1 The Prophet bewaileth the miserable estate of Ierusalem, 5 And sheweth that they are plagued because of their sinnes. The first and seconde chapter begin euery verse according to the letters of the Ebrewe Alphabet. The thirde hath three verses for euery letter, and the fourth is as the first.

¹ Howe doeth [Note: [a] The Prophet wondreth at the great iudgement of God seeing Ierusalem, which was so strong and so ful of people, to be nowe destroyed and desolate. ] the citie remaine solitarie that was full of people? she is as a widowe: she that was great among the nations, & [Note: [b] Which had chiefe rule ouer many prouinces and countries. ] princesse among the prouinces, is made tributarie.

² She weepeth continually in the [Note: [c] So that she taketh no rest. ] night, and her teares runne downe by her cheekes: among all her [Note: [d] Meaning, the Egyptians and Assyrians, which promised helpe. ] louers, she hath none to comfort her: all her friendes haue delt vnfaithfully with her, and are her enemies.

³ Iudah is caried away captiue because [Note: [e] For her crueltie toward the poore and oppression of seruants, Iere.34. 11. ] of affliction, and because of great seruitude: shee dwelleth among the heathen, and findeth no rest: all her persecuters tooke her in the straites.

⁴ The wayes of Zion lament, because no man commeth [Note: [f] As they vsed to come vp, wt mirth and ioy, Psal.42.4. ] to the solemne feastes: all her gates are desolate: her Priests sigh: her virgins are discomfited, and she is in [Note: Ebr. bitternesse. ] heauinesse.

⁵ Her aduersaries [Note: [g] That is, haue rule ouer her, Deut.28.44. ] are the chiefe, and her enemies prosper: for the Lorde hath afflicted her, for the multitude of her transgressions, and her children are gone into captiuitie before the enemie.

⁶ And from the daughter of Zion all her beautie is departed: her princes are become [Page]

[Note: [h] As men pined away with sorow and that haue no courage. ] like harts that finde no pasture, & they are gone without strength before the pursuer.

⁷ Ierusalem remembred the dayes of her affliction, and of her rebellion, and all her pleasant things, that shee had in times past, when her people [Note: [i] In her miserie she considered the great benefites & commodities that she had lost. ] fell into the hande of the enemie, and none did helpe her: the aduersarie sawe her, and did mocke at her [Note: [k] At her religion and seruing of God, which was ye greatest griefe to the godly. ] Sabbaths.

⁸ Ierusalem hath grieuously sinned, therefore shee is [Note: Or, driuen away. ] in derision: all that honoured her, despise her, because they haue seene her filthinesse: yea, she sigheth and turneth backeward.

⁹ [Note: [l] She is not ashamed of her sinne, although it be manifest. ] Her filthinesse is in her skirts: she remembred not her last ende, therefore she came downe wonderfully: she had no comforter: O Lorde, behold mine affliction: for the enemie [Note: Ebr. hath magnified himselfe. ] is proud.

¹⁰ The enemie hath stretched out his hande vpon al her pleasant things: for she hath seene the heathen enter into her Sanctuarie, whom [Note: [m] God forbiddeth that the Ammonites and Moabites should enter into the Congregation of the Lorde, and vnder them he coprehendeth all enemies, Deut.23.3. ] thou diddest commande, that they shoulde not enter into thy Church.

¹¹ All her people sigh and seeke their bread: they haue giuen their pleasant thinges for meate to refresh the soule: see, O Lorde, and consider: for I am become vile.

¹² Haue ye no regarde, all yee that passe by this way? behold, and see, if there be any [Note: [n] Thus Ierusalem lameteth, mouing others to pitie her and to learne by her example. ] sorowe like vnto my sorowe, which is done vnto mee, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce wrath.

¹³ From aboue hath [Note: [o] This declareth that we shoulde acknowledge God to be the author of al our afflictions, to the intent that we might seeke vnto him for remedy. ] hee sent fire into my bones, which preuaile against them: he hath spred a net for my feete, and turned me backe: hee hath made me desolate, and daily in heauinesse.

