The Byble in Englyshe that is to saye, the content of all the holye scrypture, bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes, by the diligent studye of dyuers excellent lerned [men e]xperte in the fore[saide] tongues.

¶ It happened after Israel was brought into captyuyte, and Ierusalem destroyed, that Ieremy the Prophet sat we∣pynge, and sorowfully bewayled Ierusalem and syghynge and howlynge with an heuy and wofull herte, sayde:

CAPIVLO. I.

ALas / howe sitteth [unspec A] the cytie so desolate, that somtyme was full of peo∣ple? Howe is she become lyke a wydowe, whiche was the Lady of all nacy∣ons? Howe is she brought vnder trybute, ☞ that ruled all landes.

She wepeth sore in the nyght, so that the teares runne downe her chekes: for amonge all her louers, there is none that geueth her any cōforte: Yee her nexte frendes abhorre her, and are become her ennemyes.

Iuda is taken presoner, because she was defyled: and for seruynge so many straunge goddes / she dwelleth nowe among the Hei∣then. She fyndeth no rest, all they that per∣secuted her, toke her, and so she dwelleth a∣monge her enemyes. The streates of Sion [unspec B] mourne, because no man cōmeth no more to the solempne feastes, All her gates are deso∣late / her Preestes make lamentacyon / her maydens are carefull, and she herselfe is in great heuynesse. Her enemyes are fallen vpon her heade / and haue put her to shame: because the Lorde hath chastened her for her greate wyckednes: her chyldren are led a∣waye captiue before theyr enemy. All the beautye of the daughter of Syon is away, her Prynces are become lyke wethers that [unspec C] fynde no pasture. They are dryuen away before theyr ennemye / so that they haue no∣more power. Nowe dothe Ierusalem re∣membre the tyme of her mysery and disobe∣dyence / yee / the ioye and pleasure that she hath had in tymes paste: seyng her people is brought downe thorowe the power of theyr enemy, and there is no man for to helpe her: her enemyes stande lokynge at her, & laugh her Sabbath dayes to scorne. Ierusalem hath synned euer / more and more, therfore is she come in decaye. All they that had her in honoure / despyse her: for they haue sene her fylthynes, Yee / she sygheth, and is asha∣med of herselfe.

☞ Her skyrtes are defyled / she remem∣bred not what wolde folowe / therfor fore is

her fall so great / and there is no man to com¦forte her. O Lorde, consydre my trouble, for myne enemy hath the vpperhande. The [unspec D] enemye hathe put his hande to all the pre∣cyous thinges that she had / yee, euē before her eyes came the Heythen in and out of the Saynctuary: whom thou (neuerthelesse) haste forbydden to come within thy congre∣gacyon.

Al her people seke theyr bread with he∣uinesse, and loke what precious thyng euery man hath, that geueth he for meate, to saue his lyfe. Consydre, O Lorde, & se, howe vyle I am become. O all ye that go fore by, be holde and se, if there be any sorow lyke vnto myne / wherwith the Lorde hathe troubled me, in the daye of his fearefull wrath.

{fleur-de-lys} From aboue hath he sent downe a fyre into my bones and chastened me: he hathe [unspec E] layed a net for my fete, & thorowen me wyde open: he hath made me desolate, so y^• I must euer be mournyng. The yoke of my trans gressyon is come at the laste, with his hande hathe he taken it vp, and put it aboute my necke. My strēgth is gone: the Lord hath delyuered me into those handes, wherout I can not quyte my selfe. The Lorde hath destrroyed al the myghtye men, that were in me. He hath proclaymed a feast, to slaughter al my best men. The Lord hath trodē downe the daughter of Iuda, lyke as it were in a wyne presse. Therfore do I wepe, and myne eyes gushe out of water: for the com∣forte [unspec F] that shulde quyckē me, is farre fro me. My chyldren are dryuen awaye for why? the enemy hath gotten the ouerhande.

Sion casteth out her handes, and there is no man to cōforte her. The. Lord hath layed the enemyes rounde aboute Iacob, and Ie∣rusalē is become abhominacion in the myd∣dest of them. The Lord is rightuous, for I haue prouoked his coūtenaunce vnto an∣ger. O take hede all ye people, and consydre my heuynesse. My maydens and my younge men are led away into captiuite.

I called for my louers (but they begyled me) for my prestes and councellers, but they perished: euen whyle they sought for meate, [unspec G] to saue theyr lyfes. Consydre (O Lord) howe I am troubled, my wombe is disque∣ted, my hert turneth about in me, and I am ful of heuinesse. The swearde hurteth me w^t out, and within I am lyke vnto death.

They heare my mournynge, but there is none that wyl cōforte me. All myne enemies haue herde of my trouble? and are glad: ther of, because thou hast done it. But thou shalt brynge forth the tyme, when they also shalbe lyke vnto me. From the shal come al their aduersitie: thou shalte plucke them awaye euen as thou hast plucked me, because of all my wyckednes. For my sorow is very great, and my herte is heuy.

Notes

• 2. Reg. 4. d 4. Re. xv. a
• Iob. vi. ••
• Ier ••. lii.
• Deute. 23. c
• 4. Rer. vi. c Treno. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. c
• Iere. 4. ••. Treno. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. c
• Dani. ••x a
• Treno. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. c