Bible (Bishops')/Lamentations

Chapter 1
Alas howe sitteth the citie so desolate, that sometime was full of people? Howe is she become lyke a widow which was great among nations? Howe is she brought vnder tribute that ruled landes?

She weepeth sore in the nyght, so that the teares runne downe her cheekes: for among all her louers there is none that geueth her any comfort, yea her next friendes transgresse agaynst her, and are become her enemies.

Iuda went away by reason of the affliction and great bondage: she dwelleth among the heathen, she findeth no rest, all they that persecuted her, toke her in strayte places [where she coulde not escape.]

The streetes of Sion mourne, because no man cometh no more to the solempne feastes: all her gates are desolate, her priestes make lamentatio, her maydens are carefull, and she her selfe is in great heauinesse.

Her enemies haue ben rulers ouer her, and her enemies haue prospered, because the Lorde hath chastened her for her great wickednesse: her children are led away captiue before their enemies.

All the beautie of the daughter of Sion is away, her princes are become lyke hartes that fynde no pasture, they are driuen away before their enemie, so that they haue no more power.

Nowe Hierusalem remembred in the tyme of her miserie and bare estate all her ioy & pleasure that she hath had in tymes past, seyng her people is brought downe vnder the power of their enemies, and there is no man for to helpe her: her enemies stande lokyng at her, and laugh her Sabbath daies to scorne.

Hierusalem hath sinned greeuouslye, therfore is she come in decay: all they that had her in honour dispise her, for they haue seene her filthinesse, yea she sigheth and is ashamed of her selfe.

Her skirtes are defiled, she remembred not her last ende, therfore is her fall so wonderfull, and there is no man to comfort her: O Lorde consider my trouble, for myne enemie hath the vpper hande.

The enemie hath put his hande to all the precious thinges that she had, yea euen before her eyes came the heathen in and out of the sanctuarie, whom thou [neuerthelesse] hast forbidden to come within thy congregation.

All her people seeke their bread with heauinesse, and loke what precious thyng euery man hath, that geueth he for meate to saue his lyfe: Consider O Lorde, and see howe vile I am become.

Haue ye no regarde all ye that go foreby, beholde & see yf there be any sorowe lyke vnto mine, wherwith the Lorde hath troubled me in the day of his fearefull wrath.

From aboue hath he sent downe a fire into my bones, and it burneth them cruelly: he hath layde a net for my feete, and throwen me wyde open, he hath made me desolate, so that I must euer be mournyng.

The yoke of my transgressions is bounde fast to his hande, they are wrapped [or writhen] and come vp about my necke: he hath caused my strength to fayle, the Lorde hath deliuered me into those handes wherout I can not quyte my selfe.

The Lorde hath destroyed all the mightie men that were in me, he hath proclaymed an appoynted tyme to slaughter all my best men: the Lorde hath troden downe the daughter of Iuda, lyke as it were in a winepresse.

Therfore do I weepe, and mine eyes gushe out of water: for the comfort that shoulde quicken me is farre fro me, my children are driuen away: for why? the enemie hath gotten the vpper hande.

Sion casteth out her handes, and there is no man to comfort her, the Lorde hath layde the enemies rounde about Iacob, and Hierusalem is become abhomination in the middest of them.

The Lorde is righteous, for I haue prouoked his countenaunce vnto anger, O take heede all ye people and consider my heauinesse, my maydens and my young men are led away into captiuitie.

I called for my louers, but they beguiled me, for my priestes and counsaylers, but they perished, euen whyle they sought for meate to saue their lyues.

Consider (O Lorde) howe I am troubled, my wombe is disquieted, my heart turneth about in me, and I am full of heauinesse, because I rebelled stubburnly: the sworde hurteth me without, and within I am lyke vnto death.

They heare my mournyng, but there is none that wyll comfort me: All myne enemies haue hearde of my trouble, and are glad therof because thou hast done it: and thou hast brought foorth the time which thou calledst, when they also shal be lyke vnto me.

Let all their wickednesse come before thee, and do thou to them as thou hast done vnto me for all my trespasses: for my sorowe is very great, and my heart is heauy.

Chapter 2
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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

Chapter 3
I am the man that thorowe the rodde of his wrath haue experience of miserie.

He droue me foorth and led me, yea into darknesse, but not into light.

Against me is he turned, he turneth his hande dayly against me.

My flesh and my skinne hath he made olde, and my bones hath he bruised.

He hath buylded rounde about me, and closed me in with gall and trauaile.

He hath set me in darknesse, as they that be dead for euer.

He hath so hedged me in, that I can not get out, and hath layde heauie linkes vpon me.