¹⁴ The [Note: [p] Mine heauie sinnes are continually before his eyes, as he that tyeth a thing to his hand for a remembrance. ] yoke of my transgressions is bounde vpon his hand: they are wrapped, and come vp vpon my necke: hee hath made my strength to fall: the Lord hath deliuered me into their hands, neither am I able to rise vp.

¹⁵ The Lord hath troden vnder foote all my valiant men in the middes of me: he hath called an assembly against me to destroy my yong men: the Lord hath troden [Note: [q] He hath troden them vnder foote as they treade grapes in the winepresse. ] the wine presse vpon the virgine the daughter of Iudah.

¹⁶ [Note: Iere.14.17. chap. 2.18. ] For these things I weepe: mine eye, euen mine eye casteth out water, because the comforter that should refresh my soule, is farre from me: my children are desolate, because the enemie preuailed.

¹⁷ Zion stretcheth out her handes, and there is none to comfort her: the Lord hath appoynted the enemies of Iaakob rounde about him: Ierusalem is [Note: [r] Which because of her pollution was separate from her husband, Leui. 15.19. and was abhorred for the time. ] as a menstruous woman in the middes of them.

¹⁸ The Lorde is righteous: for I haue rebelled against his [Note: Ebr. mouth. ] commandement: heare, I pray you, all people, and behold my sorowe: my virgins and my yong men are gone into captiuitie.

¹⁹ I called for my louers, but they deceiued me: my Priestes and mine Elders perished in the citie while they [Note: [s] That is, they died for hunger. ] sought their meate to refresh their soules.

²⁰ Behold, O Lorde, howe I am troubled: my bowels swell: mine heart is turned within me, for I am ful of heauinesse: the sword spoyleth abroad, as death doeth at home.

²¹ They haue heard that I mourne, but there is none to comfort mee: all mine enemies haue heard of my trouble, and are glad, that thou hast done it: thou wilt bring the day, that thou hast

pronounced, and they shalbe like vnto me.

²² [Note: [t] Of desiring vengeance against the enemie, reade Iere. 11.20. & 18.21. ] Let al their wickednes come before thee: [Note: Or, gather them like grapes. ] do vnto them, as thou hast done vnto me, for all my transgressions: for my sighes are many, & mine heart is heauy.

¹ Howe hath the Lord [Note: [a] That is, brought her from prosperitie to aduersitie. ] darkened the daughter of Zion in his wrath! and hath cast downe from [Note: [b] Hath giuen her a most sore fall. ] heauen vnto the earth the beautie of Israel, and remembred not his [Note: [c] Alluding to the Temple or to the Arke of the couenant, which was called the footestoole of the Lord, because they shoulde not set their mindes so lowe, but lift vp their hearts toward the heauens. ] footestoole in the day of his wrath!

² The Lord hath destroyed al the habitations of Iaakob, & not spared: he hath throwen downe in his wrath ye strong holds of the daughter of Iudah: he hath cast the downe to ye ground: he hath polluted the kingdome and the princes thereof.

³ Hee hath cut off in his fierce wrath all the [Note: [d] Meaning, ye glory and strength, as 1.Sam.2.1. ] horne of Israel: he hath drawen backe his [Note: [e] That is, his succour which he was wont to send vs, when our enemies oppressed vs. ] right hand from before the enemie, & there was kindled in Iaakob like a flame of fire, which deuoured rounde about.

⁴ He [Note: [f] Shewing, yt there is no remedie but destruction, where God is the enemy. ] hath bent his bowe like an enemie: his right hand was stretched vp as an aduersarie, and slewe al that was pleasant to the eye in the tabernacle of the daughter of Zion: he powred out his wrath like fire.

⁵ The Lord was as an enemie: he hath deuoured Israel, and consumed all his palaces: hee hath destroyed his strong holdes, and hath increased in the daughter of Iudah lamentation and mourning.

