Ezekiel 5

And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber’s razor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair.

Hey, my dear, grab a sharp blade, maybe even a barber's razor, and shave your head and beard. Then, weigh and divide the hair evenly.

Thou shalt burn with fire a third part in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled: and thou shalt take a third part, and smite about it with a knife: and a third part thou shalt scatter in the wind; and I will draw out a sword after them.

When the days of your siege are over, burn a third of the hair in the middle of the city. Take another third and strike it with a blade all around the city. Scatter the last third to the winds, and I'll chase them with a sword.

Thou shalt also take thereof a few in number, and bind them in thy skirts.

Gently gather a handful and tuck them safely into your clothing.

Then take of them again, and cast them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; for thereof shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.

Take them back, throw them into the heart of the flames, let them burn; for from this fire, a new flame will ignite, spreading throughout all of Israel.

Thus saith the Lord GOD; This is Jerusalem: I have set it in the midst of the nations and countries that are round about her.

The Lord declares, "This is Jerusalem, my chosen city. I've placed it at the heart of all nations, surrounded by countries on all sides."

And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about her: for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them.

She has twisted my laws into evil, more so than any nation, and distorted my rules more than any surrounding land. They have rejected my laws and rules, choosing not to follow them.

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you;

So says the Lord God: You've been more rebellious than your neighboring nations. You've strayed from my laws, ignored my judgments, and failed even to follow the ways of those around you.

Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee in the sight of the nations.

The Lord God declares, "I am against you. I will pass judgment on you, and the world will witness it."

And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.

I will act in a way I've never done before, and won't repeat, all because of your wrongdoings.

Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of thee, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments in thee, and the whole remnant of thee will I scatter into all the winds.

In your midst, fathers will be driven to consume their sons, and sons their fathers. I will enact justice upon you, and those who remain, I will disperse to the four winds.

Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord GOD; Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.

As the Lord God lives, He declares, "Since you've tainted my holy place with your repulsive acts, I will indeed reduce you. I won't look away or show any mercy."

A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee: and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.

A third of you will tragically perish from disease and hunger within your midst. Another third will fall by the sword around you. I will disperse the last third to the winds, pursuing them with a sword.

Thus shall mine anger be accomplished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be comforted: and they shall know that I the LORD have spoken it in my zeal, when I have accomplished my fury in them.

My anger will be fulfilled, and my fury will settle upon them, bringing me peace. They will realize that I, the Lord, have spoken with passion, once my wrath has been fully unleashed on them.

Moreover I will make thee waste, and a reproach among the nations that are round about thee, in the sight of all that pass by.

I will leave you in ruins, a symbol of disgrace to all the neighboring nations, visible to everyone who passes by.

So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee in anger and in fury and in furious rebukes. I the LORD have spoken it.

When I, the Lord, unleash my wrath and judgment upon you, it will shock and astound the surrounding nations. They will mock and learn from your downfall. I have declared this.

When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you: and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread:

When I unleash the harsh arrows of hunger, aimed to bring ruin, it will be your undoing. I will intensify this hunger and shatter your source of sustenance.

So will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee: and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the LORD have spoken it.

I, the Lord, promise to unleash hunger and dangerous creatures upon you. They will leave you childless. Disease and bloodshed will sweep through you, and I will bring the sword against you. I, the Lord, have spoken.