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.

❧ The lamentary ons of Ieremye.

¶ 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.

CAPI. II.

ALAS how hath the Lord darkened [unspec A] the daughter of Syon so sore in hys wrath? As for the honour of Israel / he hath cast it downe from heauen: How happeneth it, that he remembred not his owne fote stole when he was angrye? The Lorde hath cast downe all the glory of Iacob with out any fauoure: all the stronge places of the daughter Iuda hathe he broken in hys wrathe / and throwen them downe to the grounde: her kyngdome and her Prynces hath he suspended. In the wrath of his indignacyon he hathe broken all ☞ the horne of Israel: he hath w^t drawen h{is} ryght hande frome the enemy: yee / a flame of fyre is kyndgled in Iacob, and hathe consumed vp al roūde about. He hath bent his bowe [unspec B] lyke an enemy, he hathe fastened his ryght hande as an aduersarye: and euery thynge y^• was pleasaūt to se, he hath smiten it downe He hath poured out his wrath lyke a fyre, in to the tabernacle of the daughter of Syon.

The Lorde is become lyke as it were an enemy, he hath cast downe Israel and al h{is} places: yee / all his stronge holdes hathe he destroyed, and fylled the daughter of Iuda with muche sorowe and heuynesse.

Her tabernacle (whiche was lyke a gar∣den of pleasure) hath he destroyed: her hye so lēpne feastes hath he put downe. The Lorde hath brought it so to passe, that the hye so∣lempne feastes and Sabbathes in Sion, are cleane forgotten. In his heuye displeasure hath he made the kyng and prestes to be des∣pysed. The Lord hath forsaken his owne aulter / and is wroth with his owne Sainc∣tuary, and hathe geuen the walles of theyr towres into the handes of the enemy. There [unspec C] enemyes made a noyse in the house of the Lorde, as it had bene in a solēpne feast day.

The Lorde thought to breake downe the walles of the daughter of Syon / he spred out his lyne / and drewe not in hys hande / tyll he hadde destroyed them: Therefore mourne the turrettes and the broken wal∣les together.

Her portes are casten downe to the groūde, her barres are broken and smytten in sonder her kynge and prynces are caryed awaye to the Gentyls. They haue neyther la•••• nor

prophetes, nor yet any vision frō the Lorde.

The Senatours of the daughter Syon syt vpon the grounde in sylence: they haue strawed asthes vpon theyr heades, and gyr∣ded them selues with sacke cloth. The may∣dens of Ierusalem hange downe theyr hea∣des to the grounde. Myne eyes be begyn to fayle me thorowe wepynge, my body is [unspec D] disquyeted / my lyuer is poured vpon the earth, for the great hurt of my people, seyng the chyldren and babes dyd swowne in the streates of the cytye.

Euen when they spake to theyr mothers: where is meate and drynke? for whyle they so sayde, they fell downe in the stretes of the cytie / lyke as they had bene wounded, and some dyed in theyr mothers bosome.

What shall I saye of the, O thou daugh¦ter Ierusalem, to whom shall I lyken the? To whom shal I cōpare the. O y^u daughter Syon, to comforte the withall? Thy hurte [unspec E] is lyke a mayne see, who may heale the?

Thy prophetes haue loked out vaine & folysh thinges for the, they haue not shewed the of thy wyckednes, to kepe the from cap∣tiuite: but haue ouerladen the, and thorowe falshed scatred the abrode. Al they that go by the, clappe theyr handes at the: hissing and waggyng their heades vpon the daugh¦ter Ierusalem, and saye: is this the cyte that men cal so fayre? wherin the whole lande re∣ioyseth? All thyne enemyes gape vpon the: whysperyng and bytyng theyr teth / say∣inge: let vs deuoure, for the tyme that we lo∣ked for, is come: we haue founde and sene it.

