Part 357

4:13. Mem. For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

4:14. Nun. They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they were defiled with blood: and when they could not help walking in it, they held up their skirts.

4:15. Samech. Depart you that are defiled, they cried out to them: Depart, get ye hence, touch not: for they quarrelled, and being removed, they said among the Gentiles: He will no more dwell among them.

4:16. Phe. The face of the Lord hath divided them, he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, neither had they pity on the ancient.

4:17. Ain. While we were yet standing, our eyes failed, expecting help for us in vain, when we looked attentively towards a nation that was not able to save.

4:18. Sade. Our steps have slipped in the way of our streets, our end draweth near: our days are fulfilled, for our end is come.

4:19. Coph. Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the air: they pursued us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

4:20. Res. The breath of our mouth, Christ the Lord, is taken in our sins: to whom we said: Under thy shadow we shall live among the Gentiles.

Christ, etc. . .This, according to the letter, is spoken of their king, who is called the Christ, that is, the Anointed of the Lord. But it also relates, in the spiritual sense, to Christ our Lord, suffering for our sins.

4:21. Sin. Rejoice, and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Hus: to thee also shall the cup come, thou shalt be made drunk, and naked.

4:22. Thau. Thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Sion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he hath visited thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he hath discovered thy sins.

THE PRAYER OF JEREMIAS THE PROPHET

Lamentations Chapter 5

5:1. Remember, O Lord, what is come upon us: consider and behold our reproach.

5:2. Our inheritance is turned to aliens: our houses to strangers.

5:3. We are become orphans without a father: our mothers are as widows.

5:4. We have drunk our water for money: we have bought our wood.

5:6. We were dragged by the necks, we were weary and no rest was given us.

5:6. We have given our hand to Egypt, and to the Assyrians, that we might be satisfied with bread.

5:7. Our fathers have sinned, and are not: and we have borne their iniquities.

5:8. Servants have ruled over us: there was none to redeem us out of their hand.

5:9. We fetched our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the desert.

5:10. Our skin was burnt as an oven, by reason of the violence of the famine.

5:11. They oppressed the women in Sion, and the virgins in the cities of Juda.

5:12. The princes were hanged up by their hand: they did not respect the persons of the ancients.

5:13. They abused the young men indecently: and the children fell under the wood.

5:14. The ancients have ceased from the gates: the young men from the choir of the singers.

5:15. The joy of our heart is ceased, our dancing is turned into mourning.