Liber Baruch, 4

1. hic liber mandatorum Dei et lex quæ est in æternum omnes qui tenent eam ad vitam qui autem dereliquerint eam in mortem

1. This is the book of the commandments of God, and the law, that is for ever: all they that keep it, shall come to life: but they that have forsaken it, to death.

2. convertere Jacob et adprehende eam ambula per viam ad splendorem ejus contra lumen ejus

2. Return, O Jacob, and take hold of it, walk in the way by its brightness, in the presence of the light thereof.

3. ne tradas altero gloriam tuam et dignitatem tuam genti alienæ

3. Give not thy honour to another, nor thy dignity to a strange nation.

4. beati sumus Israël quoniam quæ Deo placent nobis manifesta sunt

4. We are happy, O Israel: because the things that are pleasing to God, are made known to us.

5. animæquior esto populus Dei memorabilis Israël

5. Be of good comfort, O people of God, the memorial of Israel:

6. venundati estis gentibus non in perditionem sed propter quod in ira ad iracundiam provocastis Deum traditi estis adversariis

6. You have been sold to the Gentiles, not for your destruction: but because you provoked God to wrath, you are delivered to your adversaries.

7. exacerbastis enim eum qui fecit vos Deum æternum immolantes dæmoniis et non Deo

7. For you have provoked him who made you, the eternal God, offering sacrifice to devils, and not to God.

8. obliti autem estis eum qui nutrivit vos et contristastis nutricem vestram Hierusalem

8. For you have forgotten God, who brought you up, and you have grieved Jerusalem that nursed you.

9. vidit enim iracundiam a Deo venientem vobis et dixit audite confines Sion adduxit enim mihi Deus luctum magnum

9. For she saw the wrath of God coming upon you, and she said: Give ear, all you that dwell near Sion, for God hath brought upon me great mourning:

10. vidi enim captivitatem populi mei filiorum meorum et filiarum quam superduxit illis Æternus

10. For I have seen the captivity of my people, of my sons, and my daughters, which the Eternal hath brought upon them.

11. nutrivi enim illos cum jucunditate dimisi autem illos cum fletu et luctu

11. For I nourished them with joy: but I sent them away with weeping and mourning.

12. nemo gaudeat super me viduam et desolatam a multis derelicta sum propter peccata filiorum meorum quia declinaverunt a lege Dei

12. Let no man rejoice over me, a widow, and desolate: I am forsaken of many for the sins of my children, because they departed from the law of God.

13. justitias autem ipsius nescierunt nec ambulaverunt per vias mandatorum Dei neque per semitas veritatis ejus cum justitia ingressi sunt

13. And they have not known his justices, nor walked by the ways of God's commandments, neither have they entered by the paths of his truth and justice.

14. veniant confines Sion et memorentur captivitatem filiorum et filiarum mearum quam superduxit illis Æternus

14. Let them that dwell about Sion come, and remember the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Eternal hath brought upon them.

15. adduxit enim super illos gentem de longinquo gentem inprobam et alterius linguæ

15. For he hath brought a nation upon them from afar, a wicked nation, and of a strange tongue:

16. qui non sunt reveriti senem neque puerorum miserti sunt et abduxerunt dilectos viduæ et a filiis unicam desolaverunt

16. Who have neither reverenced the ancient, nor pitied children, and have carried away the beloved of the widow, and have left me all alone without children.

17. ego autem quid possum adiuvare vos

17. But as for me, what help can I give you?

18. qui enim adduxit super vos mala ipse vos eripiet de manibus inimicorum vestrorum

18. But he that hath brought the evils upon you, he will deliver you out of the hands of your enemies.

19. ambulate filii ambulate ego enim derelicta sum sola

19. Go your way, my children, go your way: for I am left alone.

20. exui me stola pacis indui autem me sacco obsecrationis et clamabo ad Altissimum in diebus meis

20. I have put off the robe of peace, and have put upon me the sackcloth of supplication, and I will cry to the most High in my days.

