A Linen Belt
1The Lord said to me, “Go and buy a linen belt. Put it around your waist. But do not let it get wet.” 2So I bought a belt, just as the Lord had told me to do. And I put it around my waist.
3Then another message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 4“Take off the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist. Go to Perath. Hide the belt there in a crack in the rocks.” 5So I went and hid it at Perath. I did just as the Lord had told me to do.
6Many days later the Lord said to me, “Go to Perath. Get the belt I told you to hide there.” 7So I went to Perath. I dug up the belt. I took it from the place where I had hidden it. But it had rotted. It was completely useless.
8Then another message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 9“In the same way, I will destroy Judah’s pride. And I will destroy the great pride of Jerusalem. 10These people are evil. They refuse to listen to what I say. They do what their stubborn hearts want them to do. They chase after other gods. They serve them and worship them. So they will be like this belt. They will be completely useless. 11A belt is tied around a person’s waist. In the same way, I tied all the people of Israel to me. I also tied all the people of Judah to me like a belt. I wanted them to be my people. They should have brought me fame and praise and honor. But they have not listened to me,” announces the Lord.
Wineskins
12“Tell them, ‘The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, “Every wineskin should be filled with wine.” ’ Here is what the people might say to you. ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’ 13If they do, here is what you must tell them. ‘The Lord says, “I am going to fill with wine everyone who lives in this land. I will make the kings who sit on David’s throne drunk. And I will fill with wine the priests, the prophets and everyone who lives in Jerusalem. 14I will smash them against one another. I will punish parents and children alike,” announces the Lord. “I will not feel sorry for them. I will not show them any kindness. My tender love for them will not keep me from destroying them.” ’ ”
Judah Will Be Taken Away From Their Land
15People of Judah, listen to me.
Pay attention and don’t be proud.
The Lord has spoken.
16Give glory to the Lord your God.
Honor him before he sends
darkness to cover the land.
Do this before you trip and fall
on the darkened hills.
You hope that light will come.
But he will turn it into thick darkness.
He will change it to deep shadows.
17If you don’t listen,
I will weep in secret.
Because you are so proud,
I will weep bitterly.
Tears will flow from my eyes.
The Lord’s flock will be taken away as prisoners.
18Speak to the king and his mother. Tell them,
“Come down from your thrones.
Your glorious crowns
are about to fall from your heads.”
19The gates of the cities in the Negev Desert will be shut tight.
There won’t be anyone to open them.
Everyone in Judah will be carried away as prisoners.
You will be completely taken away.
20Jerusalem, look up!
Your enemies are coming from the north.
Where is the flock you were supposed to take care of?
Where are the sheep you were so proud of?
21You have worked hard to make special friends.
But the Lord will let them rule over you.
Then what will you say?
Suffering will take hold of you.
It will be like the pain of a woman having a baby.
22Suppose you ask yourself,
“Why has this happened to me?”
It’s because you have committed so many sins.
That’s the reason your skirt has been torn off.
That’s why your body has been treated so badly.
23Can people from Ethiopia change their skin?
Can leopards change their spots?
It’s the same with you.
You have always done what is evil.
So how can you do what is good?
24The Lord says, “I will scatter you like straw
that the desert wind blows away.
25This is what will happen to you.
I have appointed it for you,” announces the Lord.
“You have forgotten me.
You have trusted in other gods.
26So I will pull your skirt up over your face.
Then people will see the shame of your naked body.
27They will see that you have not been faithful to me.
You have committed adultery with other gods.
And you have acted like a prostitute
who does not have any shame.
I have seen what you did
on the hills and in the fields.
And I hate it.
How terrible it will be for you, Jerusalem!
How long will you choose to be ‘unclean’?”
1Bw’ati Mukama bwe yaŋŋamba nti, “Genda ogule olukoba olwa linena olwesibe mu kiwato kyo, naye tolunnyikanga mu mazzi.” 2Bwe ntyo ne neegulira olukoba, nga Mukama bwe yandagira, ne ndwesiba mu kiwato kyange.
3Awo ekigambo kya Mukama ne kinzijira omulundi ogwokubiri 4nti, “Ddira olukoba lwe wagula lwe weesibye mu kiwato kyo ogende ku mabbali g’omugga Fulaati olukweke eyo mu lwatika lw’olwazi.” 513:5 Kuv 40:16Bwe ntyo ne ŋŋenda ne ndukweka ku mabbali g’omugga Fulaati nga Mukama bwe yandagira.
6Ennaku nnyingi nga ziyiseewo, ate Mukama nandagira nti, “Genda kaakano ku Fulaati oleete olukoba lwe nakulagira okukwekayo.” 7Awo ne ndyoka ŋŋenda ku mugga Fulaati, ne nsimulayo olukoba ne nduggya mu kifo we nnali ndukwese. Naye laba, olukoba lwali lwonoonese, nga terukyalina kye lugasa.
