HearthiswordwhichI takeup for you as a dirge,O houseof Israel:
"Thereforethussaysthe LORD,Asknowamong the nations,Whoever heardthe like of this?The virginof IsraelHas donea mostappallingthing.
Cutoffyour hairand cast[it] away,And takeup a lamentationon the bareheights;For the LORDhas rejectedand forsakenThe generationof His wrath.'
"For the mountainsI will takeup a weepingand wailing,And for the pasturesof the wildernessa dirge,Becausethey are laidwastesothat noonepassesthrough,And the lowingof the cattleis not heard;Boththe birdsof the skyand the beastshave fled;they are gone.
Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Considerand callfor the mourningwomen,that they may come;And sendfor the wailingwomen,that they may come!
Nowhearthe wordof the LORD,O you women,And let your earreceivethe wordof His mouth;Teachyour daughterswailing,And everyoneher neighbora dirge.
"Shall I not punishthem for thesethings?"declaresthe LORD."On a nationsuchas thisShall I not avengeMyself?
"As for you, takeup a lamentationfor the princesof Israel
And firehas goneout from [its] branch;It has consumedits shoots[and] fruit,So that there is not in it a strongbranch,A scepterto rule.'"Thisis a lamentation,and has becomea lamentation.
"They will takeup a lamentationoveryou and sayto you, 'Howyou have perished,O inhabitedone, From the seas,O renownedcity,Whichwas mightyon the sea,She and her inhabitants,Whoimposedher terrorOn allher inhabitants!
"And you, sonof man,takeup a lamentationoverTyre;
"Sonof man,takeup a lamentationoverthe kingof Tyreand sayto him, 'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"You had the sealof perfection,Fullof wisdomand perfectin beauty.
"Thisis a lamentationand they shall chantit. The daughtersof the nationsshall chantit. OverEgyptand overallher hordesthey shall chantit," declaresthe LordGOD.
"Sonof man,takeup a lamentationoverPharaohkingof Egyptand sayto him, 'You comparedyourself to a younglionof the nations,Yet you are like the monsterin the seas;And you burstforthin your riversAnd muddiedthe waterswith your feetAnd fouledtheir rivers.'"
Hearthiswordwhichthe LORDhas spokenagainstyou, sonsof Israel,againstthe entirefamilywhichHe broughtup from the landof Egypt:
Hearthisword,you cowsof Bashanwhoare on the mountainof Samaria,Who oppressthe poor,who crushthe needy,Who sayto your husbands,"Bringnow, that we may drink!"
Thereforethussaysthe LORDGodof hosts,the Lord,"There is wailingin allthe plazas,And in allthe streetsthey say,'Alas!Alas!'They also callthe farmerto mourningAnd professionalmournersto lamentation.
"[As for] those who swearby the guiltof Samaria,Who say,'As your godlives,O Dan,'And, 'As the wayof Beershebalives,'They will falland not riseagain."
"On that daythey will takeup againstyou a tauntAnd uttera bitterlamentation[and] say,'We are completelydestroyed!He exchangesthe portionof my people;HowHe removesit from me! To the apostateHe apportionsour fields.'
