1   The Lord said to me, Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me, I would not be moved to pity this people. Banish them from my presence; let them be gone. 2   When they ask where they are to go, you shall say to them, These are the words of the Lord:

  Those who are for death shall go to their death,
  and those for the sword to the sword;
  those who are for famine to famine,
  and those for captivity to captivity.

3   Four kinds of doom do I ordain for them, says the Lord: the sword to kill, dogs to tear, birds of prey from the skies and beasts from their lairs to devour and destroy. 4   I will make them repugnant to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of the crimes of Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, in Jerusalem.

Warnings and punishment

   5   Who will take pity on you, Jerusalem,
    who will offer you consolation?
  Who will turn aside to wish you well?
6   You cast me off, says the Lord,
    you turned your backs on me.
  So I stretched out my hand and ruined you;
    I was weary of relenting.
     7   I winnowed them and scattered them
    through the cities of the land;
  I brought bereavement on them, I destroyed my people,
    for they would not abandon their ways.
   8   I made widows among them more in number
    than the sands of the sea;
  I brought upon them a horde of raiders ^note
    to plunder at high noon.
  I made the terror of invasion fall upon them
    all in a moment.
   9   The mother of seven sons grew faint,
    she sank into a swoon;
  her light was quenched while it was yet day;
    she was left humbled and shamed.
  All the remnant I gave to perish by the sword
    at the hand of their enemies.
    This is the very word of the Lord.
Confessions and addresses

   10   Alas, alas, my mother, that you ever gave me birth!
  a man doomed to strife, with the whole world against me.
  I have borrowed from no one, I have lent to no one,
    yet all men abuse me.

11   The Lord answered,

  But I will greatly strengthen you;
  in time of distress and in time of disaster
  I will bring the enemy to your feet.
12   Can iron break steel from the north? ^note
     15   Lord, thou knowest;

Confessions and addresses
  remember me, Lord, and come to visit me,
  take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
  Be patient with me and take me not away,
see what reproaches I endure for thy sake.
   16   I have to suffer those who despise thy words, ^note
but thy word is joy and happiness to me,
  for thou hast named me thine,
    O Lord, God of Hosts.
   17   I have never kept company with any gang of roisterers,
    or made merry with them;
  because I felt thy hand upon me I have sat alone;
    for thou hast filled me with indignation.
18   Why then is my pain unending,
my wound desperate and incurable?
Thou art to me like a brook that is not to be trusted,
    whose waters fail.

19   This was the Lord's answer:

  If you will turn back to me, I will take you back
    and you shall stand before me.
  If you choose noble utterance and reject the base,
    you shall be my spokesman.
  This people will turn again to you,
  but you will not turn to them.
20   To withstand them I will make you impregnable,
    a wall of bronze.
They will attack you but they will not prevail,
  for I am with you to deliver you
    and save you, says the Lord;
   21   I will deliver you from the wicked,
  I will rescue you from the ruthless.

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