1   At that time, saith our Lord, ^note they wil cast out the bones of the kinges of Iuda, and the bones of the princes thereof, and the bones of priests, and the bones of the Prophets, and the bones of them that inhabite Ierusalem, out of their sepulchers.

2   And they shal spread them abrode in the sunne, and the moone, and al the host of heauen, which they haue loued, and which they haue serued, and after which they haue walked, and which they haue sought, and adored: they shal not be gathered, and they shal not be buried: they shal be as a dunghil vpon the face of the earth.

3   And they shal choose rather death then life, al that shal be remaining of this wicked kinred in al places, which are leaft, to the which I haue cast them out, saith the Lord of hostes.

4   And thou shalt say to them: Thus saith our Lord: Shal not he that falleth rise againe? and he that is turned away, shal he not turne againe?

5   Why then is this people in Ierusalem turned away with a contentious reuolting? they haue apprehended lying, and would not returne.

6   I attended, and harkned: no man speaketh that which is good, there is none that doth penance for his sinne, saying: What haue I done? They are al turned to their owne course, as an horse going with violence to battel.

7   The kite in the heauen hath knowen her time: the turtle, and the swalow, and the storke haue obserued the time of their coming: but my people haue not knowen the iudgement of the Lord.

8   How say you: We are wise, and the law of our Lord is with vs? In very deede the lying penne of the Scribes hath wrought lying.

9   The wise are confounded, they are terrified & taken: for they ^note haue cast away the word of our Lord, and there is no wisedom in them.

10   Therefore wil I geue their wemen to strangers, their fildes to inheritours: because from the least euen to the greatest al folow auarice: from the prophet euen to the priest al make lies.

11   And they healed the destruction of the daughter of my people to ignominie, saying: Peace, peace, when there was not peace.

12   They are confounded,

because they haue done abomination: yea rather they are not confounded with confusion, and they haue not knowen how to blush: therefore shal they fal among them that fal, in the time of their visitation they shal fal, saith our Lord.

13   Gathering I wil gather them together, saith our Lord, there is no grape in the vines, and there are no figges on the figtree, the leafe is fallen downe: and I haue geuen them the thinges that are passed.

14   Why doe we sitte? come together and let vs enter into the fenced citie, and let vs be silent there: because the Lord our God hath made vs to be silent, and hath geuen vs water of gaule for drinke: for we haue sinned to our Lord.

15   We expected peace and there was no good: a time of medicine and behold feare.

16   From Dan was the snoring noyse of his horses heard, with the voice of the neyinges of his fighting horses al the land was moued: and they came and deuoured the land, and the fulnes thereof: the citie and the inhabitants thereof.

17   For behold I wil send you ^note serpents basaliskes, for which there is no inchantment: and they shal bite you, saith our Lord.

18   My sorow is aboue sorow, my hart mourning within me.

19   Behold the voice of the daughter of my people from a farre countrie: Is not our Lord in Sion: or is not her king in her? Why then haue they prouoked me to wrath in their sculptils, and in strange vanities?

20   The haruest is past, sommer is ended: and we are not saued.

21   For the affliction of the daughter of my people I am afflicted, and made sorowful, astonishment hath taken me.

22   Is there noe rosen in Galaad? or is there no phisition there? Why then is not the wound of the daughter of my people closed?

Previous section

Next section