21. animæquiores estote filii clamate ad Dominum et eripiet vos de manu principum inimicorum

21. Be of good comfort, my children, cry to the Lord, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the princes your enemies.

22. ego enim speravi in Æternum salutem vestram et venit mihi gaudium a Sancto super misericordia quæ veniet vobis ab Æterno salutari nostro

22. For my hope is in the Eternal that he will save you: and joy is come upon me from the Holy One, because of the mercy which shall come to you from our everlasting Saviour.

23. emisi enim vos cum luctu et ploratu reducet autem vos mihi Deus cum gaudio et jucunditate in sempiternum

23. For I sent you forth with mourning and weeping: but the Lord will bring you back to me with joy and gladness for ever.

24. sicut enim viderunt vicinæ Sion captivitatem vestram sic videbunt et in celeritate salutem vestram a Deo quæ superveniet vobis cum honore magno et splendore æterno

24. For as the neighbours of Sion have now seen your captivity from God: so shall they also shortly see your salvation from God, which shall come upon you with great honour, and everlasting glory.

25. filii patienter sustinete iram quæ supervenit vobis persecutus est enim te inimicus tuus sed cito videbis perditionem ipsius et super cervices ipsius ascendes

25. My children, suffer patiently the wrath that is come upon you: for thy enemy hath persecuted thee, but thou shalt quickly see his destruction: and thou shalt get up upon his neck.

26. delicati mei ambulaverunt vias asperas ducti sunt enim ut grex direptus ab inimicis

26. My delicate ones have walked rough ways, for they were taken away as a flock made a prey by the enemies.

27. animæquiores estote filii et proclamate ad Deum erit enim memoria vestra ab eo qui ducit vos

27. Be of good comfort, my children, and cry to the Lord: for you shall be remembered by him that hath led you away.

28. sicut enim fuit sensus vester ut erraretis a Deo decies tantum iterum convertentes requiretis eum

28. For as it was your mind to go astray from God; so when you return again you shall seek him ten times as much.

29. qui enim induxit vobis mala ipse rursum adducet vobis sempiternam jucunditatem cum salute vestra

29. For he that hath brought evils upon you, shall bring you everlasting joy again with your salvation.

30. animæquior esto Hierusalem exhortatur enim te qui te nominavit

30. Be of good heart, O Jerusalem: for he exhorteth thee, that named thee.

31. nocentes parebunt qui te vexaverunt et qui gratulati sunt in tua ruina punientur

31. The wicked that have afflicted thee, shall perish: and they that have rejoiced at thy ruin, shall be punished.

32. civitates quibus servierunt filii tui punietur quæ accepit filios tuos

32. The cities which thy children have served, shall be punished: and she that received thy sons.

33. sicut enim gavisa est in tua ruina et lætata est in tuo casu sic contristabitur in sua desolatione

33. For as she rejoiced at thy ruin, and was glad of thy fall: so shall she be grieved for her own desolation.

34. et amputabitur exultatio multitudinis ejus et gaudimonium ejus erit in luctum

34. And the joy of her multitude shall be cut off: and her gladness shall be turned to mourning.

35. ignis enim superveniet ei ab Æterno in longiturnis diebus et habitabitur a dæmoniis in multitudinem temporis

35. For fire shall come upon her from the Eternal, long to endure, and she shall be inhabited by devils for a great time.

36. circumspice Hierusalem ad orientem et vide jucunditatem a Deo tibi venientem

36. Look about thee, O Jerusalem, towards the east, and behold the joy that cometh to thee from God.

37. ecce enim veniunt filii tui quos dimisisti dispersos veniunt collecti ab oriente usque ad occidentem in verbo Sancti gaudentes in honorem Dei

37. For behold thy children come, whom thou sentest away scattered, they come gathered together from the east even to the west, at the word of the Holy One rejoicing for the honour of God.