them: ‘Yahweh, the God whom you Israeli [people worship], says that every leather wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And [when you tell that to them], they will reply, ‘(Of course/Certainly) we know [RHQ] that all wineskins should be filled with wine!’
13 Et dices ad eos: Hæc dicit Dominus: Ecce ego implebo omnes habitatores terræ huius, et reges qui sedent de stirpe David super thronum eius, et sacerdotes, et prophetas, et omnes habitatores Ierusalem, ebrietate:
And then you must tell them, ‘No, that is not what Yahweh means. What he said means that he will cause this land to be filled with people who are drunk. [That will include all of you]—the king who sits on the throne that King David previously sat on, the priests and the prophets, and even the common people of Jerusalem.’
14 et dispergam eos virum a fratre suo, et patres et filios pariter, ait Dominus: non parcam, et non concedam: neque miserebor ut non disperdam eos.
[He is saying], ‘I will cause you to bash each other. [Even] parents will bash their children. I will not pity you or act mercifully toward you at all; pitying you will not prevent me from getting rid of you.’”
15 Audite, et auribus percipite. Nolite elevari, quia Dominus locutus est.
[You people of Judah], pay very careful attention [DOU]. Do not be proud, because Yahweh has spoken to you.
16 Date Domino Deo vestro gloriam antequam contenebrescat, et antequam offendant pedes vestri ad montes caliginosos: expectabitis lucem, et ponet eam in umbram mortis, et in caliginem.
[It is as though] he is ready to bring darkness on you and to cause you to stumble and fall [as you walk] on the hills when it is becoming dark. [So] praise/honor Yahweh your God before that happens. If you do not do that, you will look for light, but all you will see is darkness and gloom.
17 Quod si hoc non audieritis, in abscondito plorabit anima mea a facie superbiæ: plorans plorabit, et deducet oculus meus lacrymam, quia captus est grex Domini.
And if you [still] refuse to heed what he says, [what will happen to you because of] your being proud will cause me to cry when I am alone. My eyes will be filled with tears because [you], Yahweh’s people, [whom he takes care of like a shepherd takes care of] [MET] his flock, will [all] be [captured by your enemies and] taken to other countries.
18 Dic regi, et dominatrici: Humiliamini, sedete: quoniam descendit de capite vestro corona gloriæ vestræ.
[You people of Judah], say to the king and to his mother, “Come down from sitting on your thrones and [humbly] sit in the dust, because [your enemies] will soon snatch from your heads your glorious crowns.”
19 Civitates Austri clausæ sunt, et non est qui aperiat: translata est omnis Iuda transmigratione perfecta.
The towns in the southern part of Judah will be surrounded by your enemies, and no one will be able to get through their lines [to rescue the people in those towns]. [You people of] Judah will be captured and taken away; you will all be (exiled/taken [to foreign countries)].
20 Levate oculos vestros, et videte qui venitis ab Aquilone: ubi est grex, qui datus est tibi, pecus inclytum tuum?
[You leaders of Jerusalem], open your eyes and look: [The enemy armies are ready to] march down from the north. [When that happens], what will happen to [RHQ] the [people of Judah who are like] a beautiful flock of sheep, people that he gave to you to take care of?
21 Quid dices cum visitaverit te? tu enim docuisti eos adversum te, et erudisti in caput tuum: numquid non dolores apprehendent te, quasi mulierem parturientem?
What will you say [RHQ] when Yahweh appoints people from other countries to rule over you, people who you [mistakenly] thought were your friends? You will [RHQ] suffer very much pain, like a woman who is about to give birth to a baby.
22 Quod si dixeris in corde tuo: Quare venerunt mihi hæc? Propter multitudinem iniquitatis tuæ revelata sunt verecundiora tua, pollutæ sunt plantæ tuæ.
You will ask yourselves, “Why is this happening to us?” [I will reply that] it is because of your many sins. That is why [soldiers of the invading armies] will lift up the skirts [of your women] and rape them.
23 Si mutare potest æthiops pellem suam, aut pardus varietates suas: et vos poteritis benefacere, cum didiceritis malum.
A man from Ethiopia certainly cannot [RHQ] change the color of his [black] skin, and a leopard certainly cannot [RHQ] change its spots. Similarly, you cannot start doing what is good, because you have always done what is evil.
24 Et disseminabo eos quasi stipulam, quæ vento raptatur in deserto.
[Yahweh says], “I will scatter you like chaff that is blown away by the wind from the desert.
25 Hæc sors tua, parsque mensuræ tuæ a me, dicit Dominus, quia oblita es mei, et confisa es in mendacio.
That is what is certainly going to happen to you; the things that I have determined will happen to you, because you have forgotten me, and you are trusting in false [gods].
26 unde et ego nudavi femora tua contra faciem tuam, et apparuit ignominia tua,
[It is as though] I myself will pull your skirts up over your faces and cause you to be very ashamed because everyone will be able to see your sex organs.
27 adulteria tua, et hinnitus tuus scelus fornicationis tuæ: super colles in agro vidi abominationes tuas. Væ tibi Ierusalem, non mundaberis post me: usquequo adhuc?
I have seen that you [act like men who are eager to commit adultery]; you are like male horses that whinny when they desire [to have sex with] a female horse. I have seen that you worship disgusting idols in the fields and on the hills. [You people of] Jerusalem, terrible things will happen to you! How long will it be [RHQ] until you are acceptable to me [again]?”
