¹And it came to pass after seven days, that the word of God carne to me, and said unto me:

²'Tell Jeremiah to go and support the captivity of the people unto Babylon.

³But dost thou remain here amid the desolation of Zion, and I will shew unto thee after these days 'what will befall at the end of days.'

⁴And I said unto Jeremiah as the Lord commanded me.

⁵And he, indeed, departed with the people, but I, Baruch, returned and sat before the gates of the temple, and I lamented with the following lamentation over Zion and said:

⁶Blessed is he who was not born, Or he, who having been born, has died.

⁷But as for us who live, woe unto us, Because we see the afflictions of Zion, And what has befallen Jerusalem.

⁸I will call the Sirens from the sea, And you Lilin, come you from the desert, And you Shedim and dragons from the forests: Awake and gird up thy loins unto mourning, And take up with me the dirges, And make lamentation with me.

⁹Ye husbandmen, sow not again; And, O earth, wherefore give; you thy harvest fruits? Keep within you the sweets of thy sustenance.

¹⁰And thou, vine, why further dost thou give thy wine; For an offering will not again be made from there in Zion, Nor will first-fruits again be offered.

¹¹And do ye, O heavens, 'withhold thy dew, And open not the treasuries of rain:

¹²And do thou, O sun withhold the light of thy rays. And do thou, O moon, extinguish the multitude of thy light; For why should light rise again Where the light of Zion is darkened?

¹³And you, you bridegrooms, enter not in, And let not the brides adorn themselves with garlands; And, you women, pray not that you may bear.

¹⁴For the barren shall above all rejoice, And those who have no sons shall be glad, And those who have sons shall have anguish.

¹⁵For why should they bear in pain, Only to bury in grief?

¹⁶Or why, again, should mankind have sons? Or why should the seed of their kind again be named, Where this mother is desolate, And her sons are led into captivity?

¹⁷From this time forward speak not of beauty, And discourse not of gracefulness.

¹⁸Moreover, (you priests) take you the keys of the sanctuary, And cast them into the height of heaven, And give them to the Lord and say: "Guard Thy house Thyself, For lo! we are found false stewards.

¹⁹And you, you virgins; who weave fine linen And silk with gold of Ophir, Take with haste all (these) things And cast (them) into the fire, That it may bear them to Him who made them, And the flame send them to Him who created them, Lest the enemy get possession of them.