1. And the word of יהוה came to me, saying,
2. “Do not take a wife, nor have sons or daughters in this place.”
3. For thus said יהוה concerning the sons and daughters who are born in this place, and concerning their mothers who bear them and their fathers who bring them forth in this land,
4. “They shall die of deaths from diseases, they shall not be lamented nor be buried, but be like dung on the face of the earth, and be consumed by sword and by scarcity of food. And their corpses shall be meat for the birds of the heavens and for the beasts of the earth.”
5. For thus said יהוה, “Do not enter the house of mourning, neither go to lament or mourn for them, for I have withdrawn My peace from this people,” declares יהוה, “even the kindness and the compassions.
6. “Both great and small shall die in this land. They shall not be buried, and no one shall lament for them, or cut themselves, or make themselves bald for them.
7. “Neither shall they break bread in mourning for them to comfort them for the dead, nor give them the cup of comfort to drink for their father or their mother.
8. “Do not enter the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and drink.”
9. For thus said יהוה of hosts, the Elohim of Yisra’ĕl, “See, before your eyes and in your days, I am making the voice of rejoicing and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride to cease in this place.