Jeremiah's Linen Shorts
1 The Lord told me, “Go and buy a pair of linen shorts. Wear them for a while, but don't wash them.” 2 So I bought a pair of shorts and put them on.
3 Then the Lord said, 4 “Take off the shorts. Go to Parah and hide the shorts in a crack between some large rocks.” 5 And that's what I did.
6 Some time later the Lord said, “Go back and get the shorts.” 7 I went back and dug the shorts out of their hiding place, but the cloth had rotted, and the shorts were ruined.
8 Then the Lord said:
9 Jeremiah, I will use Babylonia to destroy the pride of the people of Judah and Jerusalem. 10 The people of Judah are evil and stubborn. So instead of listening to me, they do whatever they want and even worship other gods. When I am finished with these people, they will be good for nothing, just like this pair of shorts. 11 These shorts were tight around your waist, and that's how tightly I held onto the kingdoms of Israel and Judah. I wanted them to be my people. I wanted to make them famous, so that other nations would praise and honor me, but they refused to obey me.
Wine Jars
The Lord said:
12 Jeremiah, tell the people of Judah, “The Lord God of Israel orders you to fill your wine jars with wine.”
They will answer, “Of course we fill our wine jars with wine! Why are you telling us something we already know?”
13 Then say to them:
I am the Lord, and what I'm going to do will make everyone in Judah and Jerusalem appear to be full of wine. And the worst ones will be the kings of David's family and the priests and the prophets. 14 Then I will smash them against each other like jars. I will have no pity on the young or the old, and they will all be destroyed. I, the Lord, have spoken.
The People of Judah Will Be Taken Away
15 People of Judah,
don't be too proud to listen
to what the Lord has said.
16 You hope for light,
but God is sending darkness.
Evening shadows already deepen
in the hills.
So return to God
and confess your sins to him
before you trip and fall.
17 If you are too proud to listen,
I will weep alone.
Tears will stream from my eyes
when the Lord's people
are taken away as prisoners.
18 The Lord told me to tell you
that your king and his mother
must surrender their thrones
and remove their crowns.
19 The cities in the Southern Desert
are surrounded;
no one can get in or out.
Everyone in Judah
will be taken away.
20 Jerusalem, you were so proud
of ruling the people of Judah.
But where are they now?
Look north, and you will see
your enemies approaching.
21 You once trusted them to help,
but now I'll let them rule you.
What do you say about that?
You will be in pain
like a woman giving birth.
22 Do you know why
your clothes were torn off
and you were abused?
It was because
of your terrible sins.
23 Can you ever change
and do what's right?
Can people change the color
of their skin,
or can a leopard
remove its spots?
If so, then maybe you can change
and learn to do right.
24 I will scatter you,
just as the desert wind
blows husks from grain
tossed in the air.
25 I won't change my mind.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
You rejected me
and worshiped false gods.
* 26 You were married to me,
but you were unfaithful.
You even became a prostitute
by worshiping disgusting gods
on hilltops and in fields.
27 So I'll rip off your clothes
and leave you naked and ashamed
for everyone to see.
You are doomed!
Will you ever be worthy
to worship me again?
Līdzība ar linu jostu
1 Kungs man teica tā: “Ej nopērc sev linu jostu un apliec to sev ap gurniem, bet ūdenī to nemērc.” 2 Un es nopirku sev jostu, kā Kungs bija teicis, un apliku to sev ap gurniem.
3 Un Kunga vārds nāca otrreiz pār mani: 4 “Ņem jostu, ko tu sev nopirki un kas tev ap gurniem, celies, ej pie Eifrātas un tur paslēp to klints plaisā.” 5 Un es gāju un paslēpu to pie Eifrātas, kā Kungs man bija pavēlējis. 6 Un pēc daudzām dienām Kungs man teica: “Celies, ej pie Eifrātas un paņem no turienes jostu, ko es tev tur pavēlēju noslēpt.” 7 Un es gāju pie Eifrātas, izraku un paņēmu jostu no tās vietas, kur biju to noslēpis, un, redzi, josta bija sapuvusi un vairs nekam nederīga.
