“My, how good you have become at chasing after your lovers! Why, you could even teach prostitutes a thing or two!

The Lord said to me, “I have made you like a metal assayer to test my people like ore. You are to observe them and evaluate how they behave.”

I said, “Indeed, let them come quickly and sing a song of mourning for us. Let them wail loudly until tears stream from our own eyes and our eyelids overflow with water.

Why did I ever come forth from my mother’s womb? All I experience is trouble and grief, and I spend my days in shame.

The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah say these things in the Lord’s temple.

Baruch answered, “Yes, they came from his own mouth. He dictated all these words to me and I wrote them down in ink on this scroll.”

King Zedekiah said to them, “Very well, you can do what you want with him. For I cannot do anything to stop you.”

But the people of Jerusalem and Judah would not listen or pay any attention. They would not stop the wickedness they were doing nor quit sacrificing to other gods.

I, the Lord, affirm that I know how arrogant they are. But their pride is ill-founded. Their boastings will prove to be false.

Destructive forces will come against her false prophets; they will be shown to be fools! Destructive forces will come against her soldiers; they will be filled with terror!

But suddenly Babylonia will fall and be destroyed. Cry out in mourning over it! Get medicine for her wounds! Perhaps she can be healed!

And the Lord said, “This is how the people of Israel will eat their unclean food among the nations where I will banish them.”

because they will lack bread and water. Each one will be terrified, and they will rot for their iniquity.

“This is what the sovereign Lord says: A disaster – a one-of-a-kind disaster – is coming!

But as for me, my eye will not pity them nor will I spare them; I hereby repay them for what they have done.”

Therefore I handed her over to her lovers, the Assyrians for whom she lusted.

This is how you assessed the obscene conduct of your youth, when the Egyptians fondled your nipples and squeezed your young breasts.

I will put an end to the obscene conduct in the land; all the women will learn a lesson from this and not engage in obscene conduct.

Then the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things you are doing mean for us?”

I will execute judgments on Egypt. Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”