⁶ For hee hath destroyed his Tabernacle, as a garden, hee hath destroyed his Congregation: the Lorde hath caused the feastes and Sabbathes to bee forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his wrath the King and the Priest.

⁷ The Lord hath forsaken his altar: he hath abhorred his Sanctuarie: he hath giue into the hand of the enemie the walles of her palaces: they haue made a [Note: [g] As the people were accustomed to prayse God in ye solemne feastes with a loud voyce, so nowe the enemies blaspheme him with shouting and crying. ] noyse in the House of the Lorde, as in the day of solemnitie.

⁸ The Lorde hath determined to destroy the wall of the daughter of Zion: hee stretched out a lyne: hee hath not withdrawen his hande from destroying: therefore hee made the rampart [Note: [h] This is a figuratiue speach, as that was, when he sayd, the wayes did lament, Chap.1.4: meaning, that this sorowe was so great that the insensible things had their part thereof. ] and the wall to lament: they were destroyed together.

⁹ Her gates are sunke to the grounde: he hath destroyed and broken her barres: her King and her princes are among the Gentiles: the Lawe is no more, neither can her Prophets [Note: Or, finde. ] receiue any vision from the Lord.

¹⁰ The Elders of the daughter of Zion sit vpon the grounde, and keepe silence: they haue cast vp dust vpon their heades: they haue girded them selues with sackecloth: the virgines of Ierusalem hang downe their heades to the ground.

¹¹ Mine eyes doe saile with teares: my bowels swell: my liuer is powred vpon the earth, for the destructio of the daughter of my people, because the children and sucklings [Note: Or, faint. ] swoone in the streetes of the citie.

¹² They haue sayd to their mothers, Where is [Note: Ebr. wheate and wine. ] bread and drinke? when they swooned as the wounded in the streetes of the citie, and whe they [Note: Ebr. powred out the soule. ] gaue vp the ghost in their mothers bosome.

¹³ [Note: [i] Meaning, that her calamitie was so euident that it neede no witnesses. ] What thing shall I take to witnesse for thee? what thing shall I compare to thee, O

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daughter Ierusalem? what shal I liken to thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgine daughter Zion? for thy breach is great like ye sea: who can heale thee?
¹⁴ Thy Prophets haue [Note: [k] Because the false prophets called themselues seers, as the other were called, therefore he sheweth that they sawe amisse, because they did not reprooue the peoples faults, but flattered them in their sinnes, which was the cause of their destruction. ] looked out vayne, & foolish things for thee, and they haue not discouered thine iniquitie, to turne away thy captiuitie, but haue looked out for thee false [Note: Or, burdens. ] prophesies, & causes of banishment.

¹⁵ All that passe by the way, clap their hands at thee: they hisse and wagge their head vpon the daughter Ierusalem, saying, Is this the citie that men call, The perfection of beautie, and the ioye of the whole earth?

¹⁶ All thine enemies haue opened their mouth against thee: they hisse and gnashe the teeth, saying, Let vs deuoure it: certainely this is the day that we looked for: we haue founde and seene it.

¹⁷ [Note: Leuit.26.15,25. deut.28.15,25. ] The Lorde hath done that which he had purposed: he hath fulfilled his worde that he had determined of old time: he hath throwen downe, and not spared: hee hath caused thine enemie to reioyce ouer thee, and set vp the horne of thine aduersaries.

¹⁸ Their heart [Note: Iere.14.17. chap.1.16. ] cryed vnto the Lord, O wall of the daughter Zion, let teares runne downe like a riuer, day and night: take thee no rest, neither let the apple of thine eye cease.

¹⁹ Arise, cry in the night: in the beginning of the watches powre out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift vp thine handes towarde him for the life of thy yong children, that faint for hunger in the corners of all the streetes.

²⁰ Beholde, O Lord, and consider to whome thou hast done thus: shall the women eate their fruite, and children of a [Note: Or, brought vp in their owne hands. ] spanne long? shall the Priest and the Prophet be slaine in the Sanctuarie of the Lord?

