thers that we pour out our prayers, and beg||will multiply them, and they shall not be mercy in thy sight, O Lord our God: diminished. 20 But because thou hast sent out thy 35 And I will make with them another wrath, and thy indignation upon us, as thou covenant that shall be everlasting, to be their hast spoken by the hand of thy servants the God, and they shall be my people and I prophets, saying: will no more remove my people, the children of Israel, out of the land that I have given them. 21 Thus saith the Lord: Bow down your shoulder, and your neck, and serve the king of Babylon and you shall remain in the land which I have given to your fathers. 22 But if you will not hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, to serve the king of Babylon: I will cause you to depart out of the cities of Juda, and from without Jerusalem. CHAP. III. They pray for mercy, acknowledging that Arael, the soul in anguish, and the 23 And I will take away from you the troubled spirit crieth to thee: voice of mirth, and the voice of joy, and 2 Hear, O Lord, and have mercy, for thou the voice of the bridegroom, and the voiceart a merciful God, and have pity on us: of the bride, and all the land shall be with-for we have sinned before thee. out any footstep of inhabitants. 3 For thou remainest for ever, and shall 24 And they hearkened not to thy voice, we perish everlastingly? to serve the king of Babylon: and thou 4 0 Lord almighty, the God of Israel, hast made good thy words, which thou hear now the prayer of the dead of Israel, spokest by the hands of thy servants the and of their children, that have sinned beprophets, that the bones of our kings, and fore thee, and have not hearkened to the the bones of our fathers should be removed voice of the Lord their God, wherefore evils out of their place: have cleaved fast to us. 25 And behold, they are cast out to the heat of the sun, and to the frost of the night and they have died in grievous pains, by famine, and by the sword, and in banishment. 5 Remember not the iniquities of our fathers, but think upon thy hand, and upon thy name at this time: 6 For thou art the Lord our God, and we will praise thee, O Lord: 26 And thou hast made the temple, in 7 Because for this end thou hast put thy which thy name was called upon, as it is at fear in our hearts, to the intent that we this day, for the iniquity of the house of Is-should call upon thy name, and praise thee rael, and of the house of Juda. in our captivity; for we are converted from the iniquity of our fathers, who sinned before thee. 27 And thou hast dealt with us, O Lord our God, according to all thy goodness, and according to all that great mercy of thine: 8 And behold, we are at this day in our 28 As thou spokest by the hand of thy captivity, whereby thou hast scattered us servant Moses, in the day when thou didst to be a reproach, and a curse, and an ofcommand him to write thy law before the fence, according to all the iniquities of our children of Israel, fathers, who departed from thee, O Lord our God. 29 Saying: If you will not hear my voice, this great multitude shall be turned into a very small number among the nations, where I will scatter them: 30 For I know that the people will not hear me, for they are a people of a stiff neck: but they shall turn to their heart in the land of their captivity: 31 And they shall know that I am the Lord their God: and I will give them a heart, and they shall understand: and ears, and they shall hear. 32 And they shall praise me in the land of their captivity, and shall be mindful of my name. 9 Hear, O Israel, the commandments of life give ear, that thou mayst learn wisdom. : 10 How happeneth it, O Israel, that thou art in thy enemies' land? 11 Thou art grown old in a strange country; thou art defiled with the dead: thou art counted with them that go down into hell. 12 Thou hast forsaken the fountain of wisdom: 13 For if thou hadst walked in the way of God, thou hadst surely dwelt in peace for ever. 33 And they shall turn away themselves 14 Learn where is wisdom, where is from their stiff neck, and from their wicked strength, where is understanding: that thou deeds: for they shall remember the way of mayst know also where is length of days their fathers, that sinned against me. and life, where is the light of the eyes, and peace. 34 And I will bring them back again into the land which I promised with an oath to their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and they shall be masters thereof: and 1 15 Who hath found out her place? and who hath gone into her treasures? 16 Where are the princes of the nations, and they that rule over the beasts that are upon the earth? 37 He found out all the way of knowledge, and gave it to Jacob his servant, and 17 That take their diversion with the to Israel his beloved. birds of the air, 38 Afterwards he was seen upon earth, CHAP. IV. 18 That hoard up silver and gold, where-and conversed with men. in men trust, and there is no end of their getting? who work in silver and are solicitous, and their works are unsearchable? 19 They are cut off, and are gone down to hell and others are risen up in their place. The prophet exhorts to the keeping of the law of wisdom and encourages the people to be patient, and to hope for their deliver ance. 20 Young men have seen the light, and THIS is the book of the commandments of God, and the law, that is for ever: dwelt upon the earth: but the way of know-all they that keep it shall come to life; but ledge they have not known: 21 Nor have they understood the paths thereof; neither have their children ceived it: it is far from their face. they that have forsaken it, to death. 