The Lorde hath fulfylled the thynge / [unspec F] that he was purposed to do: and {per}fourmed that he had deuysed longe a go: he hath de∣stroyed / and not spared. He hath caused thin aduersary to triūp he ouer the, and set vp the horne of thyne enemy. Let thyne herte crye vnto the Lorde, O y^u cyte of the daugh∣ter Syon: let thy teares runne downe lyke a ryuer daye and nyght: rest not / and let not the aple of thyne cye leaue of. Stāde vp and make thy prater in the first watch of the nyght, poure out thyne herte lyke water be∣fore the Lorde: lyfte vp thyne handes, for the lyues of thy yonge children, that dye of hon∣ger in the stretes. Beholde, O Lorde, and [unspec G] consydre, why haste thou gathered me vp so cleane? Shal the wemē then eate their owne frute, euen chyldren of a spāne longe? Shal the prestes and Prophetes be slayne thus in the Sayntuary of the Lorde? Yong and olde lye behinde the stretes vpon the groūde my maydens and yong men are slayne with the swearde: whome thou in the daye of thy wrathefull indignacyon hast put to deathe: yee: euen thou haste put them to death, and not spared them. My neighbours that are rounde aboute me / haste thou called, as it were to a feast daye: so that in the daye of the Lordes wrathe none escaped, neyther was any lefte behynde. Those that I had brought vp and norished, hath myne enemy destroyed.

CAPI. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.

IAM the man / that (thorowe the rodde [unspec A] of his wrath) haue experience of mysery.

He droue me forth / and led me: yee / in∣to darkenesse / but not in to lyght.

Agaynst me onely he turneth his hande and layeth it euer vpon me.

My slesshe and my skynne hath he made olde / & my bones hath he brused. He hath buylded rounde about me, and closed me in with gall and trauayle. He hath set me in darckenes, as they that be deade for euer.

He hathe so hedged me in / that I can not get out, and hath layed heuy lynckes vpon me. Thoughe I crye and call pyteously / yet heareth he not my prayer. He hathe stopped vp my wayes with foure squared stones, and made my pathes croked.

He layeth wayte for me lyke a Beare, and [unspec B] as a lyon in a hole. He hathe marred my waies, and broken me in peces, he hath laied me wast all together. He hath bente hys bowe, & made me as it were a marke to shut at. The arowes of his quyuer hath he shot, euen into my reynes. I am laughed to scorne of all my people, they make songes vpon me all the daye longe. He hath fyl∣led me with bitternes, and geuen me worm∣wod [unspec C] to drynke. He hath smitten my teeth in peces, & rolled me in the dust. He hathe put my soule out of reste / I forget all good thynges. I thought in my selfe: I am vn done, there is no hope for me in the Lorde.

O Remēbre yet my mysery and my trou∣ble, the wormwod and the gall. Yee / thou shalte remembre them, for my soule melteth awaye in me. Whyle I cōsidre these thin∣ges in my herte, I get a hope agayne.

Namely / that the mercyes of the Lorde are not cleane gone, and that his louynge kyndnesse ceasseth not. Hys faythfulnes is greate, and renueth it selfe as the mor∣nynge. The Lorde is my porcyon, sayeth my soule, therfore wyl I hope in hym.

O howe good is the Lord vnto thē / that put theyr trust in him, and to the soule that

seketh after hym? O howe good is it with stylnes to wayte and tary / for the health of the Lorde? O howe good is it for a man / to take the yoke vpon hym from his youth vp He sytteth alone / he holdeth hym styll, and dwelleth quyetly by hym selfe. [unspec D]

He layeth his face vpon the earth, yf (per∣case) there happen to be any hope. He offe∣reth his cheke to the smyter / he wyll be con∣tent with reproues. For the Lorde wyll not forsake for euer. But thoughe he do cast of yet accordynge to the multytude of his mer∣cyes / he receaueth to grace agayne.

For he doth not plage / and caste out the chyldren of men from his herte.

To treade all the prysoners of the earthe vnder his fete. To moue the iudgement of man before the most highest. To condempne a man in his cause. The Lorde hath not pleasure in suche thynges. What is he then that sayth / there shulde somthynge be done [unspec E] without the Lordes commaundement.

Out of the mouth of the mooste hyghest goeth not euell and good? Wherfore then murmureth the lyuinge man? let hym mur∣mure at his owne synne. Let vs loke well vpon our owne wayes / and remember our selues / and turne agayne to the Lorde.

Let vs lyfte vp our hertes with our han∣des vnto the Lorde that is in heuen.

We haue bene dissemblers / and haue of∣fended / wylt thou therfore not be intreated?