²¹ The yong and the olde lie on the ground in the streetes: my virgins and my yong men are fallen by the sworde: thou hast slaine them in the day of thy wrath: thou hast killed and not spared.

²² Thou hast called as in a solemne daye my [Note: Or, enemies, whom I feared. ] terrours rounde about, so that in the day of the Lordes wrath none escaped nor remained: those that I haue nourished and brought vp, hath mine enemie consumed.

¹ I am the man, that hath seene [Note: [a] The Prophet complaineth of ye punishments & afflictios yt he endured by ye false prophets and hypocrites, when he declared the destruction of Ierusalem, as Iere.20.2. ] affliction in the rod of his indignation.

² He hath ledde mee, and brought me into darkenes, but not to light.

³ Surely he is turned against me: he turneth his hand against me all the day.

⁴ My flesh and my skinne hath he caused to waxe olde, and he hath broken my bones.

⁵ He hath [Note: [b] He speaketh this as one that felt Gods heauy iudgements, which he greatly feared, and therefore setteth them out with this diuersity of words. ] builded against me, and compassed me with gall, and labour.

⁶ He hath set me in darke places, as they that be dead for euer.

⁷ He hath hedged about mee, that I cannot get out: he hath made my chaines heauy.

⁸ Also when I cry and showte, hee shutteth out my [Note: [c] This is a great tentation to the godly, when they see not the fruite of their prayers, and causeth them to thinke that they are not heard, which thing God vseth to doe, that they might pray more earnestly and the oftener. ] prayer.

⁹ He hath [Note: [d] And keepeth mee in holde as a prisoner. ] stopped vp my wayes with hewen stone, and turned away my paths.

¹⁰ [Note: [e] He hath no pitie on me. ] He was vnto me as a beare lying in waite, and as a Lion in secret places.

¹¹ He hath stopped my wayes, and pulled me in pieces: he hath made me desolate.

¹² He hath bent his bow & made me a marke for the arrow.

¹³ Hee caused [Note: Ebr. sonnes. ] the arrowes of his quiuer to enter into my reines.

¹⁴ I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day.

¹⁵ He hath filled me with bitternes, & made me drunken with [Note: [f] With great anguish & sorow he hath made me to lose my sense. ] wormewood.

¹⁶ He hath also broken my teeth with stones, and hath couered me with ashes.

¹⁷ Thus my soule was farre off from peace: I forgate prosperitie,

¹⁸ And I saide, My strength & mine hope [Note: [g] Thus with paine he was driuen to and fro betweene hope & despaire, as ye godly oft times are, yet in the ende the Spirit getteth the victorie. ] is perished from the Lord,

¹⁹ Remembring mine affliction, & my mourning, the wormewood and the gall.

²⁰ My soule hath them in remembrance, and is humbled [Note: [h] He sheweth that God thus vseth to exercise his, to the intent that hereby they may knowe themselues & feele his mercies. ] in me.

²¹ I consider this in mine heart: therefore haue I hope.

²² It is the Lordes [Note: [i] Considering the wickednes of man, it is maruel yt any remaineth aliue: but only that God for his owne mercies sake & for his promes will euer haue his Church to remaine though they be neuer so fewe in nomber, Isa.1.9. ] mercies that wee are not consumed, because his compassions faile not.

²³ They are renued [Note: [k] We feele thy benefites dayly. ] euery morning: great is thy faithfulnesse.

²⁴ The Lorde is my [Note: [l] The godly put their whole confidence in God, and therfore looke for none other inheritance, as Psa.16.5. ] portion, sayth my soule: therefore wil I hope in him.

²⁵ The Lord is good vnto them, that trust in him, and to the soule that seeketh him.

²⁶ It is good both to trust, and to waite for the saluation of the Lord.

