Be miserableand mournand weep;let your laughterbe turnedinto mourningand your joyto gloom.
Then Nehemiah,whowas the governor,and Ezrathe priest[and] scribe,and the Leviteswho taughtthe peoplesaidto allthe people,"Thisdayis holyto the LORDyour God;do not mournor weep."For allthe peoplewere weepingwhen they heardthe wordsof the law.
"Therefore my harpis turnedto mourning,And my fluteto the soundof those who weep.
My eyesshedstreamsof water,Becausethey do not keepYour law.Tsadhe.
BeforeI was afflictedI wentastray,But nowI keepYour word.
It is goodfor me that I was afflicted,That I may learnYour statutes.
Evenin laughterthe heartmay be in pain,And the endof joymay be grief.
I saidof laughter,"It is madness,"and of pleasure,"Whatdoes it accomplish?"
"Thenthe virginwill rejoicein the dance,And the youngmenand the old,together,For I will turntheir mourninginto joyAnd will comfortthem and givethem joyfor their sorrow.
"With weepingthey will come,And by supplicationI will leadthem; I will make them walkby streamsof waters,On a straightpathin which they will not stumble;For I ama fatherto Israel,And Ephraimis My firstborn."
The joyof our heartshas ceased;Our dancinghas been turnedinto mourning.
so that you may rememberand be ashamedand neveropenyour mouthanymorebecauseof your humiliation,when I have forgivenyou for allthat you have done,"the LordGODdeclares.
Even when their survivorsescape,they will be on the mountainslike dovesof the valleys,allof them mourning,eachover his own iniquity.
They saidto Him, "He will bringthosewretchesto a wretchedend,and will rentout the vineyardto othervine-growerswhowill payhim the proceedsat the [proper] seasons."
"Blessedare thosewho mourn,for they shall be comforted.
"But Abrahamsaid,'Child,rememberthat duringyour lifeyou receivedyour good things,and likewiseLazarusbad things;but nowhe is being comfortedhere,and you are in agony.
"Blessed[are] you who hungernow,for you shall be satisfied.Blessed[are] you who weepnow,for you shall laugh.
"Woeto you who are well-fednow,for you shall be hungry.Woe[to you] who laughnow,for you shall mournand weep.
