1 She is the scroll containing God’s commandments,the Law that exists forever.All who hold on to her will live,but those who desert her will die.
2 Jacob, turn and grab on to her.Travel toward the rayscoming from her light.
3 Don’t give your honor to anotheror your advantages to a foreign nation.
4 Israel, we are blessedbecause we knowwhat is pleasing to God.
5 Be confident, my people,you who are the legacy of Israel!
6 You weren’t sold to the nationsfor complete destruction,but you were handed overto your opponentsbecause you made God angry.
7 You upset your creatorwhen you sacrificed to demonsand not to God.
8 You forgot the eternal Godwho raised you;and you caused pain to Jerusalem,who nurtured you.
9 Jerusalem saw the wrath of Godthat came on you and said:Neighbors of Zion, listen!God has brought me great grief.
10 I have watched my sons and daughters taken captive,the action of the eternal one.
11 I nursed them joyfully,but I sent them awaywith tears and mourning.
12 Don’t any of you rejoice over me,a widow deserted by many.My children avoided God’s Law,so I was stripped barebecause of their sins.
13 They didn’t acknowledgeGod’s requirements,walk in the ways ofGod’s commandments,or follow the paths in whichhis righteousness trained them.
14 Neighbors of Zion, come!Remember the exilemy sons and daughters suffered,brought on them by the eternal one.
15 God brought a nationfrom far away against them,a nation that is shamelessand speaks a strange language,that showed no respect for the elderly or pity for the child.
16 It took away the widow’sdearly loved sonsand deprived the lonely womanof her daughters.
17 But how am I able to help you?
18 The one who broughtthe horrible things on youwill rescue youfrom your enemies’ grasp.
19 Go, children, go,for I have been left desolate.
20 I’ve stripped off the robe of peace and put on the rough cloth of mourners.I’ll spend my days crying outto the eternal one.
21 Children, be confident! Cry out to God!God will rescue you from your enemies’ authority and grip.
22 I have placed hope in the eternal onefor your salvation;the holy one has sent me joy,because your eternal saviorwill soon have mercy on you.
23 I sent you awaywith mourning and wailing,but God will restore you to mewith gladness and joy forever.
24 Just as Zion’s neighborshave now seen your exile,they’ll also soon seeGod’s deliverance of you;it will come to you with all the glory and splendor of the eternal one.
25 Children, bear up patientlyunder God’s anger,which has come on you.Your enemy has hunted you down,but you’ll soon see their destruction.Then you’ll step on their throats.
26 My delicate childrenhave traveled rough roads.They were taken as a flocksnatched away by enemies.
27 Children, be confident!Cry out to God,for the one who brought this on you will remember you.
28 Just as you plottedto stray away from God,return with ten times as much effortto seek him out.
29 The one who broughtthese horrible things on youwill bring you eternal joyalong with your deliverance.
30 Jerusalem, be confident!The one who named you will comfort you.
31 Misery will fall upon thosewho mistreated youand celebrated your fall.
32 Misery will fall upon the citiesthat enslaved your young.Misery will fall upon the citiesthat received your children.
33 Just as the enemy celebrated your falland rejoiced at your misfortune,she herself will feel the painof being left desolate.
34 I’ll strip away the prideshe has in her great population,and turn her arrogance into grief.
35 The eternal one will send fire on herfor many days,and demons will inhabit herfor a long time.
36 Jerusalem, look to the eastand see the joy that is comingto you from God.
37 The children you sent away are coming.By the holy one’s word,they are coming from the eastand the west,rejoicing in God’s glory.