²⁷ It is good for a man that he beare the yoke in his [Note: [m] He sheweth that we can neuer begin too timely to be exercised vnder the crosse, that when the afflictios grow greater, our patience also by experience may be stronger. ] youth.

²⁸ He sitteth alone, [Note: [n] He murmureth not against God, but is patient. ] and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it vpon him.

²⁹ He putteth his [Note: [o] He humbleth himselfe as they that fall downe with their face to the ground, and so with paciece waiteth for succour. ] mouth in the dust, if there may be hope.

³⁰ Hee giueth his cheeke to him that smiteth him: he is filled full with reproches.

³¹ For the Lord will not forsake for euer.

³² But though he sende affliction, yet will he haue compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

³³ For he doeth not [Note: [p] He taketh no pleasure in it, but doth it of necessitie for our amedement, when he suffreth ye wicked to oppresse the poore ] punish [Note: Ebr. with his heart. ] willingly, nor afflict the children of men,

³⁴ In stamping vnder his feete all the prisoners of the earth,

³⁵ In ouerthrowing the right of a man before the face of the most high,

³⁶ In subuerting a man in his cause: the Lord [Note: [q] He doeth not delite therein. ] seeth it not.

³⁷ Who is he then that sayth, & it commeth to passe, and the Lord [Note: [r] He sheweth that nothing is done without Gods prouidence. ] commandeth it not?

³⁸ Out of the mouth of the most high proceedeth not [Note: [s] That is, aduersitie, & prosperitie, Amos 3.6. ] euill and good?

³⁹ Wherefore then is the liuing [Note: [t] When God afflicteth him. ] man sorowfull? man suffreth for his sinne.

⁴⁰ Let vs search and try our wayes, and turne againe to the Lord.

⁴¹ Let vs lift vp [Note: [u] That is, both hearts and hands: for els to lift vp the hands is but hypocrisie. ] our hearts with our handes vnto God in the heauens.

⁴² We haue sinned, and haue rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared.

⁴³ Thou hast couered vs with wrath, and persecuted vs: thou hast slaine and not spared.

⁴⁴ Thou hast couered thy selfe with a cloude, that our prayer should not passe through.
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⁴⁵ Thou hast made vs as the [Note: 1.Cor.4.13. ] ofscouring and refuse in the middes of the people.

⁴⁶ All our enemies haue opened their mouth against vs.

⁴⁷ Feare, and a snare is come vpon vs with desolation and destruction.

⁴⁸ Mine eye casteth out riuers of water, for the destruction of the daughter of my people.

⁴⁹ Mine eye droppeth without stay and ceaseth not,

⁵⁰ Till the Lorde looke downe, and beholde from heauen.

⁵¹ Mine eye [Note: [x] I am ouercome with sore weeping for all my people. ] breaketh mine heart because of all the daughters of my citie.

⁵² Mine enemies chased me sore like a birde, without cause.

⁵³ They haue shut vp my life [Note: [y] Reade Iere.37. 16. how he was in the miry dungeon. ] in the dungeon, and cast a stone vpon me.

⁵⁴ Waters flowed ouer mine head, then thought I, I am destroyed.

⁵⁵ I called vpon thy Name, O Lorde, out of the lowe dungeon.

⁵⁶ Thou hast heard my voyce: stoppe not thine eare from my sigh and from my cry.

⁵⁷ Thou drewest neere in the day that I called vpon thee: thou saydest, Feare not.

⁵⁸ O Lord, thou hast maintained the cause of my [Note: [z] Meaning, the cause wherfore his life was in danger. ] soule, and hast redeemed my life.

⁵⁹ O Lorde, thou hast seene my wrong, iudge thou my cause.

⁶⁰ Thou hast seene all their vengeance, and all their deuises against me.

⁶¹ Thou hast heard their reproch, O Lord, and all their imaginations against me:

⁶² The lippes also of those that rose against me, and their whispering against me continually.

⁶³ Behold, their sitting downe and their rising vp, how I am their song.

⁶⁴ [Note: Psal.28.4. ] Giue them a recompence, O Lord, according to the worke of their handes.

