13
but the earth not so; for the multitude present in it, according to the course of the earth, is gone as it came'--
14
then say I unto thee, `As thou hast brought forth with labor, even so the earth also hath given her fruit, namely man, ever since the beginning, unto Him that made her.'
15
Now therefore keep thy sorrow to thyself, and bear with good courage that which hath befallen thee.
16
For if thou shalt acknowledge the determination of God to be just, thou shalt both receive thy son in time, and shalt be commended among women.Œ
17
Go thy way then into the city to thine husband."
18
And she said unto me, "That will I not do; I will not go into the city, but here will I die."
19
So I proceeded to speak further unto her and said,
20
"Do not so, but be counseled by me; for how many are the adversities of Zion? Be comforted because of the sorrow of Jerusalem.
21
For thou seest that our sanctuary is laid waste, our altar broken down, our temple destroyed;
22
our psaltery is laid on the ground, our song is put to silence, our rejoicing is at an end, the light of our candlestick is put out, the ark of our covenant is despoiled, our holy things are defiled, and the name by which we are called is almost profaned; our children are put to shame, our priests are burned, our Levites have gone into captivity, our virgins are defiled, and our wives ravished; our righteous men carried away, our little ones destroyed, our young men are brought in bondage, and our strong men have become weak;
23
and this is the greatest of all: the seal of Zion hath now lost her honor, for she is delivered into the hands of those who hate us.