Baruch 4

This is the book of the commandments of God, and the law that endureth for ever: all they that keep it shall come to life; but such as leave it shall die. Turn thee, O Jacob, and take hold of it: walk in the presence of the light thereof, that thou mayest be illuminated. Give not thine honour to another, nor the things that are profitable unto thee to a strange nation. O Israel, happy are we: for things that are pleasing to God are made known unto us. Be of good cheer, my people, the memorial of Israel. Ye were sold to the nations, not for [your] destruction: but because ye moved God to wrath, ye were delivered unto the enemies. For ye provoked him that made you by sacrificing unto devils, and not to God. Ye have forgotten the everlasting God, that brought you up; and ye have grieved Jerusalem, that nursed you. For when she saw the wrath of God coming upon you, she said, Hearken, O ye that dwell about Sion: God hath brought upon me great mourning; For I saw the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting brought upon them. With joy did I nourish them; but sent them away with weeping and mourning. Let no man rejoice over me, a widow, and forsaken of many, who for the sins of my children am left desolate; because they departed from the law of God. They knew not his statutes, nor walked in the ways of his commandments, nor trod in the paths of discipline in his righteousness. Let them that dwell about Sion come, and remember ye the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting hath brought upon them. For he hath brought a nation upon them from far, a shameless nation, and of a strange language, who neither reverenced old man, nor pitied child. These have carried away the dear beloved children of the widow, and left her that was alone desolate without daughters. But what can I help you? For he that brought these plagues upon you will deliver you from the hands of your enemies. Go your way, O my children, go your way: for I am left desolate. I have put off the clothing of peace, and put upon me the sackcloth of my prayer: I will cry unto the Everlasting in my days. Be of good cheer, O my children, cry unto the Lord, and he will deliver you from the power and hand of the enemies. For my hope is in the Everlasting, that he will save you; and joy is come unto me from the Holy One, because of the mercy which shall soon come unto you from the Everlasting our Saviour. For I sent you out with mourning and weeping: but God will give you to me again with joy and gladness for ever. Like as now the neighbours of Sion have seen your captivity: so shall they see shortly your salvation from our God which shall come upon you with great glory, and brightness of the Everlasting. My children, suffer patiently the wrath that is come upon you from God: for thine enemy hath persecuted thee; but shortly thou shalt see his destruction, and shalt tread upon his neck. My delicate ones have gone rough ways, and were taken away as a flock caught of the enemies. Be of good comfort, O my children, and cry unto God: for ye shall be remembered of him that brought these things upon you. For as it was your mind to go astray from God: so, being returned, seek him ten times more. For he that hath brought these plagues upon you shall bring you everlasting joy with your salvation. Take a good heart, O Jerusalem: for he that gave thee that name will comfort thee. Miserable are they that afflicted thee, and rejoiced at thy fall. Miserable are the cities which thy children served: miserable is she that received thy sons. For as she rejoiced at thy ruin, and was glad of thy fall: so shall she be grieved for her own desolation. For I will take away the rejoicing of her great multitude, and her pride shall be turned into mourning. For fire shall come upon her from the Everlasting, long to endure; and she shall be inhabited of devils for a great time. O Jerusalem, look about thee toward the east, and behold the joy that cometh unto thee from God. Lo, thy sons come, whom thou sentest away, they come gathered together from the east to the west by the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God.