⁶⁵ Giue them [Note: Or, an obstinate heart. ] sorow of heart, euen thy curse to them.

⁶⁶ Persecute with wrath & destroy them from vnder the heauen, O Lord.

¹ How is the [Note: [a] By the golde he meaneth the Princes, as by ye stones he vnderstandeth the Priests. ] golde become so [Note: Or, hid. ] dimme? the most fine golde is changed, and the stones of the Sanctuarie are scattered in the corner of euery streete.

² The noble [Note: Or, sonnes. ] men of Zion coparable to fine golde, howe are they esteemed as earthen [Note: [b] Which are of small estimation & haue none honour. ] pitchers, euen the worke of the handes of the potter!

³ Euen the dragons [Note: [c] Though the dragons be cruell, yet they pitie their yong and nourish them, which thing Ierusalem doeth not. ] draw out the breastes, and giue sucke to their yong, but the daughter of my people is become cruell like the [Note: [d] The women forsake their children, as the Ostrich doth her egges, Iob.39.17. ] ostriches in the wildernesse.

⁴ The tongue of the sucking childe cleaueth to the roofe of his mouth for thirst: the yong children aske bread, but no man breaketh it vnto them.

⁵ They that did feede delicately, perish in the streetes: they that were brought vp in skarlet, embrace the dongue.

⁶ For the iniquitie of the daughter of my people is become greater then the sinne of Sodom, that was [Note: Gen.19.25. ] destroyed as in a moment, & [Note: Or, no strength was against her. ] none pitched campes against her.

⁷ Her [Note: Nomb.62. ] Nazarites were purer then the snowe, & whiter then ye milke: they were more ruddie in bodie, then the redde precious stones; they were

like polished saphir.

⁸ Nowe their [Note: [e] They that were before most in Gods fauour, are nowe in greatest abomination vnto him. ] visage is blacker then a cole: they can not knowe them in the streetes: their skinne cleaueth to their bones: it is withered like a stocke.

⁹ They that be slaine with the sword are better, then they that are killed with hunger: for they fade away as they were striken through for the [Note: [f] For lacke of foode they pine away, & consume. ] fruites of the fielde.

¹⁰ The hands of the pitifull women haue sodden their owne children, which were their meate in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

¹¹ The Lord hath accomplished his indignation: he hath powred out his fierce wrath, he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath deuoured the foundations thereof.

¹² The Kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not haue beleeued that the aduersarie and the enemie should haue entred into the gates of Ierusalem:

¹³ For the sinnes of her Prophets, and the iniquities of her Priests, that haue shed the blood of the iust in the middes of [Note: [g] He meaneth that these things are come to passe therefore, contrary to all mens expectation. ] her.

¹⁴ They haue wandred as blinde men [Note: [h] Some referre this to the blinde men, which as they went, stumbled on the blood, whereof the citie was full. ] in the streetes, and they were polluted with blood, so that [Note: [i] Meaning, the heathen, which came to destroy them, could not abide them. ] they would not touch their garments.

¹⁵ But they cried vnto them, Depart, ye polluted, depart, depart, touch not: therefore they fled away, and wandered: they haue sayd among the heathen, They shal no more dwell there.

¹⁶ The [Note: Or, face. ] anger of the Lorde hath scattered them, he will no more regard them: [Note: [k] That is, the enemies. ] they reuerenced not the face of the Priestes, nor had compassion of the Elders.

¹⁷ Whiles we waited for our vaine helpe, our eyes failed: for in our waiting we looked for [Note: [l] He sheweth two principal causes of their destruction: their crueltie, and their vaine confidence in man: for they trusted in the helpe of the Egyptians. ] a nation that could not saue vs.

¹⁸ They hunt our steppes that we cannot goe in our streetes: our ende is neere, our dayes are fulfilled, for our ende is come.

¹⁹ Our persecuters are swifter then the egles of the heauen: they pursued vs vpon the mountaines, and layed waite for vs in the wildernes.

