"As for you, takeup a lamentationfor the princesof Israel
PharaohNecomadeEliakimthe sonof Josiahkingin the placeof Josiahhis father,and changedhis nameto Jehoiakim.But he tookJehoahazaway and brought[him] to Egypt,and he diedthere.
Jehoiachinthe kingof Judahwentout to the kingof Babylon,he and his motherand his servantsand his captainsand his officials.So the kingof Babylontookhim captive in the eighthyearof his reign.
So Jehoiakimsleptwith his fathers,and Jehoiachinhis sonbecamekingin his place.
Then Jeremiahchanteda lamentfor Josiah.And allthe male and female singersspeakaboutJosiahin their lamentationsto this day.And they madethem an ordinancein Israel;behold,they are also writtenin the Lamentations.
At the turnof the yearKingNebuchadnezzarsentand broughthim to Babylonwith the valuablearticlesof the houseof the LORD,and he madehis kinsmanZedekiahkingoverJudahand Jerusalem.
Then the kingof Egyptdeposedhim at Jerusalem,and imposedon the landa fineof one hundredtalentsof silverand one talentof gold.
Nebuchadnezzarkingof Babyloncameup againsthim and boundhim with bronze[chains] to takehim to Babylon.
"Is thismanConiaha despised,shatteredjar?Oris he an undesirablevessel?Whyhave he and his descendantsbeen hurledout And castinto a landthat they had not known?
"Thussaysthe LORD,'Writethismandownchildless,A manwho will not prosperin his days;For nomanof his descendantswill prosperSittingon the throneof DavidOr rulingagainin Judah.'"
AfterNebuchadnezzarkingof Babylonhad carriedawaycaptiveJeconiahthe sonof Jehoiakim,kingof Judah,and the officialsof Judahwith the craftsmenand smithsfrom Jerusalemand had broughtthem to Babylon,the LORDshowedme: behold,twobasketsof figssetbeforethe templeof the LORD!
But like the badfigswhichcannotbe eatendueto rottenness--indeed,thussaysthe LORD--soI will abandonZedekiahkingof Judahand his officials,and the remnantof Jerusalemwho remainin thislandand the ones who dwellin the landof Egypt.
Ohthat my headwere watersAnd my eyesa fountainof tears,That I might weepdayand nightFor the slainof the daughterof my people!
"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.
The breathof our nostrils,the LORD'Sanointed,Was capturedin their pits,Of whomwe had said,"Under his shadowWe shall liveamong the nations."
Princeswere hungby their hands;Elderswere not respected.
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.
and say,Whatwas your mother?A lionessamonglions!She laydownamongyounglions,She rearedher cubs.
When He spreadit out beforeme, it was writtenon the frontand back,and writtenon it were lamentations,mourningand woe.
"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;
"Moreover, in their wailingthey will takeup a lamentationfor you And lamentoveryou: 'Whois like Tyre,Like her whois silentin the midstof the sea?
"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,wailfor the hordesof Egyptand bringit down,her and the daughtersof the powerfulnations,to the netherworld,with those who godownto the pit;
"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.'"
HearthiswordwhichI takeup for you as a dirge,O houseof Israel:
