1 This is the book of the commandments of God, and the law that endures forever: all those who hold it fast are appointed to life; but such as leave it shall die. 2 Turn you, O Jacob, and take hold of it: walk towards her shining in the presence of the light thereof. 3 Give not your glory to another, nor the things that are profitable to you to a strange nation. 4 O Israel, happy are we: for the things that are pleasing to God are made known to us. 5 Be of good cheer, my people, the memorial of Israel. 6 You⌃ were sold to the nations, but not for destruction: because you⌃ moved God to wrath, you⌃ were delivered to your adversaries. 7 For you⌃ provoked him that made you by sacrificing to demons, and not to God. 8 You⌃ forgat the everlasting God, that brought you up; you⌃ grieved also Jerusalem, that nursed you. 9 For she saw the wrath that is come upon you from God, and said, Listen, you⌃ women that dwell about Sion: for God has brought upon me great mourning; 10 for I have seen the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting has brought upon them. 11 For with joy did I nourish them; but sent them away with weeping and mourning. 12 Let no man rejoice over me, a widow, and forsaken of many: for the sins of my children am I left desolate; because they turned away from the law of God, 13 and had no regard to his statutes, neither walked they in the ways of God’s commandments, nor trod in the paths of discipline in his righteousness. 14 Let those who dwell about Sion come, and remember you⌃ the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting has brought upon them. 15 For he has brought a nation upon them from far, a shameless nation, and of a strange language, * Another reading is, for they. who neither reverenced old man, nor pitied child. 16 And they have carried away the dear beloved sons of the widow, and left her that was alone desolate of her daughters. 17 But I, what can I help you? 18 For he that brought these plagues upon you will deliver you from the hand of your enemies. 19 Go your way, O my children, go your way: for I am left desolate. 20 I have put off the garment of peace, and put upon me the sackcloth of my petition: I will cry to the Everlasting as long as I live. 21 Be of good cheer, O my children, cry to God, and he shall deliver you from the power and hand of the enemies. 22 For I have trusted in the Everlasting, that he will save you; and joy is come to me from the Holy One, because of the mercy which shall soon come to you † Or, from your everlasting Saviour from the Everlasting your Saviour. 23 For I sent you out with mourning and weeping: but God will give you to me again with joy and gladness forever. 24 For like as now those who dwell about Sion have seen your captivity: so shall they see shortly your salvation from ‡ Another reading is, your. our God, which shall come upon you with great glory, and brightness of the Everlasting. 25 My children, suffer patiently the wrath that is come upon you from God: for your enemy has persecuted you; but shortly you shall see his destruction, and shall tread upon their necks. 26 My delicate ones have gone rough ways; they were taken away as a flock carried off by the enemies. 27 Be of good cheer, O my children, and cry to God: for you⌃ shall be remembered of him that has brought these things upon you. 28 For as it was your mind to go astray from God: so, return and seek him ten times more. 29 For he that brought these plagues upon you shall bring you everlasting joy again with your salvation. 30 Be of good cheer, O Jerusalem: for he that called you by name will comfort you. 31 Miserable are those who afflicted you, and rejoiced at your fall. 32 Miserable are the cities which your children served: miserable is she that received your sons. 33 For as she rejoiced at your fall, and was glad of your ruin: so shall she be grieved for her own desolation. 34 And I will take away her exultation in her great multitude, and her boasting shall be turned into mourning. 35 For fire shall come upon her from the Everlasting, long to endure; and she shall be inhabited of § Gr. demons. devils for a great time.

36 O Jerusalem, look about you toward the east, and behold the joy that comes to you from God. 37 Behold, your sons come, whom you sent away, they come gathered together from the east to the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God.