"It has been madea desolation,Desolate,it mournsbeforeMe; The wholelandhas been madedesolate,Becausenomanlaysit to heart.
It is betterto goto a houseof mourningThanto goto a houseof feasting,Becausethat is the endof everyman,And the livingtakes[it] to heart.
So He pouredout on him the heatof His angerAnd the fiercenessof battle;And it sethim aflameallaround,Yet he did not recognize[it]; And it burnedhim, but he paidnoattention.
The righteousmanperishes,and nomantakesit to heart;And devoutmenare takenaway,while nooneunderstands.For the righteousmanis takenawayfrom evil,
The soundof a report!Behold,it comes--A greatcommotionout of the landof the north--To makethe citiesof JudahA desolation,a hauntof jackals.
Pourout Your wrathon the nationsthat do not knowYou And on the familiesthat do not callYour name;For they have devouredJacob;They have devouredhim and consumedhim And have laidwastehis habitation.
"JudahmournsAnd her gateslanguish;They siton the groundin mourning,And the cryof Jerusalemhas ascended.
"I will also makethiscitya desolationand an [object of] hissing;everyonewho passesby it will be astonishedand hissbecauseof allits disasters.
For the landis fullof adulterers;For the landmournsbecauseof the curse.The pasturesof the wildernesshave driedup. Their coursealso is evilAnd their mightis not right.
Thiswholelandwill be a desolationand a horror,and thesenationswill servethe kingof Babylonseventyyears.
Disasteron disasteris proclaimed,For the wholelandis devastated;Suddenlymy tentsare devastated,My curtainsin an instant.
For thussaysthe LORD,"The wholelandshall be a desolation,Yet I will not executea completedestruction.
"For thisthe earthshall mournAnd the heavensabovebe dark,BecauseI have spoken,I have purposed,And I will not changeMy mind,norwill I turnfrom it."
"Be warned,O Jerusalem,OrI shall be alienatedfrom you, And makeyou a desolation,A landnot inhabited."
"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.
"I will makeJerusalema heapof ruins, A hauntof jackals;And I will makethe citiesof Judaha desolation,withoutinhabitant."
"Shall I not punishthem for thesethings?"declaresthe LORD."On a nationsuchas thisShall I not avengeMyself?
The fieldis ruined,The landmourns;For the grainis ruined,The newwinedriesup, Freshoilfails.
I will makethe landdesolateso that your enemieswho settlein it will be appalledoverit.
"Sayto allthe peopleof the landand to the priests,'Whenyou fastedand mournedin the fifthand seventhmonths theseseventyyears,was it actuallyfor Me that you fasted?
"Ifyou do not listen,and ifyou do not takeit to heartto givehonorto My name,"saysthe LORDof hosts,"then I will sendthe curseupon you and I will curseyour blessings;and indeed,I have cursedthem [already], becauseyou are not taking[it] to heart.
For we knowthat the wholecreationgroansand suffers the pains of childbirthtogetheruntilnow.