2 Return, O Jacob, and take hold of it: re-walk in the way by its brightness, in the presence of the light thereof. 22 It hath not been heard of in the land of Chanaan, neither hath it been seen in thy dignity to a strange nation. Theman.* 3 Give not thy honour to another, nor 5 Be of good comfort, O people of God, 4 We are happy, α Israel: because the 23 The children of Agart also, that search things that are pleasing to God, are made after the wisdom that is of the earth, the known to us. merchants of Merrha, and of Theman, and the tellers of fables, and searchers of pru-the memorial of Israel : dence and understanding; but the way of wisdom they have not known; neither have they remembered her paths. 24 O Israel, how great is the house of God, and how vast is the place of his possession! 6 You have been sold to the Gentiles, not for your destruction: but because you provoked God to wrath, you are delivered to your adversaries. 7 For you have provoked him who made you, the eternal God, offering sacrifices to 25 It is great, and hath no end : it is high||devils, and not to God. and immense. 8 For you have forgotten God, who 26 There were the giants, those renown- brought you up, and you have grieved Jeed men that were from the beginning, of rusalem that nursed you. great stature, expert in war. 27 The Lord chose not them, neither did they find the way of knowledge: therefore did they perish. 28 And because they had not wisdom, they perished through their folly. 29 Who hath gone up into heaven, and taken her, and brought her down from the clouds? 30 Who hath passed over the sea, and found her, and brought her preferably to chosen gold? 9 For she saw the wrath of God coming upon you, and she said: Give ear, all you that dwell near Sion, for God hath brought upon me great mourning: 10 For I have seen the captivity of my people, of my sons, and my daughters, which the Eternal hath brought upon them. 11 For I nourished them with joy: but I sent them away with weeping and mourning. 12 Let no man rejoice over me a widow, and desolate; I am forsaken of many for the sins of my children, because they departed from the law of God. 31 There is none that is able to know her ways, nor that can search out her paths 13 And they have not known his justices, 32 But he that knoweth all things, know-nor walked by the ways of God's commandeth her, and hath found her out with his ments; neither have they entered by the understanding he that prepared the earth paths of his truth and justice. for evermore, and filled it with cattle and four-footed beasts: 14 Let them that dwell about Sion come, and remember the captivity of my sons and 33 He that sendeth forth light, and it daughters, which the Eternal hath brought goeth and hath called it, and it obeyeth him with trembling. : 34 And the stars have given light in their watches, and rejoiced: 35 They were called, and they said Here we are and with cheerfulness they have shined forth to him that made them. 36 This is our God: and there shall no other be accounted of in comparison to him. Theman. The capital city of Edom. upon them. 15 For he hath brought a nation upon them from afar, a wicked nation, and of a strange tongue : Was seen upon earth, &c. viz. By the mystery of the incarnation, by means of which the Son of God came visibly amongst us, and conversed with men. The prophets often speak of things to come as if they were past, to express the certainty of the event of the things foretold. 16 Who have neither reverenced the an-Eternal, long to endure and she shall be cient, nor pitied children, and have carried inhabited by devils for a great time. away the beloved of the widow, and have 36 Look about thee, O Jerusalem, toleft me all alone without children. wards the east, and behold the joy that 17 But as for me, what help can I give cometh to thee from God. you? 37 For behold, thy children come, whom 18 But he that hath brought the evils thou sentest away scattered: they come upon you, he will deliver you out of the gathered together from the east even to the hands of your enemies. west, at the word of the holy One, rejoicing 19 Go your way, my children, go your for the honour of God. way: for I am left alone. 20 I have put off the robe of peace, and have put upon me the sackcloth of suppli CHAP. V. Jerusalem is invited to rejoice and behold the return of her children out of their captivity. cation; and I will cry to the most High in PUT off, O Jerusalem, the garment of thy my days. mourning and affliction and put on 21 Be of good comfort, my children: cry the beauty, and honour of that everlasting to the Lord, and he will deliver you out of glory which thou hast from God. the hand of the princes your enemies. 2 God will clothe thee with the double 22 For my hope is in the Eternal that he garment of justice, and will set a crown on will save you and joy is come upon me thy head, of everlasting honour. from the holy One, because of the mercy 3 For God will shew his brightness in which shall come to you from our everlast-thee, to every one under heaven. ing Saviour. 