Though I crye and call pitiously, yet heareth he not my prayer.

He hath stopped vp my wayes with foure squared stones, and made my pathes crooked.

He layeth wayte for me lyke a beare, and as a lion in a hole.

He hath marred my wayes, and broken me in peeces, he hath layde me waste altogether.

He hath bent his bowe, and made me as it were a marke to shoote at.

The arrowes of his quiuer hath he shot, euen into my reynes.

I am laughed to scorne of all my people, they make songues vpon me all the day long.

He hath filled me with bitternesse, and geuen me wormewood to drinke.

He hath smitten my teeth in peeces with stones, and roulled me in the dust.

He hath put my soule out of rest, I forget all good thinges.

I thought in my selfe, I am vndone, there is no hope for me in the Lorde.

O remember yet my miserie and my trouble, the wormewood and the gall.

Yea thou shalt remember them, for my soule melteth away in me.

Whyle I consider these thinges in my heart, I get a hope agayne.

[namely] it is of the Lordes mercies that we are not vtterly consumed, for truely his pitifull compassion hath not ceassed.

Newe mercyes shall the Lord shewe vpon thee early in the day springing, (O Lorde) great is thy faythfulnesse.

The Lorde is my portion saith my soule therefore wyll I hope in hym.

O howe good is the Lord vnto them that put their trust in hym, and to the soule that seeketh after hym.

The good man with stilnesse and pacience, taryeth for the health of the Lorde.

O howe good is it for a man to take the yoke vpon him from his youth vp?

He sitteth alone, he holdeth hym styll, because he hath taken [the Lordes yoke] vpon hym.

He layeth his face vpon the earth, if there happen to be any hope.

He offreth his cheeke to the smyter, he wyll be content with reproffes:

For the Lord wil not forsake for euer.

But though he punishe, yet according to the multitude of his mercies he receaueth to grace agayne.

For he doth not plague willingly, and afflict the chyldren of men,

To treade all the prysoners of the earth vnder his feete,

To moue the iudgement of man before the most highest,

To condemne a man in his cause: the Lord hath not pleasure in such thinges.

What is he then that saith, there should some thing be done without the Lordes commaundement?

Out of the mouth of the most highest goeth not euyll and good?

Wherefore then murmureth the liuing man? let hym murmure at his owne sinne.

Let vs looke well vpon our wayes, and remember our selues, and turne agayne to the Lorde.

Let vs lift our heartes with our handes vnto the Lorde that is in heauen.

We haue ben dissemblers and haue offended, wylt thou therefore not be intreated?

Thou hast couered vs in thy wrath, and persecuted vs: thou hast slayne vs without any fauour.

Thou hast hid thy selfe in a cloude, that our prayer should not go through.

Thou hast made vs outcastes, and to be despised among the people.

All our enemies gape vpon vs.

Feare and pit is come vpon vs, yea deceipt and destruction.

Whole riuers of water gushe out of mine eyes for the hurt of my people:

Myne eyes runne and cannot ceasse, for there is no rest:

O Lorde, when wylt thou looke downe from heauen and consider?

Mine eyes breaketh my heart, because of all the daughters of my citie.

Mine enemies hunted me out sharply like a byrde, yea & that without a cause.

They haue put downe my life into a pit, and they haue cast stones vpon me.

They haue powred water vpon my head: then thought I, nowe am I vndone.

I called vpon thy name O Lorde out of the deepe pit.

Thou hast heard my voyce, and hast not turned away thyne eares from my sighing and crying.

Thou hast inclyned thy selfe vnto me when I called vpon thee: and hast said, feare not.

Thou (O Lorde) hast mayntayned the cause of my soule, and hast redeemed my lyfe.

O Lorde, thou hast seene my wrong, take thou my cause vpon thee.

Thou hast well considered howe they go about to do me harme, and that all their counsels are against me.

Thou hast hearde their despitefull wordes O Lorde, yea and all the imaginations against me:

The lippes of mine enemies, and their deuises that they take against me al the day long.

Thou seest also their sitting downe and their rising vp, they make their songes of nothing but of me.

Rewarde them, O Lorde, according to the workes of their handes.

Geue them an obstinate heart, euen thy curse.

Persecute them O Lorde with thyne indignation, and roote them out from vnder the heauen.

Chapter 4
O howe is the golde become so dimme? howe is the most fine golde so sore chaunged? and the stones of the sanctuarie thus scattered in the corner of euery streete?

The chyldren of Sion that were alway in honour, and clothed with the most precious golde: howe are they nowe become lyke the earthen vessels, whiche be made with the potters hande?

