1 O ye children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction. 2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman . 3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place. 4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. 5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let us destroy her palaces.
6 ¶ For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. 7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds. 8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited.
9 ¶ Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets. 10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it. 11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days. 12 And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD. 13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. 16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein . 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying , Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken.
18 ¶ Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. 19 Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it. 20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. 21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish. 22 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. 23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. 24 We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail. 25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side.
26 ¶ O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us. 27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try their way. 28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. 29 The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. 30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.
Jeruzāleme tiks izpostīta savu grēku dēļ
1 Tverieties, Benjāmina dēli
no Jeruzālemes,
Tekoā pūtiet ragu
un pār Bēt-Keremu
dedziet nelaimes zīmi,
jo no ziemeļiem slejas ļaunums
un liels posts.
2 Mīlīga gan un maiga
ir Ciānas meita –
bet izdeldēšu!
3 Pār viņu nāks gani
ar saviem avju pulkiem,
tie uzslies ap viņu teltis
un ganīs, kur gribēs.
4 Svētījiet kauju pret viņu!
Uzbrūkam dienvidū!
Vai! mums,
jo diena jau griežas uz galu,
jau izstiepjas vakara ēnas.
5 Celieties, uzbrūkam naktī,
sagraujam viņas mūra pilis!
6 Jo tā saka Pulku Kungs:
“Cērtiet kokus un uzberiet
ap Jeruzālemi aplenkuma valni! –
šai pilsētai jātop piemeklētai
tās varmācības dēļ!
7 Kā aka glabā ūdeni svaigu,
tā viņa saglabā ļaunumu!
Tur dzird apspiešanu un varasdarbus,
manā priekšā vienmēr ir sērgas un rētas!
8 Topi brīdināta, Jeruzāleme,
kamēr es tev neesmu palicis svešs,
kamēr vēl neesmu pārvērtis tevi par izpostījumu,
par zemi, kur neviens nedzīvo.”
9 Tā saka Pulku Kungs:
“Kā vīnogas lasīdams pārlasi
Israēla pārpalikumu,
atkal un atkal
liec savu roku pie stīgām
kā vīnkopis.”
10 Uz ko lai es runāju,
ko lai brīdinu, ka dzird,
redzi, tiem ir neapgraizīto ausis
un tie klausīties nespēj,
redzi, Kunga vārdi tiem par izsmieklu,
tie viņiem netīk.
11 Es, pilns Kunga dusmu,
knapi turos
izliet tās pār bērniem ielās
un pār jaunekļu pulku,
jo gan vīrs, gan sieva tiks sagūstīti,
gan vecis, gan tas, kam papilnam dienu.
12 “Viņu mājas iemantos citi,
tie dabūs gan viņu laukus, gan sievas,
jo es izstiepšu savu roku pār tiem,
kas mīt šajā zemē,”
saka Kungs.
13 “Gan mazi, gan lieli –
visi tīko pēc netaisnas mantas,
gan pravietis, gan priesteris –
visi krāpjas!
14 Manas tautas brūci
tie tik apārstē,
tie saka: miers, miers,
bet miera nav!
15 Nu tie apkaunoti,
jo tie darīja preteklību,
kauna tie nepratās,
goda tie nezināja, –
tādēļ tie kritīs kritējiem līdzi,
tie klups, kad tos piemeklēšu,”
saka Kungs.
16 Tā saka Kungs:
“Uz ceļa stājiet un raugiet,
prasiet pēc mūžsena gājuma –
kur ir labais ceļš?
Tad ejiet pa to!
Atrodiet savām dvēselēm rimtu vietu!
Bet viņi teica: mēs neiesim!
17 Es tiem iecēlu sargus:
klausieties raga skaņās!
Bet viņi teica:
mēs neklausīsimies.
18 Tādēļ klausieties, tautas,
un sapulce, zini,
kas viņiem būs!
19 Klausies, zeme,
redzi, es nesu šai tautai ļaunu –
tas viņu nodomu auglis,
jo manos vārdos tie neklausījās
un manu bauslību nopaļāja.
20 Kam man šis vīraks,
kas atvests no Šebas,
vai labās smaržu niedres
no tālām zemēm,
jūsu sadedzināmie upuri man netīk
un jūsu upuri man nav saldi!”
21 Tādēļ tā saka Kungs:
“Redzi, es likšu šai tautai
klupšanas akmeņus,
un tā pār tiem klups –
tēvi kopā ar dēliem
un kaimiņš ies bojā ar kaimiņu!”
Naidnieks no ziemeļiem
22 Tā saka Kungs:
“Redzi, no ziemeļu zemes nāk tauta,
no zemes nostūriem
šurp taisās liela cilts!
23 Loku un bozi tie tver,
tie ir cieti, tiem līdzjūtības nav,
viņu balss šņāc kā jūra,
uz zirgiem tie jāj
jau sarindojušies kaujai –
pret tevi, Ciānas meita!”
24 Mēs dzirdējām baumas par to,
mums nošļuka rokas,
mūs sakampa sāpes
kā dzemdētāju.
25 Uz lauka nenāc,
uz ceļa neej,
jo naidniekam zobens –
visapkārt šaušalas.
26 Mana tautmeita!
Joz maisu,
vārties pīšļos,
sēro kā par vienīgo dēlu
un vaidi rūgtās žēlabās,
jo pār mums
piepeši nāks postītājs!
27 “Es tevi darīju
par tādu, kas pārbauda metālu,
par cietoksni manā tautā –
lai tu zini un iztausti viņu ceļus.
28 Viņi visi ir pilni spīts,
staigā žvankstēdami, –
kā varš un dzelzs! –
viņi visi ir postītāji!”
29 Plēšas sveilē,
no uguns sanāk svins,
velti kausēts –
ļaunie nav atšķirti nost!
30 Uz viņiem sauks:
nederīgs sudrabs! –
jo tos atmetis Kungs.