4 For thy name shall be named to thee 23 For I sent you forth with mourning by God for ever: the peace of justice, and and weeping: but the Lord will bring you honour of piety. back to me with joy and gladness for ever. 5 Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high: 24 For as the neighbours of Sion have and look about towards the east, and benow seen your captivity from God; so shall hold thy children gathered together from they also shortly see your salvation from the rising to the setting sun, by the word God, which shall come upon you with great of the holy One, rejoicing in the rememhonour, and everlasting glory. brance of God. 25 My children, suffer patiently the wrath 6 For they went out from thee on foot, that is come upon you; for thy enemy hath led by the enemies: but the Lord will bring persecuted thee: but thou shalt quickly them to thee exalted with honour as chilsee his destruction; and thou shalt get up dren of the kingdom. upon his neck. 7 For God hath appointed to bring down 26 My delicate ones have walked rough every high mountain, and the everlasting ways; for they were taken away as a flock rocks, and to fill up the valleys to make made a prey by the enemies. them even with the ground; that Israel 27 Be of good comfort, my children, and may walk diligently to the honour of God. cry to the Lord: for you shall be remembered by him that hath led you away. 28 For as it was your mind to go astray from God; so when you return again, you shall seek him ten times as much. 29 For he that hath brought evils upon you, shall bring you everlasting joy again with your salvation. 8 Moreover the woods and every sweet smelling tree have overshadowed Israel by the commandment of God. 9 For God will bring Israel with joy in the light of his majesty, with mercy and justice, that cometh from him. CHAP. VI. The epistle of Jeremias to the captives, as a preservative against idolatry. to them that were to be led away cap 30 Be of good heart, O Jerusalem: for he exhorteth thee, that named thee. 31 The wicked that have afflicted thee, A Copy of the epistle that Jeremias sent shall perish and they that have rejoiced at|tives into Babylon, by the king of Babylon, thy ruin, shall be punished. to declare to them according to what was 32 The cities which thy children have commanded him by God. served, shall be punished; and she that received thy sons. 1 FOR the sins that you have committed before God, you shall be carried away cap33 For as she rejoiced at thy ruin, and tives into Babylon by Nabuchodonosor the was glad of thy fall; so shall she be grieved king of Babylon. for her own desolation. 34 And the joy of her multitude shall be cut off; and her gladness shall be turned to mourning. 35 For fire shall come upon her from the • She that received, &c. viz. Babylon. 2 And when you are come into Babylon, you shall be there many years, and for a long time, even to seven generationst: and after that I will bring you away from thence with peace. † Seven generations. That is, seventy years. 3 But now, you shall see in Babylon gods of gold, and of silver, and of stone, and of wood borne upon shoulders, causing fear to the Gentiles. 4 Beware therefore that you imitate not the doings of others, and be afraid, and the fear of them should seize upon you. 22 Whereby you may know that they are no gods. Therefore fear them not. 23 The gold also which they have, is for shew, but except a man wipe off the rust, they will not shine: for neither when they were molten, did they feel it. 24 Men buy them at a high price, where 5 But when you see the multitude be-as there is no breath in them. hind and before, adoring them, say you in 25 And having not the use of feet they your hearts; Thou oughtest to be adored, are carried upon shoulders, declaring to O Lord. men how vile they are. Be they confounded 6 For my angel is with you: and I my-also that worship them. self will demand an account of your souls. 26 Therefore if they fall to the ground, 7 For their tongue that is polished by the they rise not up again of themselves; nor if craftsman, and themselves laid over with a man set them upright will they stand by gold and silver, are false things; and they themselves, but their gifts shall be set becannot speak. fore them, as to the dead. 8 And as if it were for a maiden that 27 The things that are sacrificed to them, loveth to go gay: so do they take gold, and their priests sell and abuse; in like manmake them up. ner also their wives take part of them, 9 Their gods have golden crowns upon but give nothing of it either to the sick, or their heads whereof the priests secretly to the poor. convey away from them gold, and silver, 28 The child-bearing and menstruous woand bestow it on themselves. men touch their sacrifices: knowing therefore by these things that they are not gods, 10 Yea and they give thereof to prostitutes, and they dress out harlots: and fear them not. again when they receive it of the harlots, they adorn their gods. 11 And these gods cannot defend themselves from the rust and the moth. 29 For how can they be called gods? because women set offerings before the gods of silver, and of gold, and of wood: 30 And priests sit in their temples, hav12 But when they have covered them ing their garments rent, and their heads with a purple garment, they wipe their face and beards shaven, and nothing upon their because of the dust of the house, which is heads. very much among them. 31 And they roar and cry before their 13 This holdeth a sceptre as a man, as a gods, as men do at the feast when one is judge of the country, but cannot put to death one that offendeth him. 14 And this hath in his hand a sword, or an axe, but cannot save himself from war, or from robbers, whereby be it known to you, that they are not gods. 15 Therefore fear them not. For as a vessel that a man uses when it is broken becometh useless, even so are their gods: 16 When they are placed in the house, their eyes are full of dust by the feet of them that go in. 17 And as the gates are made sure on every side upon one that hath offended the king, or like a dead man carried to the grave; so do the priests secure the doors with bars and locks, lest they be stripped by thieves. 18 They light candles to them, and in great number, of which they cannot see one: but they are like beams in the house. 19 And they say that the creeping things which are of the earth, gnaw their hearts, while they eat them and their garments, and they feel it not. 20 Their faces are black with the smoke that is made in the house. 21 Owls, and swallows, and other birds fly upon their bodies, and upon their heads; and cats in like manner. dead. 32 The priests take away their garments, and clothe their wives and their children. 33 And whether it be evil that one doeth unto them, or good, they are not able to recompense it: neither can they set up a king, nor put him down: 34 In like manner they can neither give riches, nor requite evil. If a man make a vow to them, and perform it not: they cannot require it. 35 They cannot deliver a man from death, nor save the weak from the mighty. 36 They cannot restore the blind man to his sight, nor deliver a man from distress. 37 They shall not pity the widow, nor do good to the fatherless. 38 Their gods, of wood, and stone, and of gold, and of silver, are like the stones that are hewn out of the mountains: and they that worship them shall be confounded. 39 How then is it to be supposed, or to be said, that they are gods? 40 Even the Chaldeans themselves dishonour them: who when they hear of one dumb that cannot speak, they present him to Bel, entreating him, that he may speak. 41 As though they could be sensible that have no motion themselves: and they, when they shall perceive this, will leave them :[[ 57 Shall take from them the gold, and silfor their gods themselves have no sense. ver, and the raiment wherewith they are 42 The women also with cords about clothed, and shall go their way: neither them, sit in the ways burning olive-stones. shall they help themselves. 43 And when any one of them, drawn away by some passenger, lieth with him, she upbraideth her neighbour, that she was not thought as worthy as herself, nor her cord broken. 44 But all things that are done about them, are false: how is it then to be thought, or to be said, that they are gods ? 58 Therefore it is better to be a king that sheweth his power; or else a profitable vessel in the house with which the owner thereof will be well satisfied; or a door in the house to keep things safe that are there. in, than such false gods. 59 The sun, and the moon, and the stars being bright, and sent forth for profitable uses, are obedient. 45 And they are made by workmen, and by goldsmiths. They shall be nothing else|| 60 In like manner the lightning when it but what the priests will have them to be. breaketh forth is easy to be seen: and after 46 For the artificers themselves that the same manner the wind bloweth in every make them, are of no long continuance.country. Can those things then that are made by 61 And the clouds, when God commandthem, be gods? eth them to go over the whole world, do 47 But they have left false things and re-" that which is commanded them. proach to them that come after. 63 Wherefore it is neither to be thought, nor to be said, that they are gods: since they are neither able to judge causes, nor to do any good to men. 62 The fire also being sent from above 48 For when war cometh upon them, or to consume mountains, and woods, doeth as evils, the priests consult with themselves it is commanded. But these neither in shew where they may hide themselves with them. nor in power, are like to any one of them. 49 How then can they be thought to be gods, that can neither deliver themselves from war, nor save themselves from evils? 50 For seeing they are but of wood, and laid over with gold, and with silver, it shall be known hereafter that they are false things, by all nations, and kings: and it shall be manifest that they are no gods, but the work of men's hands, and that there is no work of God in them. 64 Knowing therefore that they are not gods, fear them not. 65 For neither can they curse kings, nor bless them. 66 Neither do they shew signs in the heaven to the nations, nor shine as the sun, nor give light as the moon. 67 Beasts are better than they, which can fly under a covert, and help themselves. 68 Therefore there is no manner of appearance that they are gods: so fear them not. 69 For as a scarecrow in a garden of cucumbers keepeth nothing; so are their gods of wood, and of silver, and laid over with gold. 54 For when fire shall fall upon the house 70 They are no better than a white thorn of these gods of wood, and of silver, and of gold, their priest indeed will flee away, and in a garden upon which every bird sitteth. be saved: but they themselves shall be in like manner also their gods of wood, and burnt in the midst like beams. 55 And they cannot withstand a king and war. How then can it be supposed or admitted that they are gods? laid over with gold, and with silver, are like to a dead body cast forth in the dark. which are moth-eaten upon them, you shall 71 By the purple also and the scarlet know that they are not gods. And they 56 Neither are these gods of wood, and themselves at last are consumed, and shall of stone and laid over with gold, and with be a reproach in the country. silver, able to deliver themselves from 72 Better therefore is the just man that thieves or robbers: they that are stronger hath no idols: for he shall be far from rethan them, proach. They that are stronger than them. That these idols, being things without life or mois, robbers, and thieves are stronger than tion. 2.N 281 |