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[1]This is the booke of the commaundementes of God, and the law that endureth for euer: all they that kepe it shall come to lyfe, but such as forsake it shall come to death.
[2]Turne thee O Iacob, and take holde of it, walke by this way thorowe his brightnesse and shyne.
[3]Geue not thyne honour to another, and thy worship to a straunge people.
[4]O Israel, howe happy are we, seyng that God hath shewed vs such thinges as are pleasaunt vnto hym?
[5]Be of good cheare thou people of God, O thou auncient Israel.
[6]Now are ye solde among the heathen, howbeit not for your vtter destruction: but because ye prouoked God the Lorde to wrath and displeasure, therfore were ye deliuered vnto your enemies.
[7]For ye displeased the euerlasting God that made you, offering vnto deuils, and not to God.
[8]Ye haue forgotten hym that brought you vp, and ye haue greeued Hierusalem that nursed you.
[9]When she sawe that the wrath of God was comming vpon you, she said: Hearken O ye that dwell about Sion, for God hath brought me into great heauinesse.
[10]And why? I see the captiuitie of my people, of my sonnes and daughters, which the euerlasting God will bring vpon them.
[11]With ioy dyd I norishe them: but nowe must I leaue them with weeping and sorowe.
[12]Let no man reioyce ouer me wyddowe and forsaken, which for the sinnes of my children am desolate of euery man: For why? they departed from the lawe of God.
[13]They woulde not know his righteousnesse, nor walke in the way of his commaundementes: and as for the pathes of trueth and godlinesse, they had no lust to go in them.
[14]O ye dwellers about Sion, come and let vs call to remembraunce the captiuitie that the euerlasting God hath brought vpon my sonnes & my daughters.
[15]He hath brought a people vpon them from farre, an vncurteous people, and of a straunge language: whiche neither regarde the olde, nor pitie the young.
[16]These haue caried away the deare beloued of my widdowes, leauing me alone both desolate and childlesse.
[17]But alas, what can I helpe you?
[18]Nowe he that brought these plagues vpon you, deliuer you also from the handes of your enemies.
[19]Go your way O my children, go your way: for I am desolate and forsaken.
[20]I haue put of the clothing of peace, & put vpon me the sacke cloth of prayer, and for my time I will call vpon the most hyghest.
[21]Be of good cheare O my children, crye vnto the Lorde, and he shall deliuer you from the power of the princes your enemies.
[22]For veryly I haue euer a good hope of your prosperous health, yea a very gladnesse is come vpon me from the holy one, because of the mercie that ye shal haue of our euerlasting sauiour.
[23]With mourning and weeping dyd I let you go fro me: but with ioy and perpetuall gladnesse shall the Lorde bring you againe vnto me.
[24]Like as the neyghbours of Sion saw your captiuitie from God: euen so shall they also see shortly your health in God, which shall come on you with great honour and euerlasting worship.
[25]O my children, suffer patiently the wrath that shal come vpon you: for the enemie hath persecuted thee, but shortly thou shalt see his destruction, and shalt treade vpon his necke.
[26]My dearlinges haue gone rough hard wayes, for they are led away as a flocke that is scattered abrode with the enemies.
[27]But be of good comfort O my children, and crye vnto the Lorde: for he that led you away, hath you yet in remembraunce.
[28]And like as ye haue ben mynded to swarue from your God: so shall ye now endeuour your selues ten times more to turne againe, and to seke him.
[29]For he that hath brought these plagues vpon you, shall bring you euerlasting ioy againe with your health.
[30]Take a good heart vnto thee O Hierusalem: for he whiche gaue thee that name, exhorteth thee so to do.
[31]The wicked doers that now put thee to trouble, shall perishe: & such as haue reioyced at thy fall, shalbe punished.
[32]The cities whom thy children serue, and that haue caryed away thy sonnes, shalbe corrected.
[33]For like as they be nowe glad of thy decay, and reioyce at thy fal: so shal they mourne in their owne destruction.
[34]The ioy of their multitude shalbe taken away, and their cheare shalbe turned to sorowe.
[35]For a fire shall fall vpon them from the euerlasting God long to endure, & it shal be inhabited of deuyls for a great season.
[36]O Hierusalem, loke about thee toward the east, and beholde the ioy that commeth vnto thee from God.
[37]For lo, thy sonnes whom thou hast forsaken, and that were scattered abrode, come gathered together from the east and west, reioycing in the worde of the holy one, vnto the honour of God.
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