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?”
The Linen Shorts
1 The Lord told me to go and buy myself some linen shorts and to put them on; but he told me not to put them in water. 2 So I bought them and put them on. 3 Then the Lord spoke to me again and said, 4 “Go to the Euphrates River and hide the shorts in a hole in the rocks.” 5 So I went and hid them near the Euphrates.
6 Some time later the Lord told me to go back to the Euphrates and get the shorts. 7 So I went back, and when I found the place where I had hidden them, I saw that they were ruined and were no longer any good.
8 Then the Lord spoke to me again. He said, 9 “This is how I will destroy the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 These evil people have refused to obey me. They have been as stubborn and wicked as ever, and have worshiped and served other gods. So then, they will become like these shorts that are no longer any good. 11 Just as shorts fit tightly around the waist, so I intended all the people of Israel and Judah to hold tightly to me. I did this so that they would be my people and would bring praise and honor to my name; but they would not obey me.”
The Wine Jar
12 The Lord God said to me, “Jeremiah, tell the people of Israel that every wine jar should be filled with wine. They will answer that they know every wine jar should be filled with wine. 13 Then tell them that I, the Lord, am going to fill the people in this land with wine until they are drunk: the kings, who are David's descendants, the priests, the prophets, and all the people of Jerusalem. 14 Then I will smash them like jars against one another, old and young alike. No pity, compassion, or mercy will stop me from killing them.”
Jeremiah Warns against Pride
15 People of Israel, the Lord has spoken!
Be humble and listen to him.
16 Honor the Lord, your God,
before he brings darkness,
and you stumble on the mountains;
before he turns into deep darkness
the light you hoped for.
17 If you will not listen,
I will cry in secret because of your pride;
I will cry bitterly, and my tears will flow
because the Lord's people have been taken away as captives.

18 The Lord said to me, “Tell the king and his mother to come down from their thrones, because their beautiful crowns have fallen from their heads. 19 The towns of southern Judah are under siege; no one can get through to them. All the people of Judah have been taken away into exile.”
20 Jerusalem, look! Your enemies are coming down from the north! Where are the people entrusted to your care, your people you were so proud of? 21 What will you say when people you thought were your friends conquer you and rule over you? You will be in pain like a woman giving birth. 22 If you ask why all this has happened to you—why your clothes have been torn off and you have been raped—it is because your sin is so terrible. 23 Can people change the color of their skin, or a leopard remove its spots? If they could, then you that do nothing but evil could learn to do what is right. 24 The Lord will scatter you like straw that is blown away by the desert wind. 25 He has said that this will be your fate. This is what he has decided to do with you, because you have forgotten him and have trusted in false gods. 26 The Lord himself will strip off your clothes and expose you to shame. 27 He has seen you do the things he hates. He has seen you go after pagan gods on the hills and in the fields, like a man lusting after his neighbor's wife or like a stallion after a mare. People of Jerusalem, you are doomed! When will you ever be pure?