8Awo ekigambo kya Mukama ne kinzijira nga kyogera nti, 913:9 Lv 26:19“Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, ‘Bwe ntyo bwe ndikkakkanya okwegulumiza kwa Yuda ne Yerusaalemi. 1013:10 a Yer 11:8; 16:12 b Yer 9:14Abantu bano aboonoonyi abagaana okukwata ebigambo byange, abagoberera obujeemu bw’emitima gyabwe ne bagoberera bakatonda abalala okubaweereza n’okubasinza, bajja kuba ng’olukoba olwo olutaliiko kye lugasa. 1113:11 a Yer 32:20; 33:9 b Kuv 19:5-6 c Yer 7:26Ng’olukoba bwe lunywerera mu kiwato ky’omuntu, bwe ntyo bwe nzija okwagala ennyumba ya Isirayiri yonna n’eya Yuda zinneesibeko,’ bw’ayogera Mukama, ‘balyoke babeere abantu bange, bagulumize erinnya lyange n’ettendo; naye bo ne batawulira.’ ”
Olugero lw’Ekita
12“Bagambe bw’oti nti, ‘Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama Katonda wa Isirayiri, buli kita kiba kya kujjuza nvinnyo.’ Nabo balikuddamu nti, ‘Tetumanyi nga buli kita kiba kya kujjuza nvinnyo?’ 1313:13 Zab 60:3; 75:8; Is 51:17; 63:6; Yer 51:57Olwo olyoke obagambe nti, ‘Bw’ati bw’ayogera Mukama nti, Laba nditamiiza abantu bonna abatuula mu nsi eno, ne bakabaka abatuula ku ntebe ya Dawudi ey’obwakabaka, ne bakabona, ne bannabbi n’abantu bonna ab’omu Yerusaalemi. 1413:14 a Yer 16:5 b Ma 29:20; Ez 5:10Era buli omu alikoonagana ne munne, abalenzi ne bakitaabwe, bw’ayogera Mukama. Siribalumirwa, wadde okubaleka oba okubakwatirwa ekisa, ndibazikiriza.’ ”
Amalala n’Okuswazibwa kwa Yerusaalemi
15Wuliriza ontegere okutu;
toba na malala,
Mukama y’akyogedde.
1613:16 a Yos 7:19 b Yer 23:12 c Is 59:9Mukama Katonda wo
mugulumize nga tannaleeta kizikiza,
nga ebigere byo tebinneesittala ku nsozi
ezikutte ekizikiza.
Musuubira ekitangaala,
naye ajja okukifuulamu ekisiikirize eky’okufa
akikyuse kibe ekizikiza ekikutte ennyo.
1713:17 a Mal 2:2 b Yer 9:1 c Zab 80:1; Yer 23:1 d Yer 14:18Naye bwe mutaafeeyo,
emmeeme yange eneekaabira mu kyama
olw’amalala gammwe;
amaaso gange gajja kukaaba nnyo nnyini
gakulukuse amaziga
era ekisibo kya Mukama kijja kuwambibwa.
18Gamba kabaka era ne namasole nti,
“Mukke muve ku ntebe zammwe ez’obwakabaka,
kubanga engule zammwe ez’ebitiibwa
zijja kugwa okuva ku mitwe gyammwe.”
1913:19 Yer 20:4; 52:30Ebibuga by’e Negebu biggaddwawo,
tewali n’omu anaabiggulawo;
Yuda yonna yaakutwalibwa mu buwaŋŋanguse,
yonna yaakutwalibwa.
2013:20 a Yer 6:22; Kbk 1:6 b Yer 23:2Muyimuse amaaso gammwe
mulabe abo abava mu bukiikakkono.
Kiruwa ekisibo ekyabaweebwa,
endiga ezaabeeyinuzanga?
2113:21 a Yer 38:22 b Yer 4:31Muligamba mutya Mukama
bw’alibawaayo okufugibwa abo be mwali mutwala nga ab’omukago?
Temulirumwa
ng’omukazi alumwa okuzaala?
2213:22 a Yer 9:2-6; 16:10-12 b Ez 16:37; Nak 3:5-6Era bwe weebuuza nti,
“Lwaki kino kintuseeko?”
Olw’ebibi byo ebingi
engoye zo kyezivudde ziyuzibwa,
era omubiri gwo ne gubonerezebwa.
23Omuwesiyopya ayinza okukyusa olususu lw’omubiri gwe
oba engo okukyusa amabala gaayo?
Bwe mutyo bwe mutasobola kukola birungi,
mmwe abaamanyiira okukola ebibi.
2413:24 a Zab 1:4 b Lv 26:33“Ndibasaasaanya ng’ebisusunku
ebifuuyibwa empewo eva mu ddungu.
2513:25 Yob 20:29; Mat 24:51Guno gwe mugabo gwo
gwe nakupimira,” bw’ayogera Mukama,
“kubanga wanneerabira
ne weesiga bakatonda ab’obulimba.
2613:26 Kgb 1:8; Ez 16:37; Kos 2:10Nze kennyini ndibikkula engoye zammwe ne nzibikka ku mitwe gyammwe,
obwereere bwammwe ne bulabika.
2713:27 a Yer 2:20 b Ez 6:13 c Kos 8:5Ndabye obwenzi bwammwe
n’obwamalaaya bwe mukoze.
Ndabye ebikolwa byo eby’ekivve ku busozi
era ne mu nnimiro.
Zikusanze ggwe, ayi Yerusaalemi!
Olituusa ddi obutaba mulongoofu?”
