These wordes are not Ieremies, but added by the 70. or other Interpreter, as a
Preface to his Lamentations.
And it came to passe, after that Israel was brought into captiuitie, and Ierusalem was desolate,
Ieremie, the prophete sate weeping, and he mourned with this lamentation vpon Ierusalem, and with
a pensiue mind fighting, and wayling he sayd:
1.
Aleph.
HOW
The miserable change in Ierusalem made the beholders astonied.
doeth the citie ful of people, sitte solitarie: how is the ladie of the Gentiles becomes as a widow: the princesse of prouinces is made tributarie?
2.
Beth.
Weeping she hath wept in the night, and here teares are on her cheekes: there is none to comfort her of al her deare ones: al her freindes haue despised her, and are become her enemies.
3.
Ghimel.
Iudas is
Some Iewes seing their bretheren ledde captiues into Babylon, went into Ægypt, but there also were in miserie.
gone into transmigration because of affliction, and the multitude of bondage: she hath dwelt among the Gentiles, neither hath she found rest: al her persecutors haue apprehended her within the straites.³
4.
Daleth.
The waies of Sion mourne, because there are none that come to the solemnitie: al her gates are destroyed: her priestes sighing: her virgins loathsome, and herself is oppressed with bitternes.
5.
He.
Her aduersaries are made
It is a desolate miserie when enimies obtaine dominion.
in the head, her enemies are enriched: because our Lord hath spoken vpon her for the multitude of her iniquities: her litle ones are led into captiuitie, before the face of the afflicter.
6.
Vau.
And from the daughter of Sion al her beautie is departed: her princes are become as
Fleing from place to place to seeke relife.
rammes not fynding pastures: and they are gone without streigth before the face of the pursewer.
7.
Zain.
Ierusalem hath remembred the dayes of her affliction, and preuarication of al her thinges worthie to be desyred, which she had from the daies of old, when her people fel in the enemies hand, and there was no helper: the enemies haue sene her, and haue scorned her sabbathes.
8.
Heth.
Ierusalem hath sinned a sinne, therefore is she made vnstable: al that did glorifie her, haue despised her, because they haue sene her ignominie: but she sighing is turned backward.
9.
Teth.
Her
Idolatrie which is spiritual adulterie.
filthines is pulled downe excedingly, not hauing a comforter: see o Lord mine affliction, because the enemie is exalted.
10.
Iod.
The enimie hath thrust his hand to al her thinges worthie, to be desyred: because she hath sene the Gentiles enter into her sanctuarie, of whom thou gauest commandment that they should not enter into thy church.
11.
Caph.
Al her people fighting, and seeking bread: they haue geuen al precious thinges for meare to refresh the soule, see o Lord and consider, because I am become vyle.
12.
Lamed.
O al ye that passe by the way, attend, and see if there be sorow like to my sorow: because he hath made
First Napuchodonosor tuoke away much treasure 4. Reg. 24.. Afterwards his capitaine Nabuzardan spoyled al 4. Reg. 25..
vintage of me, as our Lord hath spoken in the day of the wrath of his furie.
13.
Mem.
From on high he hath cast a fyre in my bones, and hath taught me: he hath spred a net for my feete, he hath turned me backward: he hath made me desolate, al the day consumed with sorow.
14.
Nun.
The yoke of mine iniquities hath watched: they are folded together in his hand, and put vpon my necke: my strength is weakened: our Lord hath geuen me into the hand, from which I can not rise.
15.
Samech.
Our Lord hath taken away al my magnifical ones our of the middes of me: he hath called a time against me, to destroy mine elect: our Lord hath troden the winepresse to the virgin the daughter of Iuda.
16.
Ain.
Therefore I am weeping, and mine eye shedding teares: because a comforter is made far from me, conuerting my soule: my children are become desolate because the enemie hath preuayled.
17.
Phe.
Sion hath spred forth her handes, there is none to comfort her: our Lord hath commanded against Iacob, round about him are his enemies: Ierusalem is become as a woman polluted with menstrous floores among them.
18.
Sade.
Our Lord is iust, because I haue prouoked his mouth to wrath: heare I beseech al ye peoples, and see my sorow: my virgins, and my pong men are gone into captiuitie.
19.
Coph:
I haue called
Ægypt, wherein the Iewes trusted to finde ayde, could not, or at least, did not helpe them Iere. 2. v. 18. & 37. v. 4. & 6..
my freindes, they haue deceiued me: my priestes and my ancientes are consumed in the citie: because they haue sought meat for themselues, to refresh their soule.
20.
Res.
See o Lord that I am in tribulation, my bellie is trubled: my hart is ouerturned in myself, because I am ful of bitternes: the sword killeth abrode, and at home
At home is famine.
it is lyke death.
21.
Sin.
They haue heard that I doe sigh, and there is none to comfort me: al mine enimies haue heard mine euil, they haue reioyced, because thou hast done it: thou hast brought a day of consolation, and they shal be made lyke to me.
22.
Thau.
Let al their euil enter in before thee: and vintage them, as thou hast vintaged me for al mine iniquities: for my sighings are manie, and my hart is sorowful.