Ver. He all our pleasant ones devour'd,
And flew our eyes defire:

In Zion's daughter's tents he pour'd
His fury out like fire.

HE.

5 All Ifra'l's palaces and stays,
And strengths, to ruin go;
Her forts demolish'd are, because
Jehovah was a foe;

Backfliding Judah too her share
Of heavinefs poffefs'd;

For woful lamentations there
And mourning he increas'd.
VAU.

6 He like a garden-tent hath pull'd
His tabernacle down;

His oft affembling courts annull'd,
His fynagogues o'erthrown.
God caus'd in Zion filemn feasts
And Sabbaths be forgot;

And hath defpis'd both king and priests
In's fury burning hot.

ZAIN.

7 The Lord his altar did difown,

His fanctuary abhor;

Shut up, and fet her foes upon

Her palace walls to roar:
Within the house of God have they
Profanely made a noise,
As when his folk did on the day
Of folemn feasts rejoice.

CHETH.

8 God Zion's walls and ramparts all,
Had purpos'd to deftroy;
Stretch'd out a line, nor did recall
His hand from this employ.

He therefore going on hath made
Her bulwarks to lament;
Together dafh'd they languished,
Their fortitude was spent.

TETH.

Ver. Sunk into rubbish are her gates,
Her bars intirely broke;

9

Yea, now her king and potentates,
Groan in the Gentiles yoke:

The law's no more, which once her mind
With facred leffons ftor'd;

Her feers mourn, her prophets find
No vifion from the Lord.

JOD.

10 Now, Zion's elders on the ground
Sit down, and filence keep:

They caft up duft their heads around,
And girt with fackcloth weep:

Proud dames who did, in pompous weeds,
Vain admiration claim;

Ev'n Salem's virgins hang their heads
Down to the ground for fhame.
CAPH.

II With tears confum'd are both mine eyes,
Pain'd are my bowels all;
Pour'd on the earth my liver lies,
For Zion's daughter's thrall:
Because in dearth, provifion spent,
The citizens decay ;

Babes in the streets for hunger faint,
And fucklings fwoon away.
LAMED.

12 The young ones to their mothers cry,
"O where's our former fhare

"Of corn and wine, and fuch fupply
"As was our wonted fare!"

Scarce had they spoke, till in th' arrest,
As thofe in wounds of death,

They on their moaning mother's breast,
Pour'd out their dying breath.

MEM.

Ver. To match thy cafe, O Salem fair!
What equal fhall I bring?

13

'Twere eafe, could I thy woes compare
To any other thing.

O Zion! great's thy breach, that grows
Like vaft fea-billow rounds:
Incomparable are thy woes,
Incurable thy wounds.

NUN.

14 Thy prophets falfe have feen for thee
Molt foolish things and vain
Thy fin they fhew'd not faithfully
To turn away thy bane;

But have for thee falfe burdens feen,
Falfe caufes of thy wo,

And fmoothing vice thy guilt to fkreen,
Have wrought they overthrow.

SAMECH.

15 All paffengers clap hands at thee, 'Gainft Salem they invey; Thy fhake their heads contempt'ously, And mock, and hifs, and fay, "Is this the city fo renown'd "We see in rubbish hurl'd, "The beauty with perfection crown'd "The joy of all the world?" PE.

16 Thy cruel foes with wide mouth bray, 'Gainft thee their spite avow; They gnash the teeth, and hiffing say, "We have devour'd her now;

"This furely is the day that we

Expected for her fall;

"We've found it now, and gladly fee

"Our triumph in her thrall."

AIN.

17 The Lord hath done what he ordain'd, As he of old declar'd;

Fulfill'd the word of his command,

Cast down, and hath not spar'd:

Ver. O'er thee he made the foe in scorn,
To joy and be jocofe ;
He hath exalted high the horn
Of thy infulting foes.
TZADE.

18 Their heart cry'd to the Lord, and faid,
O Zion wall o'erthrown!

Let tears both day and night be shed,
And like a flood run down:

Allow thyself no reft, and let
The apple of thine eye
No paufe or intermiffion get,
But weep inceffantly,

Корн.

19 Arife, and each night watch prevent,
Cry out thy woeful cafe;

Thine heart in floods of water vent
Before Jehovah's face.

For thy poor young ones life intreat,
With hands uplifted high,
That on the top of every street
For hunger fainting die.

RESH.

20 This thou haft done; mind, Lord, to whom
O fee! fhall women eat

The fpan-long fruit of their own womb,
For very want of meat?

And fhall, alas! the reverend train

And confecrated race,

The priest and prophet both be flain;
Within thy holy place?

SHIN.

21 Both young and old along the ground
Lie in the streets, O Lord;
My darling maids and youths are found
Slain by the bloody fword.

Foes are but weapons of thy wrath,

Thou flew'ft, thou kill'dft them, Lord,

In thy avenging day that hath
No pity to afford.

TAU.

Ver. Thou haft, as in a folemn day,

22

I

My terrors call'd around,

That thus when wrath divine made way,
None to escape were found.

None left; yea, thofe whom I, with care,
Had wrapt in fwaddling-bands
And fofter'd, by mine en'mies are
Confum'd with cruel hands.

The faithful bewail their Calamities, viewing them as the Fruits and Effects of God's Difpleafure. By the Mercies of GOD they encourage their Hope, acknowledging bis fuftice, praying for Deliverance, and Vengeance on their Enemies.

ALEPH.

I'M by the rod of wrath divine

The man that hath feen wo;

2 He led and carried me and mine

3

To fhades of darkness low,

But not unto a lightfome path;
Nay, in a hoftile way

He's furely turn'd, his hand in wrath
'Gainft me he turns all day.

BETH.

4 My flesh and skin of young and fair, Old and decay'd he made;

5

Did break my bones; and building rear,
My ftrong holds to invade.

He me encompafs'd and entwin'd,

With gall and travel fore:

6 In places dark he me enflrin'd, As men long dead before.

GIMEL.

7 He hedg'd me in, I can't get out; His heavy chain I bear:

8 My pray'r he, when I cry and shout, Shuts out, and fcorns to hear.