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¹ Alas] howe hath the Lorde darckened the daughter of Sion in his wrath? As for the honour of Israel he hath cast it downe fro heauen vnto the earth, and he remembred not his owne footestole when he was angry?² The Lorde hath cast out all the habitations of Iacob without any fauour, all the strong places of the daughter of Iuda hath he broken in his wrath, and throwen them downe to the grounde, her kingdome and her princes hath he prophaned.³ In the wrath of his indignation he hath broken all the horne of Israel, he hath withdrawen his right hande from the enemie, yea a flambe of fire is kindled in Iacob, and hath consumed vp all rounde about.⁴ He hath bent his bowe like an enemie, he hath fastened his ryght hande as an aduersarie, and euery thyng that was pleasaunt to see, he hath slayne: he hath powred out his wrath like a fire, into the tabernacle of the daughter of Sion.⁵ The Lorde is become like as it were an enemie, he hath deuoured Israel and all his palaces, yea all his strong holdes hath he destroyed, and fylled the daughter of Iuda with much sorowe and heauinesse.⁶ His tabernacle as a garden hath he destroyed, his solempne meetinges hath he put downe: the Lord hath brought it so to passe that the hye solempne feastes and Sabbathes in Sion are cleane forgotten: in his heauy displeasure hath he dispised the kyng and priestes.⁷ The Lorde hath forsaken his owne aulter, and hath abhorred his owne sanctuarie, and hath geuen the walles of their towres into the handes of the enemie: their enemies made a noyse in the house of the Lorde, as it had ben in a solempne feast day.⁸ The Lorde thought to breake downe the walles of the daughter of Sion, he spread out his line, and drewe not in his hande tyll he had destroyed them: therfore mourne the turrettes, & the broken walles fall downe together.⁹ Her gates are suncke downe to the grounde, her barres are broken and smitten in sunder, the kyng and princes are caryed away to the gentiles: they haue neither lawe nor prophetes, nor yet any vision from the Lorde.

¹⁰ The senatours of the daughter Sion sit vpon the grounde in scilence, they haue strawed asshes vpon their heads, and gyrded them selues with sackcloth: the maydens of Hierusalem hang downe their heades to the grounde.¹¹ Mine eyes begin to fayle me through weeping, my body is disquieted, my liuer is powred vpon the earth for the great hurt of the daughter of my people, seeing the chyldren and babes dyd swowne in the streetes of the citie.¹² Euen when they spake to their mothers, Where is meate and drinke? for whyle they so sayde, they fell downe in the streetes of the citie, like as they had ben wounded, and some dyed in their mothers bosome.¹³ What shall I say vnto thee, O thou daughter Hierusalem? to whom shal I liken thee? To whom shall I compare thee O thou daughter Sion, to comfort thee withall? thy heart is lyke a mayne sea, who may heale thee?¹⁴ Thy prophetes haue looke dout vayne and foolish thinges for thee, they haue not shewed thee of thy wickednesse, to kepe thee from captiuitie: but they haue seene out for thee burthens of vanitie and banishment.¹⁵ All they that go by thee, clappe their handes at thee, hissing and wagging their heades vpon the daughter Hierusalem [and say] Is this the citie that men call so faire, wherein the whole lande reioyceth?¹⁶ All thyne enemies gape vpon thee, whispering and grinding their teeth, saying: let vs deuour, for the tyme that we looked for is come, we haue founde and seene it.¹⁷ The Lorde hath fulfilled the thing that he was purposed to do, and perfourmed that he had deuised long ago: he hath destroyed and not spared, he hath caused thyne aduersarie to triumph ouer thee, and set vp the horne of thyne enemie.¹⁸ Their heart cryed vnto the Lorde, O thou citie of the daughter Sion: let thy teares runne downe like a riuer day and night, rest not, and let not the apple of thyne eye leaue of.¹⁹ Stand vp, and make thy prayer in the first watche of the night, powre out thine heart like water before the Lord: lift vp thyne handes for the liues of thy young chyldren that dye of hunger in the streetes.²⁰ Beholde O Lorde, and consider to whom thou hast done thus: Shall the women then eate their owne fruite, euen chyldren of a spanne long? shall the priestes and prophetes be slayne in the sanctuarie of the Lorde?²¹ Young and olde lye thorowe the streetes vpon the grounde, my maydens and young men are slayne with the sworde, whom thou in the day of thy wrathfull indignation hast put to death, yea euen thou hast put them to death, and not spared them.²² My neighbours that are rounde about me hast thou called as it were to a feast day, so that in the day of the lordes wrath none escaped, neither was any left behinde: those that I haue brought vp and nourished, hath myne enemie destroyed.