16. Son of man, with a sudden blow I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes, but do not mourn or weep or shed any tears.
17. Groan, moan for the dead, but make no public lament; bind on your turban, put your sandals on your feet, but do not cover your beard or eat the bread of mourners.
18. I spoke to the people in the morning. In the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.
19. Then the people asked me, “Will you not tell us what all these things you are doing mean for us?”
20. I said to them, The word of the Lord came to me:
21. Say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes, the concern of your soul. The sons and daughters you left behind shall fall by the sword.
22. Then you shall do as I have done, not covering your beards nor eating the bread of mourning.
23. Your turbans shall remain on your heads, your sandals on your feet. You shall not mourn or weep, but you shall waste away because of your sins and groan to one another.
24. Ezekiel shall be a sign for you: everything he did, you shall do. When it happens, you shall know that I am the Lord God.
25. As for you, son of man, truly, on the very day I take away from them their strength, their glorious joy, the delight of their eyes, the desire of their soul, the pride of their hearts, their sons and daughters,
26. on that day a survivor will come to you so that you may hear it with your own ears.