¹² When thou hast completed tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year, which is the year of tithing, and hast given it to the Levite, the sojourner, the orphan, and the widow, that they may eat within thy gates, and be satisfied;

¹ Thus says Jehovah unto^▵ me, Go^◦ and buy thee a linen^◦ girdle^◦, and set it upon thy loins, and into the water bring it not.

² And I bought a girdle^◦ according·​·to the word of Jehovah, and set it on my loins.

³ And the word of Jehovah was unto^▵ me the second time, saying,

⁴ Take the girdle^◦ that thou hast bought, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and conceal it there in a crevice of the rock^◦.

⁵ And I went, and concealed it by Euphrates, as^◦ Jehovah commanded me.

⁶ And it was at the end of many days, and Jehovah said to^▵ me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle^◦ from thence, which I commanded thee to conceal there.

⁷ And I went to Euphrates, and dug, and took the girdle^◦ from the place where^▵ I had concealed it; and behold, the girdle^◦ was destroyed, it prospered not at^◦ all.

⁸ And the word of Jehovah was to^▵ me, saying,

⁹ Thus says Jehovah, In·​·this·​·manner will I destroy the pride of Judah, and the pride of Jerusalem is much.

¹⁰ This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, and go after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them^◦, shall even^▵ be as this girdle^◦, which prospers not for anything^◦.

¹¹ For as^◦ the girdle^◦ sticks to^▵ the loins of a man^◦, so have I caused to stick to^▵ Me all the house of Israel and all the house of Judah, says^◦ Jehovah, to be for Me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for an adornment; but they would not hear.

¹² And thou shalt say to^▵ them this word: Thus says Jehovah God of Israel, Every jug shall be filled with wine; and they shall say to^▵ thee, Knowing do we not know that every jug shall be filled with wine?

¹³ And thou shalt say to^▵ them, Thus says Jehovah, Behold me, I will fill with drunkenness all those who dwell·​·in this land, and the kings who sit for David on his throne, and the priests, and the prophets, and all those who dwell·​·in Jerusalem,

¹⁴ and I will scatter them, a man^◦ to^▵ his brother, and the fathers and the sons together, says^◦ Jehovah; I will not pity, nor spare, nor have·​·compassion, in destroying them.

¹⁵ Hear ye, and give·​·ear; be· not ·haughty; for Jehovah has spoken.

¹⁶ Give glory to Jehovah your God, before^◦ He cause·​·darkness, and before^◦ your feet strike upon the mountains of twilight; and you wait for light, and He sets it for the shadow·​·of·​·death, and put it for dense·​·darkness.

¹⁷ But if you will not hear it, my soul shall weep in hiding places from the face of pride; and shedding·​·tears my eye shall shed·​·tears and go·​·down with tears, for the drove of Jehovah is taken·​·captive.

¹⁸ Say unto the king and to the great·​·lady, Make· yourselves ·low, sit, for your head·​·adornment shall come·​·down, even the crown of your splendor.

¹⁹ The cities of the south shall be closed·​·in, and none shall open them; Judah shall be exiled, all of her, Shelomim^* shall be exiled.

²⁰ Lift your eyes and see those who come from the north. Where^◦ is the drove that was given to thee, the flock of thine adornment?

²¹ What wilt thou say when^◦ He shall visit upon thee? And thou^◦ hast taught them to be leaders, and for a head over thee. Shall not pangs possess^◦ thee, as^▵ a woman giving·​·birth?

²² And if^▫ thou say in thy heart, Wherefore have these things happened to^▵ me? In the multitude of thine iniquity are thy skirts revealed, and thy heels violated.

²³ Can the Ethiopian change^* his skin, or^◦ the leopard his spots^◦? Also, are· you^◦ ·able to do·​·good, who have been taught to do·​·evil?

²⁴ Therefore will I scatter them as the stubble that passes away by the wind of the wilderness.

²⁵ This is thy lot, the portion of thy measures from^◦ Me, says^◦ Jehovah; that thou hast forgotten Me, and trusted in falsity.

²⁶ And also, I^◦ will make·​·bare thy skirts on thy face, that thy disgrace may be seen.

²⁷ I have seen thine adulteries, and thy neighings, the crime of thy harlotry, and thy detestable things on the hills in the fields. Woe to thee, Jerusalem! Thou wilt not be made clean afterwards; when shall it yet be?