The dragons geue their young ones sucke with bare brestes: but the daughter of my people is cruel, like the Estriches in the wildernesse.

The tongues of the sucking chyldren cleaue to the roofe of their mouthes for very thyrst: the young chyldren aske bread, but there is no man that geueth it them.

They that were wont to fare delicatelye perishe in the streetes: they that afore were brought vp in purple, make nowe muche of doung.

The sinne of the daughter of my people, is become greater then the wickednesse of Sodome, that sodaynely was destroyed, and not taken with handes.

Her abstayners were whyter then the snowe or milke, their colour was freshe, red as corall, their beautie like the Saphire.

But nowe their faces be very blacke, insomuche that thou shouldest not knowe them in the streetes: their skinne cleaueth to their bones, it is withered and become like a drye stocke.

They that be slayne with the sworde, are happier then such as dye of hunger, and perishe away famishing for the fruites of the fielde.

The women (whiche of nature are pitifull) haue sodden their owne chyldren with their hands, that they might be their meate in the miserable destruction of the daughter of my people.

The Lorde hath perfourmed his heauie wrath, he hath powred out the furiousnesse of his displeasure: he hath kindeled a fire in Sion, which hath consumed the foundations therof.

Neither the kynges of the earth, nor all the inhabitours of the world, would haue beleued that the enemie and aduersarie shoulde haue come in at the gates of the citie of Hierusalem.

Whiche neuerthelesse is come to passe for the sinne of her prophetes, and for the wickednesse of her priestes, that haue shed innocents blood within her.

As blinde men went, they stumbling in the streetes, and stayned them selues with blood, insomuch that the heathen woulde in no wyse touche their garmentes.

But they cryed vnto them, flee ye polluted, away, get you hence, touche not: for they are vncleane and be remoued, yea they haue said among the heathen, they shall no more dwell in this citie.

The countenaunce of the Lorde hath banished them, and shall neuer looke more vpon them: for they them selues neither regarded the priestes, nor pitied their elders.

Wherefore yet our eyes fayled vs, whyles we looked for our vayne helpe, seeing we euer wayted vpon a people that coulde do vs no good.

They lay so sharpe wayte for vs, that we can not go safe vpon the streetes, for our ende is come, our dayes are fulfilled, our ende is here.

Our persecutours are swifter then the Egles of the ayre: they folowed vppon vs ouer the mountaynes, and layde wayte for vs in the wyldernesse.

The very breath of our mouth, euen the annointed of the Lorde hym selfe, was taken in their net, of whom we say, Under his shadowe we shalbe preserued among the heathen.

And thou O daughter Edom that dwellest in the land of Huz, be glad and reioyce, for the cup shall come vnto thee also, thou shalt be dronken, and discouer thy nakednesse.

Thy sinnes are wel punished O thou daughter Sion, he shall not suffer thee to be caried away: but thy wickednesse O daughter Edom shall he visite, and wyll discouer thy sinnes.

Chapter 5
Call to remembraunce (O Lorde) what we haue suffred, consider and see our confusion.

Our inheritaunce is turned to the straungers, and our houses to the aliaunts.

We are become carefull and fatherlesse, and our mothers are as the wydowes.

We are fayne to drinke our owne water for money, and our owne wood must we buy for money.

Our neckes are vnder persecution, we are weery and haue no rest.

[Aforetime] we yeelded our selues to the Egyptians, [and nowe] to the Assyrians, onlye that we might haue bread inough.

Our fathers (which nowe are gone) haue sinned, and we must beare their wickednesse.

Seruauntes haue the rule of vs, and no man deliuereth vs out of their handes.

We must get our liuing with the perill of our liues, because of the drouth of the wildernesse.

Our skinne is as it had ben made blacke in an ouen, for very sore hunger.

The wiues are rauished in Sion, and the maydens in the cities of Iuda.

The princes are hanged vp with the hand of the enemies, they haue not spared the olde sage men.

They haue taken young men to grinde, and the boyes fainted vnder the burthens of wood.

The elders sit no more vnder the gates, and the young men vse no more playing of musicke.

The ioy of our heart is gone, our melodious meeting is turned into mourning.

The garlande of our head is fallen: alas that euer we sinned so sore.

Therefore our heart is full of heauinesse, and our eyes dimme.

Because of the hill of Sion that is destroyed: insomuch that the foxes runne vpon it.

But thou O Lorde, that remaynest for euer, and thy seate worlde without ende:

Wherefore wylt thou styll forget vs, and forsake vs so long?

O Lord turne thou vs vnto thee, and so shall we be turned, renue our dayes as in olde tymes:

But thou hast banished vs vtterly, and hast ben displeased at vs.