8 Un pār mani nāca Kunga vārds: 9 “Tā saka Kungs: tieši tāpat es sapūdēšu Jūdas lepnību un lielo Jeruzālemes lepnību. 10 Šai ļaunajai tautai, kas liedzas klausīties manos vārdos, staigā savas sirds stūrgalvībā un staigā pakaļ citiem dieviem, lai tiem vergotu un klanītos, klāsies tāpat kā šai jostai, kas vairs neder nekam! 11 Jo, kā josta kļaujas ap vīra gurniem, tā es sev piekļāvu visu Israēla namu un visu Jūdas namu, saka Kungs, lai tie man būtu par tautu un par vārdu, un par slavu, un par godu; bet tie neklausījās.
Līdzība par vīna krūkām
12 Un tu saki viņiem šos vārdus: tā saka Kungs, Israēla Dievs: visas krūkas lai pilda ar vīnu! Un viņi tev teiks: vai tad mēs tiešām nezinām, ka visas krūkas ir jāpilda ar vīnu? 13 Un tu saki tiem: tā saka Kungs: redzi, visus šīs zemes iedzīvotājus un ķēniņus, kuri sēž Dāvida tronī, un priesterus, un praviešus, un visus Jeruzālemes iedzīvotājus es piepildīšu ar dzērumu. 14 Es tos sarīdīšu vienu pret otru, tēvus pret dēliem, saka Kungs, netaupīšu, nesaudzēšu, nežēlošu un iznīdēšu!”
Trimdas draudi
15 Klausieties, sadzirdiet un nelepojieties,
jo Kungs ir runājis!
16 Dodiet godu Kungam, jūsu Dievam,
pirms viņš sūta tumsu,
pirms piedauzās jūsu kājas
pie pakalniem krēslā.
Un, kamēr jūs alkstat gaismas,
viņš pārvērš to par nāves ēnu
un padara to par tumsību.
17 Ja jūs neklausīsieties,
mana dvēsele slēptuvē raudās
jūsu lepnības dēļ,
tā brēktin brēks,
manas acis pieritēs asaru,
jo Kunga ganāmpulks sagūstīts.
18 Saki ķēniņam un valdniecei:
“Sēdieties nu zemāk,
jo no jūsu galvām nokritis
jūsu kundzības dižuma kronis!
19 Negebas pilsētas ciet,
un nav neviena, kas atver,
trimdā nu visa Jūda,
aizdzīta trimdā pavisam.”
20 Pacel acis un redzi,
kas no ziemeļiem nāk!
Kur ir ganāmpulks,
ko viņš tev deva, –
tavas diženās avis?
21 Ko tu teiksi,
kad tie piemeklēs tevi,
kad tie, ko pazini kā draugus,
uzmetīsies tev par galvenajiem?
Vai nepārņems tevi tad sāpes
kā sievu, kam jādzemdē?
22 Vai tu savā sirdī saki:
kādēļ viņš licis tā notikt? –
tavu grēku dēļ tev pacelts svārks
un atplestas kājas!
23 Vai kūšietis savu ādu var mainīt
un leopards savus plankumus?
Tad jau jūs arī,
uz ļaunu tik mācīti,
nu varat darīt labu!
24 “Es tos izkaisīšu kā salmus,
ko aizrauj tuksneša vējš!
25 Tā ir tava loze,
daļa, kas tev no manis iemērīta,”
saka Kungs,
“jo mani tu aizmirsi
un paļāvies meliem!
26 Es atkailināšu tev svārku pār galvu,
un visi redzēs tavu kaunumu!
27 Es redzēju
tavu laulības pārkāpšanu un zvaigāšanu,
tavu netiklo maucību uz pakalniem
un tavas riebeklības uz lauka!
Vai tev, Jeruzāleme!
Cik ilgi vēl paliksi nešķīsta?”
