"The songsof the palacewill turnto wailingin that day,"declaresthe LordGOD."Many[will be] the corpses;in everyplacethey will castthem forth in silence."
"I have becomemute,I do not openmy mouth,Becauseit is You who have done[it].
Then the angelof the LORDwentout and struck185000in the campof the Assyrians;and when men aroseearlyin the morning,behold,allof these were dead.
Thereforethussaysthe LORDin regardto Jehoiakimthe sonof Josiah,kingof Judah,"They will not lamentfor him: 'Alas,my brother!'or, 'Alas,sister!'They will not lamentfor him: 'Alasfor the master!'or, 'Alasfor his splendor!'
The eldersof the daughterof ZionSiton the ground,they are silent.They have thrownduston their heads;They have girdedthemselves with sackcloth.The virginsof JerusalemHave bowedtheir headsto the ground.
Be ashamed,O farmers,Wail,O vinedressers,For the wheatand the barley;Becausethe harvestof the fieldis destroyed.
Girdyourselves[with sackcloth] And lament,O priests;Wail,O ministersof the altar!Come,spendthe nightin sackclothO ministersof my God,For the grain offeringand the drinkofferingAre withheldfrom the houseof your God.
Awake,drunkards,and weep;And wail,allyou winedrinkers,On accountof the sweetwineThat is cutofffrom your mouth.
Then Mosessaidto Aaron,"It is whatthe LORDspoke,saying,By those who comenearMe I will be treatedas holy,And beforeallthe peopleI will be honored.'"So Aaron,therefore, keptsilent.
"I senta plagueamong you after the mannerof Egypt;I slewyour youngmenby the swordalongwith your capturedhorses,And I made the stenchof your campriseup in your nostrils;Yet you have not returnedto Me," declaresthe LORD.
Thereforethussaysthe LORDGodof hosts,the Lord,"There is wailingin allthe plazas,And in allthe streetsthey say,'Alas!Alas!'They also callthe farmerto mourningAnd professionalmournersto lamentation.
"Takeawayfrom Me the noiseof your songs;I will not even listento the soundof your harps.
Those who reclineon bedsof ivoryAnd sprawlon their couches,And eatlambsfrom the flockAnd calvesfrom the midstof the stall,
Who improviseto the soundof the harp,[And] like Davidhave composedsongsfor themselves,
The LordGODhas swornby Himself,the LORDGodof hostshas declared:"I loathethe arroganceof Jacob,And detesthis citadels;Therefore I will deliverup [the] cityand allit contains."
"Then I will turnyour festivalsinto mourningAnd allyour songsinto lamentation;And I will bringsackclothon everyone'sloinsAnd baldnesson everyhead.And I will makeit like [a time of] mourningfor an onlyson,And the endof it will be like a bitterday.
Horsemencharging,Swordsflashing,spearsgleaming,Manyslain,a massof corpses,And countlessdeadbodies--They stumbleover the deadbodies!
Be silentbeforethe LordGOD!For the dayof the LORDis near,For the LORDhas prepareda sacrifice,He has consecratedHis guests.