²⁰ The [Note: [m] Our King Iosiah, in whom stood our hope of Gods fauor, & on whom depeded our state & life, was slaine, whom he calleth anointed, because he was a figure of Christ. ] breath of our nostrels, the Anoynted of the Lord was taken in their nets, of whome we sayde, Vnder his shadowe we shalbe preserued aliue among the heathen.

²¹ Reioyce and be glad, [Note: [n] This is spoken by derision. ] O daughter Edom, that dwellest in the lande of Vz, the cuppe also shal passe through vnto thee: thou shalt be drunken [Note: Or, shew thy nakednes. ] and vomit.

²² Thy punishment is accomplished, O daughter Zion: he [Note: [o] He comforteth the Church by that after seuentie yeeres their sorowes shal haue an ende, whereas the wicked should be tormented for euer. ] will no more carie thee away into captiuitie, but he will visite thine iniquitie, O daughter Edom, he wil discouer thy sinnes.

The prayer of Ieremiah.

¹ Remember, O Lorde, what is come vpon vs: [Note: [a] This praier as is thought, was made when some of the people were caried away captiue, others, as ye poorest remained, & some went into Egypt & other places for succour: albeit it seemeth that the prophet foreseeing their miseries to come, thus prayed. ] consider, and behold our reproche.

² Our inheritance is turned to the strangers, our houses to the aliants.

³ We are fatherles, euen without father, and our mothers are as widowes.

⁴ Wee haue drunke our [Note: [b] Meaning, their extreme seruitude and bondage. ] water for money, and our wood is solde vnto vs.

⁵ Our neckes are vnder persecution: we are wearie, and haue no rest.

⁶ We haue giuen our [Note: [c] We are ioyned in league and amitie with them, or haue submitted our selues vnto them. ] handes to the Egyptians,

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and to Asshur, to be satisfied with bread.
⁷ Our fathers haue sinned, and are not, and we haue borne their [Note: [d] As our fathers haue bin punished for their sinnes, so we yt are culpable of the same sinnes, are punished. ] iniquities.

⁸ Seruants haue ruled ouer vs, none would deliuer vs out of their hands.

⁹ Wee gate our bread with the perill of our liues, because of the sword [Note: [e] Because of the enemie yt came fro the wildernes, and would not suffer vs to go, & seeke our necessary foode. ] of the wildernesse.

¹⁰ Our skinne was blacke like as an ouen because of the terrible famine.

¹¹ They defiled the women in Zion, and the maydes in the cities of Iudah.

¹² The princes are hanged vp by [Note: [f] That is, by the enemies hand. ] their hande: the faces of the elders were not had in honour.

¹³ They tooke the yong men to grinde, and the children fell vnder [Note: [g] Their slauery was so great, that they were not able to abide it. ] the wood.

¹⁴ The Elders haue ceased from the [Note: [h] There were no more lawes nor forme of common wealth. ] gate and the yong men from their songs.

¹⁵ The ioy of our heart is gone, our daunce is turned into mourning.

¹⁶ The crowne of our head is fallen: wo nowe vnto vs, that we haue sinned.

¹⁷ Therefore our heart is heauy for these things, our [Note: [i] With weeping. ] eyes are dimme,

¹⁸ Because of the mountaine of Zion which is desolate: the foxes runne vpon it.

¹⁹ But thou, O Lord, remainest for [Note: [k] And therefore thy couenant and mercies can neuer faile. ] euer: thy throne is from generation to generation.

²⁰ Wherefore doest thou forget vs for euer, and forsake vs so long time?

²¹ [Note: [l] Whereby is declared that it is not in mans power to turne to God, but is onely his worke to conuert vs, and thus God worketh in vs before we can turne to him, Iere. 31. 18. ] Turne thou vs vnto thee, O Lord, and we shalbe turned: renue our dayes as of olde.

²² But thou hast vtterly reiected vs: thou art exceedingly angry against vs.