כִּ֤י אִם־תְּכַבְּסִי֙ בַּנֶּ֔תֶר וְתַרְבִּי־לָ֖ךְ בֹּרִ֑ית נִכְתָּ֤ם עֲוֺנֵךְ֙ לְפָנַ֔י נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃
Quand même tu te laverais avec le nitre et que tu userais en abondance de potasse, ton crime resterait ineffaçable devant moi, dit le Seigneur, l’Éternel.
Rashi on Jeremiah
with natron A type of earth with which garments are cleansed and rubbed.
Rashi on Jeremiah
soap Heb. בֹּרִית, cleanliness. Comp. “And pure (וּבַר) of heart” (Ps. 24:4). Some explain בֹּרִית as savon in French, soap.
Rashi on Jeremiah
your iniquity is stained Jon. renders: Like the mark of a stain that is unclean, so have your sins increased before Me.