The Bible, Douay-Rheims Part 534

4:14. Let them that dwell about Sion come, and remember the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Eternal hath brought upon them.

4:15. For he hath brought a nation upon them from afar, a wicked nation, and of a strange tongue:

4:16. Who have neither reverenced the ancient, nor pitied children, and have carried away the beloved of the widow, and have left me all alone without children.

4:17. But as for me, what help can I give you?

4:18. But he that hath brought the evils upon you, he will deliver you out of the hands of your enemies.

4:19. Go your way, my children, go your way: for I am left alone.

4:20. I have put off the robe of peace, and have put upon me the sackcloth of supplication, and I will cry to the most High in my days.

4:21. Be of good comfort, my children, cry to the Lord, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the princes your enemies.

4:22. For my hope is in the Eternal that he will save you: and joy is come upon me from the Holy One, because of the mercy which shall come to you from our everlasting Saviour.

4:23. For I sent you forth with mourning and weeping: but the Lord will bring you back to me with joy and gladness for ever.

4:24. For as the neighbours of Sion have now seen your captivity from G.o.d: so shall they also shortly see your salvation from G.o.d, which shall come upon you with great honour, and everlasting glory.

4:25. My children, suffer patiently the wrath that is come upon you: for thy enemy hath persecuted thee, but thou shalt quickly see his destruction: and thou shalt get up upon his neck.

4:26. My delicate ones have walked rough ways, for they were taken away as a flock made a prey by the enemies.

4:27. Be of good comfort, my children, and cry to the Lord: for you shall be remembered by him that hath led you away.

4:28. For as it was your mind to go astray from G.o.d; so when you return again you shall seek him ten times as much.

4:29. For he that hath brought evils upon you, shall bring you everlasting joy again with your salvation.

4:30. Be of good heart, O Jerusalem: for he exhorteth thee, that named thee.

4:31. The wicked that have afflicted thee, shall perish: and they that have rejoiced at thy ruin, shall be punished.

4:32. The cities which thy children have served, shall be punished: and she that received thy sons.

She that received, etc... viz., Babylon.

4:33. For as she rejoiced at thy ruin, and was glad of thy fall: so shall she be grieved for her own desolation.

4:34. And the joy of her mult.i.tude shall be cut off: and her gladness shall be turned to mourning.

4:35. For fire shall come upon her from the Eternal, long to endure, and she shall be inhabited by devils for a great time.

4:36. Look about thee, O Jerusalem, towards the east, and behold the joy that cometh to thee from G.o.d.

4:37. For behold thy children come, whom thou sentest away scattered, they come gathered together from the east even to the west, at the word of the Holy One rejoicing for the honour of G.o.d.

Baruch Chapter 5

Jerusalem is invited to rejoice and behold the return of her children out of their captivity.

5:1. Put off, O Jerusalem, the garment of thy mourning, and affliction: and put on the beauty, and honour of that everlasting glory which thou hast from G.o.d.

5:2. G.o.d will clothe thee with the double garment of justice, and will set a crown on thy head of everlasting honour.

5:3. For G.o.d will shew his brightness in thee, to every one under heaven.

5:4. For thy name shall be named to thee by G.o.d for ever: the peace of justice, and honour of piety.

5:5. Arise, O Jerusalem, and stand on high: and look about towards the east, and behold thy children gathered together from the rising to the setting sun, by the word of the Holy One rejoicing in the remembrance of G.o.d.

5:6. For they went out from thee on foot, led by the enemies: but the Lord will bring them to thee exalted with honour as children of the kingdom.

5:7. For G.o.d hath appointed to bring down every high mountain, and the everlasting rocks, and to fill up the valleys to make them even with the ground: that Israel may walk diligently to the honour of G.o.d.

5:8. Moreover the woods, and every sweetsmelling tree have overshadowed Israel by the commandment of G.o.d.

5:9. For G.o.d will bring Israel with joy in the light of his majesty, with mercy, and justice, that cometh from him.

Baruch Chapter 6

The epistle of Jeremias to the captives, as a preservative against idolatry.

A copy of the epistle that Jeremias sent to them that were to be led away captives into Babylon, by the king of Babylon, to declare to them according to what was commanded him by G.o.d.

6:1. For the sins that you have committed before G.o.d, you shall be carried away captives into Babylon by Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon.

6:2. And when you are come into Babylon, you shall be there many years, and for a long time, even to seven generations: and after that I will bring you away from thence with peace.

Seven generations... That is, seventy years.

6:3. But now, you shall see in Babylon G.o.ds of gold, and of silver, and of stone, and of wood borne upon shoulders, causing fear to the Gentiles.

6:4. Beware therefore that you imitate not the doings of others, and be afraid, and the fear of them should seize upon you.

6:5. But when you see the mult.i.tude behind, and before, adoring them, say you in your hearts: Thou oughtest to be adored, O Lord.

6:6. For my angel is with you: And I myself will demand an account of your souls.

6:7. For their tongue that is polished by the craftsman, and themselves laid over with gold and silver, are false things, and they cannot speak.

6:8. And as if it were for a maiden that loveth to go gay: so do they take gold and make them up.

6:9. Their G.o.ds have golden crowns upon their heads: whereof the priests secretly convey away from them gold, and silver, and bestow it on themselves.

6:10. Yea and they give thereof to prost.i.tutes, and they dress out harlots: and again when they receive it of the harlots, they adorn their G.o.ds.