Thou haste couered vs in thy wrath / and persecuted vs / thou hast slayne vs without any fauoure. Thou hast hyd thy selfe in a cloud, that our prayer shulde not go thorow

Thou hast made vs outcastes / and to be despysed amonge the people. All our ene∣myes gape vpon vs. Feare and snare is come vpon vs, yee, despite and destruccyon: [unspec F]

* Whole ryuers of water gusshe out of myne eyes, for the great hurte of my people.

Myne eyes runne, and can not ceasse, for there is no rest. O Lorde, when wylt thou loke downe from heauen, and cousydre?

Myne eye breaketh my herte: because of all the daughters of my cytie. Myne ene∣myes hunted me out sharpely, lyke a byrde / yee, and that without a cause. They haue put downe my lyfe into a pytte, and layed a stone vpon me. They poured water vpon my heade, then thought I: nowe am I vn∣done. I called vpon thy name / O Lorde, out of the depe pyt. Thou hast herde my voyce: and hast not turned awaye thyne ea∣res fro my syghynge and cryenge. Thou hast enclyned thy selfe vnto me, when I cal∣led vpon the / and hast sayd: feare not.

Thou (O Lorde) hast mayntyened y^• cause of my soule, and hast redemed my lyfe.

O Lorde, thou hast sene my blasphemers [unspec G] take thou my cause vpon the. Thou hast well consydred howe they go aboute to do me harme / and that all theyre councels are agaynst me. Thou hast herde theyr despy¦teful wordes (O Lorde) yee / and all theyr y∣maginacyons agaynst me. The lyppes of myne enemies / and theyr deuyces that they take agaynst me, all the day longe.

Thou seyst also theyr syttyng downe and theyr rysyng vp / they make theyr songes of nothynge but of me. Rewarde them (O Lorde) accordyng to the workes of theyr hā∣des. Geue them the thynge / that theyr owne herte is afrayed of: euen thy curse.

Persecute them (O Lorde) with thyne in∣dignacion, and rote them out frome vnder the heauen.

CAPI. IIII.

O Howe is the golde become so dymme? [unspec A] Howe is the goodly colour of it so sore chaunged? and the stones of the Sayntua∣ry thus scatred in the corner of euery strete.

The chyldren of Sion that were alway in honour / and clothed with the most precy∣ous golde: howe are they nowe become lyke the erthen vessels / whiche be made with the potters hande? The dragons geue theyr yonge ones sucke with bare brestes: but the daughter of my people is cruell / and dwel∣leth in the wyldernesse: lyke the Estriches.

The tonges of the suckynge chyldren / cleue to the rofe of theyr mouthes for verye thriste. The yonge chyldren aske breade / but there is no man that geueth it them.

They that were wont to fare delycate∣ly peryshe in the stretes: they that afore were brought vp in purple, make nowe muche of [unspec B] donge. The synne of the daughter of my people is become greater then the wicked¦nes of Sodome / that sodēly was destroyed, and not taken with handes. Her abstey∣ners (or Nazarees) were whyter then the snowe or mylke: theyr colour was fresh, reed as Corall, theyr beautie lyke the Saphyre.

But nowe theyr faces very blacke. In so much, that thou shuldest not knowe them in the stretes. Theyr skynne cleueth to their bones▪ It is withered, & become lyke a drye stocke, They that be slayne with y^• swerd are happyer then such as dye of honger, and peryshe away, samyshynge for the frutes of the felde. The wemen (whiche of na∣ture are pytiefull) haue sodden theyr owne

c••dren with their handes; that they might be theyr meate, in the miserable destruccion of y^• daughter of my peopye. The Lorde hath perfourmed hys heuy wrath: he hath poured out y^• furiousnes of his dyspleasure He hath kyndled a fyre in Siō, which hath consumed the foundacions therof.

Nether the kynges of the earth, nor all inhabetours of the worlde / wolde haue be∣leued that the enemy and aduersarye shulde haue come in at the gates of the Cytie of Ie¦rusalem.

Whiche neuerthelesse is come to passe: [unspec C] for the synne of the Prophetes / and for the wyckednesse of her preestes / that haue shed innocentes bloode within her. So that these blynde men wente stomblynge in the streates, and stayned them selues w^t bloude / whiche els wolde touche no bloudy clothe.

