Read the Bible

¹ At the same tyme saith the Lorde, the bones of the kinges of Iuda, the bones of his princes, the bones of the preachers and prophetes, yea and the bones of the citizens of Hierusalem, shalbe brought out of their graues,² And layde against the sunne, the moone, & all the heauenly hoast, whom they loued, whom they serued, whom they ranne after, whom they sought and worshipped: they shall neither be gathered together nor buried, but shall lye as dunge vpon the earth.³ And all they that remaine of this wicked generation, shal desire rather to die then to liue, whersoeuer they remaine, and where as I scatter them, saith the Lorde of hoastes.

⁴ Thus shalt thou say vnto them also: Thus saith the Lorde, Do men fall so, that they arise not vp againe? or if Israel repent, wyll not God turne againe to them?⁵ Wherefore then is this people of Hierusalem gone so farre backe, that they turne not againe? They are euer the longer the more obstinate, and wyll not be conuerted.⁶ For I haue loked and considered, but there is no man that speaketh a good worde, there is no man that taketh repentaunce for his sinne, that wyll so muche say, what haue I done? but euerie man turneth to his owne course, like a fierce horse headlong to the battaile.⁷ The Storke in the ayre knoweth his appointed tyme, the Turtle doue, the Swallowe and the Crane consider the tyme of their trauayle: but my people wyll not knowe the tyme of the punishment of the Lorde.⁸ Howe dare ye say then, we are wyse, we haue the lawe of the Lorde among vs? Truely in vayne hath he prepared his penne, and vainely haue the writers written it.⁹ Therefore shall the wyse be confounded, they shalbe afraide and taken: for lo, they haue cast out the worde of the Lorde, what wisdome can then be among them?¹⁰ Wherfore I wyl geue their wiues vnto aliauntes, and their fields to destroyers: For from the lowest vnto the hyest they folowe filthy lucre, and from the prophete vnto the priest they deale all with lies.¹¹ Neuerthelesse, they heale the hurt of my people very slenderly, saying, peace, peace: where there is no peace at all.¹² Fye for shame, howe abhominable thinges do they? and yet they be not ashamed, yea they knowe of no shame: Wherefore in the tyme of their visitation they shal fal among the dead bodies, and be ouerthrowne, saith the Lorde.

¹³ Moreouer, I wyll consume them in deede (saith the Lorde) so that there shall not be one grape vpon the vine, neither one figge vpon the figge tree, and the leaues shalbe pluckt of: and the thing that I haue geuen them, shalbe taken from them.¹⁴ Why prolong we the time? Let vs gather our selues together, and go into the strong citie, there shall we be in rest: for the Lorde our God hath put vs to scilence, and geuen vs water mixt with gall to drinke, because we haue sinned against hym.¹⁵ We loked for peace, and we fare not the better, we wayted for the tyme of health, and lo, here is nothing but trouble.¹⁶ The noyse of his horses is heard from Dan, the whole lande is afraide at the neighing of his strong horses: for they are come in, and haue deuoured the lande, withall that is in it, the cities, and those that dwell therin.¹⁷ Moreouer, I wyll sende cockatrices and serpentes among you (whiche wyl not be charmed) and they shall bite you, saith the Lorde.¹⁸ I woulde haue had comfort against sorowe: but sorowe is come vpon me, and heauinesse vexeth my heart.¹⁹ For lo, the voyce of the crying of my people is hearde, [for feare of them that come] from a farre countrey: Is not the Lord in Sion? Is not her king in her? Wherefore then haue they greeued me [shall the Lorde say] with their images, and foolishe straunge fashions of a forraine god?²⁰ The haruest is gone, the sommer hath an ende, and we are not helped.²¹ I am sore vexed, because of the hurt of my people, I am heauie and abashed:²² Is there not triacle at Gilead? Is there no phisitio there? why then is not the health of my people recouered?