1 confortamini filii Beniamin in medio Hierusalem
et in Thecua clangite bucina et super Bethaccharem levate vexillum
quia malum visum est ab aquilone et contritio magna
2 speciosae et delicatae adsimilavi filiam Sion
3 ad eam venient pastores et greges eorum
fixerunt in ea tentoria in circuitu
pascet unusquisque eos qui sub manu sua sunt
4 sanctificate super eam bellum consurgite et ascendamus in meridie
vae nobis quia declinavit dies
quia longiores factae sunt umbrae vesperi
5 surgite et ascendamus in nocte et dissipemus domos eius
6 quia haec dicit Dominus exercituum
caedite lignum eius et fundite
circa Hierusalem aggerem
haec est civitas visitationis omnis calumnia in medio eius
7 sicut frigidam facit cisterna aquam suam
sic frigidam fecit malitiam suam
iniquitas et vastitas audietur in ea
coram me semper infirmitas et plaga
8 erudire Hierusalem ne forte recedat anima mea a te
ne forte ponam te desertam terram inhabitabilem
9 haec dicit Dominus exercituum
usque ad racemum colligent quasi in vinea reliquias Israhel
converte manum tuam quasi vindemiator ad cartallum
10 cui loquar et quem contestabor ut audiant
ecce incircumcisae aures eorum et audire non possunt
ecce verbum Domini factum est eis in obprobrium
et non suscipient illud
11 idcirco furore Domini plenus sum laboravi sustinens
effunde super parvulum foris
et super concilium iuvenum simul
vir enim cum muliere capietur senex cum pleno dierum
12 et transibunt domus eorum ad alteros agri et uxores pariter
quia extendam manum meam super habitantes terram dicit Dominus
13 a minore quippe usque ad maiorem omnes avaritiae student
et a propheta usque ad sacerdotem cuncti faciunt dolum
14 et curabant contritionem filiae populi mei cum ignominia
dicentes pax pax et non erat pax
15 confusi sunt quia abominationem fecerunt
quin potius confusione non sunt confusi et erubescere nescierunt
quam ob rem cadent inter ruentes
in tempore visitationis suae corruent dicit Dominus
16 haec dicit Dominus state super vias et videte
et interrogate de semitis antiquis quae sit via bona et ambulate in ea
et invenietis refrigerium animabus vestris
et dixerunt non ambulabimus
17 et constitui super vos speculatores
audite vocem tubae et dixerunt non audiemus
18 ideo audite gentes et cognosce congregatio
quanta ego faciam eis
19 audi terra
ecce ego adducam mala super populum istum
fructum cogitationum eius
quia verba mea non audierunt et legem meam proiecerunt
20 ut quid mihi tus de Saba adfertis
et calamum suave olentem de terra longinqua
holocaustomata vestra non sunt accepta
et victimae vestrae non placuerunt mihi
21 propterea haec dicit Dominus
ecce ego dabo in populum istum ruinas et ruent in eis
patres et filii simul vicinus et proximus et peribunt
22 haec dicit Dominus ecce populus venit de terra aquilonis
et gens magna consurget a finibus terrae
23 sagittam et scutum arripiet crudelis est et non miserebitur
vox eius quasi mare sonabit et super equos ascendent
praeparati quasi vir ad proelium adversum te filia Sion
24 audivimus famam eius dissolutae sunt manus nostrae
tribulatio adprehendit nos dolores ut parturientem
25 nolite exire ad agros et in via ne ambuletis
quoniam gladius inimici pavor in circuitu
26 filia populi mei accingere cilicio et conspergere cinere
luctum unigeniti fac tibi planctum amarum
quia repente veniet vastator super nos
27 probatorem dedi te in populo meo robustum
et scies et probabis viam eorum
28 omnes isti principes declinantum
ambulantes fraudulenter
aes et ferrum universi corrupti sunt
29 defecit sufflatorium in igne consumptum est plumbum
frustra conflavit conflator
malitiae enim eorum non sunt consumptae
30 argentum reprobum vocate eos quia Dominus proiecit illos
1 O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction. 2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman . 3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place. 4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. 5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
6 ¶ For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. 7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds. 8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.
9 ¶ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets. 10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. 11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. 12 And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD. 13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. 16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein . 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying , Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
18 ¶ Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. 19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it. 20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. 21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish. 22 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. 23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. 24 We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail. 25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
26 ¶ O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us. 27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way. 28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. 29 The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. 30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.