ThereforeI say,"Turnyour eyesawayfrom me, Let me weepbitterly,Do not tryto comfortme concerningthe destructionof the daughterof my people."
Ohthat my headwere watersAnd my eyesa fountainof tears,That I might weepdayand nightFor the slainof the daughterof my people!
"A VOICEWAS HEARDIN RAMAH,WEEPINGAND GREATMOURNING,RACHELWEEPINGFOR HER CHILDREN;AND SHE REFUSEDTO BE COMFORTED,BECAUSETHEY WERE NOMORE."
Becauseof thisI must lamentand wail,I must gobarefootand naked;I must makea lamentlike the jackalsAnd a mourninglike the ostriches.
Thussaysthe LORD,"A voiceis heardin Ramah,Lamentation[and] bitterweeping.Rachelis weepingfor her children;She refusesto be comfortedfor her children,Becausethey are nomore."
But ifyou will not listento it, My soulwill sobin secretfor [such] pride;And my eyeswill bitterlyweepAnd flowdownwith tears,Becausethe flockof the LORDhas been takencaptive.
In the dayof my troubleI soughtthe Lord;In the nightmy handwas stretchedout withoutweariness;My soulrefusedto be comforted.
WhenHe approached[Jerusalem], He sawthe cityand weptoverit,
justas they were handed downto us by thosewho from the beginningwere eyewitnessesand servantsof the word,
And Peterrememberedthe wordwhich Jesushad said,"Beforea roostercrows,you will denyMe three times."And he wentout and weptbitterly.
My sorrowis beyond healing,My heartis faint[within me]!
O daughterof my people,puton sackclothAnd rollin ashes;Mournas for an onlyson,A lamentationmostbitter.For suddenlythe destroyerWill comeupon us.
My soul,my soul!I am in anguish!Oh,my heart!My heartis poundingin me; I cannotbe silent,Becauseyou have heard,O my soul,The soundof the trumpet,The alarmof war.
Behold,their bravemencryin the streets,The ambassadorsof peaceweepbitterly.
In their streetsthey have girdedthemselves with sackcloth;On their housetopsand in their squaresEveryoneis wailing,dissolvedin tears.
"Let them makehasteand takeup a wailingfor us, That our eyesmay shedtearsAnd our eyelidsflowwith water.
My eyesfailbecause of tears,My spiritis greatlytroubled;My heartis pouredout on the earthBecauseof the destructionof the daughterof my people,When littleonesand infantsfaintIn the streetsof the city.
"Also they will makethemselves baldfor you And girdthemselves with sackcloth;And they will weepfor you in bitternessof soulWith bittermourning.
When Mordecailearnedallthat had been done,he torehis clothes,puton sackclothand ashes,and wentout into the midstof the cityand wailedloudlyand bitterly.
"It is givento be polished,that it may be handled;the swordis sharpenedand polished,to giveit into the handof the slayer.
