THE LAMENTATION OF JEREMY,

1.

FOR THE MOST PART ACCORDING TO TREMELIUS.

CHAP. I.

How sits this city, late most populous,
Thus solitary, and like a widow thus ?

Amplest of nations, queen of provinces,
She was, who now thus tributary is.

2. Still in the night she weeps, and her tears fall
Down by her cheeks along, and none of all
Her lovers comfort her. Perfidiously

Her friends have dealt, and now are enemy.

3. Unto great bondage and afflictions
Juda is captive led: those nations

With whom she dwells no place of rest afford;
In straights she meets her persecutor's sword.

4. Empty are th' gates of Sion, and her ways
Mourn, because none come to her solemn days.
Her priests do groan, her maids are comfortless,
And she's unto herself a bitterness.

5. Her foes are grown her head, and live at peace,
Because when her transgressions did encrease
The Lord struck her with sadness. Th' enemy
Doth drive her children to captivity.

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6. From Sion's daughter is all beauty gone.
Like harts, which seek for pasture and find none,
Her princes are; and now before the foe,

Which still pursues them, without strength they go.

7. Now in their days of tears, Jerusalem

(Her men slain by the foe, none succouring them) Remembers what of old she esteem'd most, Whilst her foes laugh at her for which she 'ath lost.

8. Jerusalem hath sinn'd, therefore is she
Remov'd, as women in uncleanness be:
Who honour'd, scorn her; for her foulness they
Have seen herself doth groan, and turn away.

9. Her foulness in her skirts was seen, yet she
Remember'd not her end; miraculously
Therefore she fell, none comforting. Behold,
O Lord! my affliction, for the foe grows bold.

10. Upon all things, where her delight hath been, The foe hath stretch'd his hand; for she hath seen Heathen, whom thou command'st should not do so, Into her holy Sanctuary go. 15.000

11. And all her people groan and seek for bread ;' And they have given, only to be fed,

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All precious things, wherein their pleasure lay. How cheap I'm grown, O Lord! behold, and weigh.

12. All this concerns not you, who pass by me;
O! see, and mark if any sorrow be

Like to my sorrow, which Jehovah hath
Done to me in the day of his fierce wrath.

13. That fire, which by himself is governed, He hath cast from heav'n on my bones, and spread A net before my feet, and me p'erthrown,

And made me languish all the day alone.

14. His hands hath of my sins framed a yoke,
Which wreath'd, and cast upon my neck, hath broke
My strength. The Lord unto those enemies
Hath given me, from whom I cannot rise.

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15. He under foot hath trodden in my sight My strong men; he did company accite

To break my young men; he the wine-press hath
Trod upon Juda's daughter in his wrath.

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16. For these things do I weep; mine eye, mine eye, Casts water out; for he which should be nigh

To comfort me is now departed far;

The foe prevails, forlorn my children are.

17. There's none, tho' Sion do stretch out her hand, To comfort her: it is the Lord's command

That Jacob's foes girt him: Jerusalem

Is as an unclean woman amongst them.

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18. But yet the Lord is just and righteous still;
I have rebell'd against his holy will;

O hear, all people! and my sorrow see,
My maids, my young men, in captivity.

19. I called for my lovers then, but they
Deceiv'd me, and my priests and elders lay
Dead in the city; for they sought for meat,
Which should refresh their souls, and none could get.

20. Because I am in straits, Jehovah! see My heart o'erturn'd, my bowels muddy be; Because I have rebell'd so much, as fast

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The sword without as death within doth waste.

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21. Of all which here I mourn, none comforts me;
My foes have heard my grief, and glad they be
That thou hast done it; but thy promis'd day
Will come, when, as I suffer, so shall they.

22. Let all their wickedness appear to thee;
Do unto them as thou hast done to me
For all my sins. The sighs which I have had
Are very many, and my heart is sad.

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CHAP. II.

1. How over Sion's daughter hath God hung
His wrath's thick cloud! and from heaven hath flung
To earth the beauty of Israel, and hath
Forgot his footstool in the day of wrath!

2. The Lord unsparingly hath swallowed
All Jacob's dwellings, and demolished
To ground the strength of Juda, and profan'd
The princes of the kingdom and the land.

3. In heat of wrath the horn of Israel he
Hath clean cut off; and, lest the enemy
Be hinder'd, his right hand he doth retire,
But is t'wards Jacob all-devouring fire.

4. Like to an enemy he bent his bow, His right hand was in posture of a foe; To kill what Sion's daughter did desire,

'Gainst whom his wrath he poured forth like fire.

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5. For like an enemy Jehovah is,
Devouring Israel and his palaces;
Destroying holds, giving additions
To Juda's daughters' lamentations.