Liber Baruch, 4

1. Ipsa est liber praeceptorum Dei et lex, quae permanet in aeter num. Omnes, qui tenent eam, ad vitam; qui autem relinquunt eam, morientur.

1. She is the book of the commandments of God, and the law that endures for ever. All who hold her fast will live, and those who forsake her will die.

2. Convertere, Iacob, et apprehende eam; perambula ad splendorem in lumine eius.

2. Turn, O Jacob, and take her; walk toward the shining of her light.

3. Noli dare alteri gloriam tuam et dignitates tuas genti alienae.

3. Do not give your glory to another, or your advantages to an alien people.

4. Beati sumus, Israel, quia, quae placent Deo, nobis nota sunt.

4. Happy are we, O Israel, for we know what is pleasing to God.

5. Confide, popule meus, memoria Israel:

5. Take courage, my people, O memorial of Israel!

6. venumdati estis gentibus non in perditionem, sed, quia irritastis Deum, traditi estis adversariis.

6. It was not for destruction that you were sold to the nations, but you were handed over to your enemies because you angered God.

7. Exacerbastis enim eum, qui fecit vos, sacrificantes daemonibus et non Deo.

7. For you provoked him who made you, by sacrificing to demons and not to God.

8. Obliti autem estis Deum, qui vos pavit, Deum aeternum, et contristastis eam, quae vos enutrivit, Ierusalem.

8. You forgot the everlasting God, who brought you up, and you grieved Jerusalem, who reared you.

9. Vidit enim supervenientem vobis iram a Deo et dixit: “Audite, vicinae Sion: Superinduxit mihi Deus luctum magnum.

9. For she saw the wrath that came upon you from God, and she said: "Hearken, you neighbors of Zion, God has brought great sorrow upon me;

10. Vidi enim captivitatem filiorum meorum et filiarum, quam superinduxit illis Aeternus.

10. for I have seen the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting brought upon them.

11. Nutrivi enim illos cum iucunditate, dimisi autem illos cum fletu et luctu.

11. With joy I nurtured them, but I sent them away with weeping and sorrow.

12. Nemo gaudeat super me, viduam et derelictam a multis; desolata sum propter peccata filiorum meorum, quia declinaverunt a lege Dei.

12. Let no one rejoice over me, a widow and bereaved of many; I was left desolate because of the sins of my children, because they turned away from the law of God.

13. Iustificationes autem eius non cognoverunt neque ambulaverunt in viis mandatorum Dei neque semitas disciplinae in iustitia eius ingressi sunt.

13. They had no regard for his statutes; they did not walk in the ways of God's commandments, nor tread the paths of discipline in his righteousness.

14. Veniant vicinae Sion; et memores estote captivitatis filiorum meorum et filiarum, quam superinduxit illis Aeternus.

14. Let the neighbors of Zion come; remember the capture of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting brought upon them.

15. Superinduxit enim illis gentem de longinquo, gentem improbam et alterius linguae, qui non sunt reveriti senem neque parvulorum miserti sunt

15. For he brought against them a nation from afar, a shameless nation, of a strange language, who had no respect for an old man, and had no pity for a child.

16. et abduxerunt dilectos viduae et a filiabus unicam desolaverunt”.

16. They led away the widow's beloved sons, and bereaved the lonely woman of her daughters.

17. Ego autem, quid possum adiuvare vos?

17. "But I, how can I help you?

18. Qui enim superinduxit in vos mala, eripiet vos de manu inimicorum vestrorum.

18. For he who brought these calamities upon you will deliver you from the hand of your enemies.

19. Abite, filii, abite; ego enim derelicta sum sola.

19. Go, my children, go; for I have been left desolate.

20. Exui me stola pacis, indui autem me cilicio obsecrationis meae, clamabo ad Aeternum in diebus meis.

20. I have taken off the robe of peace and put on the sackcloth of my supplication; I will cry to the Everlasting all my days.

21. Confidite, filii, clamate ad Deum, et eripiet vos de dominatione, de manu inimicorum.

21. "Take courage, my children, cry to God, and he will deliver you from the power and hand of the enemy.

22. Ego enim speravi ab Aeterno salutem vestram; et venit mihi gaudium a Sancto super misericordia, quae veniet vobis cito ab Aeterno, salutari vestro.

22. For I have put my hope in the Everlasting to save you, and joy has come to me from the Holy One, because of the mercy which soon will come to you from your everlasting Savior.

23. Emisi enim vos cum luctu et fletu; reddet autem mihi vos Deus cum gaudio et laetitia in aeternum.

23. For I sent you out with sorrow and weeping, but God will give you back to me with joy and gladness for ever.

24. Nam, sicut nunc viderunt vicinae Sion vestram captivitatem, sic videbunt cito a Deo vestram salutem, quae superveniet vobis cum magna gloria et splendore Aeterni.

24. For as the neighbors of Zion have now seen your capture, so they soon will see your salvation by God, which will come to you with great glory and with the splendor of the Everlasting.

25. Filii, patienter sustinete iram, quae vobis a Deo supervenit; persecutus est te inimicus tuus, sed cito videbis perditionem in cervicem eorum ascendentem.

25. My children, endure with patience the wrath that has come upon you from God. Your enemy has overtaken you, but you will soon see their destruction and will tread upon their necks.

26. Delicati mei ambulaverunt vias asperas, ducti sunt ut grex direptus ab inimicis.

26. My tender sons have traveled rough roads; they were taken away like a flock carried off by the enemy.

27. Confidite, filii, et clamate ad Deum; erit enim vestra ab inductore memoria.

27. "Take courage, my children, and cry to God, for you will be remembered by him who brought this upon you.

28. Nam sicut fuit mens vestra, ut erraretis a Deo, conversi decuplate studium quaerendi eum;

28. For just as you purposed to go astray from God, return with tenfold zeal to seek him.

29. qui enim induxit in vos mala, inducet in vos aeternam iucunditatem cum salute vestra.

29. For he who brought these calamities upon you will bring you everlasting joy with your salvation."

30. Confide, Ierusalem; consolabitur enim te, qui te nominavit.

30. Take courage, O Jerusalem, for he who named you will comfort you.

31. Miseri, qui te nocuerunt et qui exsultati sunt in casu tuo!

31. Wretched will be those who afflicted you and rejoiced at your fall.

32. Miserae civitates, quibus servierunt filii tui; misera, quae accepit filios tuos!

32. Wretched will be the cities which your children served as slaves; wretched will be the city which received your sons.

33. Sicut enim gavisa est in tua ruina et laetata est in tuo casu, ita contristabitur in sua solitudine.

33. For just as she rejoiced at your fall and was glad for your ruin, so she will be grieved at her own desolation.

34. Et amputabo exsultationem multitudinis, et laetitia eius erit in luctum.

34. And I will take away her pride in her great population, and her insolence will be turned to grief.

35. Ignis enim superveniet illi ab Aeterno in dies longinquos, et inhabitabitur a daemoniis plurimum temporis.

35. For fire will come upon her from the Everlasting for many days, and for a long time she will be inhabited by demons.

36. Circumspice ad orientem, Ierusalem, et vide iucunditatem, quae a Deo tibi superventura est.

36. Look toward the east, O Jerusalem, and see the joy that is coming to you from God!

37. Ecce veniunt filii tui, quos emisisti, veniunt congregati ab ortu usque ad occasum verbo Sancti, gaudentes in Dei gloria.

37. Behold, your sons are coming, whom you sent away; they are coming, gathered from east and west, at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God.