The Babylonian Exile

The anger of the Lord hath scattered them, he will no more regard them: they reuerenced not the face of the Priestes, nor had compassion of the Elders.

Whiles we waited for our vaine helpe, our eyes failed: for in our waiting we looked for a nation that could not saue vs.

They hunt our steppes that we cannot goe in our streetes: our ende is neere, our dayes are fulfilled, for our ende is come.

Our persecuters are swifter then the eagles of the heauen: they pursued vs vpon the mountaines, and layed waite for vs in the wildernes.

The breath of our nostrels, the Anoynted of the Lord was taken in their nets, of whome we sayde, Vnder his shadowe we shalbe preserued aliue among the heathen.

Reioyce and be glad, O daughter Edom, that dwellest in the lande of Vz, the cuppe also shall passe through vnto thee: thou shalt be drunken and vomit.

Thy punishment is accomplished, O daughter Zion: he will no more carie thee away into captiuitie, but he will visite thine iniquitie, O daughter Edom, he wil discouer thy sinnes.

Remember, O Lord, what is come vpon vs: consider, and behold our reproche.

Our inheritance is turned to the strangers, our houses to the aliants.

We are fatherles, euen without father, and our mothers are as widowes.

Wee haue drunke our water for money, and our wood is solde vnto vs.

Our neckes are vnder persecution: we are wearie, and haue no rest.

We haue giuen our handes to the Egyptians, and to Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.

Our fathers haue sinned, and are not, and we haue borne their iniquities.

Seruants haue ruled ouer vs, none would deliuer vs out of their hands.

Wee gate our bread with the perill of our liues, because of the sword of the wildernesse.

Our skinne was blacke like as an ouen because of the terrible famine.

They defiled the women in Zion, and the maydes in the cities of Iudah.

The princes are hanged vp by their hande: the faces of the elders were not had in honour.

They tooke the yong men to grinde, and the children fell vnder the wood.

The Elders haue ceased from the gate and the yong men from their songs.

The ioy of our heart is gone, our daunce is turned into mourning.

The crowne of our head is fallen: wo nowe vnto vs, that we haue sinned.

Therefore our heart is heauy for these things, our eyes are dimme,

Because of the mountaine of Zion which is desolate: the foxes runne vpon it.