Chapter 5

Notwithstanding great miseries threatened against the ten tribes: ℣.4 yet if they will repent they shall escape: ℣.7 otherwise they shall fall into captivity: ℣.14 and therefore they are admonished to return to God: ℣.16 but being obstinate, ℣.21 no sacrifice can appease God's wrath.

1. 1

   Hear ye this word, that I lift upon you a lamentation. The house of Israel is fallen, and it shall not add to rise again.

2. 2

   The virgin of Israel is cast forth upon her land, there is none to raise her up.

3. 3

   Because thus saith our Lord God: The city, out of which came forth a thousand, there shall be left in it an hundred: and out of which there came an hundred, there shall be left in it ten, in the house of Israel.

4. 4

   Because thus saith our Lord to the house of Israel: Seek ye me, and you shall live.

5. 5

   And seek not Bethel, and into Galgal enter not, and into Bersabee you shall not pass: because Galgal shall be led captive, and Bethel shall be unprofitable.

6. 6

   Seek ye our Lord, & live: lest perhaps the house of Joseph be burnt as fire, and it shall devour, and there shall be none to quench Bethel.

7. 7

   You that turn judgement into wormwood, and leave off justice in the land.

8. 8

   Him that maketh Arcturus, and Orion, and that turneth darkness into morning, and that changeth day into night: that calleth the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The Lord is his name.

9. 9

   He that seeketh destruction upon the strong, & bringeth depopulation upon the mighty.

10. 10

    They have hated him that rebuketh in the gate: & him that speaketh perfectly they have abhorred.

11. 11

    Therefore because you spoiled the poor, & took the chosen prey from him: you shall build houses with square stone, and shall not dwell in them: you shall plant most amiable vineyards, and shall not drink the wine of them.

12. 12

    Because I have known many your wickednesses, and your strong sins: enemies of the just, taking bribe, and oppressing the poor in the gate.

13. 13

    Therefore shall the wise at that time hold his peace, because it is an evil time.

14. 14

    Seek ye good, & not evil, that you may live: & our Lord the God of hosts will be with you, as you have said.

15. 15

    Hate ye evil, & love good, and establish judgement in the gate: if perhaps our Lord the God of hosts may have mercy on the remnant of Joseph.

16. 16

    Therefore thus saith our Lord the God of hosts the Dominatour, in all streets lamentation: & in all places that are without, shall be said woe woe, & they shall call the husband-man to mourning, and to lamentation them that know to lament.

17. 17

    And in all vineyards there shall be lamentation: because I will pass through in the midst of thee, saith our Lord.

18. 18

    Woe unto them that desire the day of our Lord: to what purpose the same unto you? This day of our Lord, darkness, and not light.

19. 19

    As if a man should fly from the face of a lion, and a bear should meet him: and enter into the house, and lean with his hand upon the wall, and a serpent should bite him.

20. 20

    Why, is not the day of our Lord darkness, & not light: and mist, and no shining therein?

21. 21

    I have hated, and have rejected your festivities: & I will not take the odour of your assemblies.

22. 22

    And if you shall offer unto me holocausts, and your gifts, I will not receive them: & the vows of your fat things I will not respect.

23. 23

    Take away from me the tumult of thy songs: & the canticles of thy harp I will not hear.

24. 24

    And judgement shall be revealed as water, & justice as a mighty torrent.

25. 25

    Why, did you offer hosts and sacrifice to me in the desert forty years, o house of Israel?

26. 26

    And you carried a tabernacle for your Moloch, and the image of your idols, the star of your god, which you made to your selves.

27. 27

    And I will make you remove beyond Damascus, saith our Lord, the God of hosts is his name.