Study Desk

For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt: I mourn; dismay has taken hold on me.

Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

And they arm their tongues, [as] their bows, with falsehood; and it is not for loyalty that they are strong: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they don't know me, says Yahweh.

Take heed every one of his neighbor, and don't trust in any brother; for every brother will completely supplant, and every neighbor will go about with slanders.

Therefore this is what Yahweh of Hosts says, Look, I will melt them, and try them; for what [else] should I do, because [it is] of the daughter of my people?

Their tongue is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceit: with his mouth one speaks peaceably to his neighbor, but in his heart he lays wait for him.

Shall I not visit them for these things? says Yahweh; shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

For the mountains I will lift: a weeping and a wailing; and for the pastures of the wilderness: a lamentation; because they are burned up, so that none passes through; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled, they are gone.

This is what Yahweh of hosts says, Consider, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the skillful women, that they may come:

and let them hurry, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How we are ruined! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings.

For death has come up into our windows, it has entered into our palaces; to cut off the children from outside, [and] the young men from the streets.

but let him that glories glory in this, that he has understanding, and knows me, that I am Yahweh who exercises loving-kindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says Yahweh.

Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the sons of Ammon, and Moab, and all that have the corners [of their hair] cut off, that dwell in the wilderness; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.

thus says Yahweh, Don't learn the way of the nations, and don't be dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.

For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the ax.

They are like a palm-tree, of turned work, and don't speak: they must surely be borne, because they can't go. Don't be afraid of them; for they can't do evil, neither is it in them to do good.

Who should not fear you, O King of the nations? for to you does it appertain; since among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like you.

There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skillful men.