But they cryed vnto euery man? slee the staynynge / awaye / get you hence / touche it not. Yee (sayde they) ye muste be brente / ye must dwell amonge the Gentyles, and byde no longer here. The countenaunce of the Lorde hathe banyshed them / and shall neuer loke more vpon them. For they them selues nether regarded the prestes / nor pity∣ed theyr elders. Wherfore yet oure eyes fayle vs, whyle we loke for vayne helpe: seynge we be euer waytynge vpon a people that can do vs no good. They laye so [unspec D] sharpe wayte for vs that we cannot go safe vpon the stretes: for oure ende is come / our dayes are fulfylled, our ende is here.

Our persecuters are swyfter then the Aegels of the ayre / they folowed vpon vs ouer the mountaynes, and layed wayte for vs in the wyldernesse. ☞ The very breth of our mouthe: euen the anoynted Lorde hym selfe shall be taken in oure synnes / of whom we saye: Under his shadowe we shal be preserued amonge the Heythen. And thou (O daughter Edom) that dwelleste in the lande of Huz, be glad and reioyce: for the cuppe shall come vnto the also, which whan thou suppest of, thou shalte be droncken:

Thy synne is well punyshed, (O thou daugter Sion) he shall not suffre the to be caryed awaye any more. But thy wycked¦nes) O daughter Edom) shall he vyset, and for thy synnes sake, he shall lede the into captyuyte.

¶ The prayer of Ie••emye.

CAPI. V.

CAll to remembraunce (O Lorde what [unspec A] we haue suffred / consydre / and se oure confusyon. Oure enherytaunce is turned to the straungers, and our houses to the ale∣auntes. We are become carefull and father∣les, and our mothers are as the wyddowes.

We are sayne to dryncke oure owne water for money, and oure owne wod must we bye with money. Our neckes are vnder persecu¦cyon, we are weery, and haue no reste.

Afore tyme we yelded oure selues to the [unspec B] Egypcians, and now to the Assyrians, only that we might haue bred ynough. Our fa∣thers (whiche nowe are gone) haue syned, and we muste beare theyr wyckednes. Ser∣uauntes haue the rule of vs / and no man delyuereth vs out of theyr handes. We must get our lyuynge with the parel of our lyues, because of y^• drouth of the wildernes. Oure skynne is as it had bene brente in an ouen, for very sore honger. The wyues are raueshed in Syon, and the maydens in the cities of Iuda. The princes are hanged vp with the hand of the enemies, they haue not spared the olde sage men / they haue taken yonge mēnes lyues frō them, and the boyes are hanged vp vpon trees. The elders syt nomore vnder the gates and the yong men vse nomore playenge of musycke. The ioye [unspec C] of oure hert is gone, our mery queer is tur∣ned into mournynge. The garlande of our head is fallen: alas, that euer we synned so sore. Therfore, oure herte is full of he∣uynesse and oure eyes dymme: because of the hyll of Syon, that is destroyed. In so much, that the foxes runne vpon it. But thou, O Lorde, that remayneste for euermore / and thy seate worlde without ende: wherfore wylte thou styll forget vs, and for∣sake vs so long▪ O Lord turne thou vs vnto the and so shall we be turned. Renue our dayes as in olde tunes for thou haste banyshed vs nowe long ynough and haste bene sore dysple sed at vs.

The ende of the lamen∣tacyons of Ie∣remye.

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
• Treno. 4. b
• 1. Pat. 29. a Psal. 8 8. ••
• Iere. vli. ••
• Iere. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Treno. ••. a
• Iere. v. b 14. b. 23. c. 27. b. and 29. b
• D••ute. 4. c and xxx. •• Iere. 29. ••
• Iere xx. b
• Psal. xvi. a
• 3. Reg. ••. d
• Iob. xxxi. b Psal. 14. u
• Eccle. 35. d
• Gene. x••x. ••
• Psal. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. ••
• Deut. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. •• 4. Reg. vi. ••
• Exe••o. ii. a
• Gene. ix. a.
• I••••••. ••ii••. b. Ab••c. ••. b.
• Gene. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. b.
• Ier. xxxi. ••. Eze. xvii•• a
• I. ••. xxxi. ••.