Baruch 4

KING JAMES BIBLE	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 This is the book of the commandments of God, and the law that endureth for ever: all they that keep it shall come to life; but such as leave it shall die.	1 She is the book of the precepts of God, the law that endures forever; All who cling to her will live, but those will die who forsake her.
2 Turn thee, O Jacob, and take hold of it: walk in the presence of the light thereof, that thou mayest be illuminated.	2 Turn, O Jacob, and receive her: walk by her light toward splendor.
3 Give not thine honour to another, nor the things that are profitable unto thee to a strange nation.	3 Give not your glory to another, your privileges to an alien race.
4 O Israel, happy are we: for things that are pleasing to God are made known unto us.	4 Blessed are we, O Israel; for what pleases God is known to us!
5 Be of good cheer, my people, the memorial of Israel.	5 Fear not, my people! Remember, Israel,
6 Ye were sold to the nations, not for [your] destruction: but because ye moved God to wrath, ye were delivered unto the enemies.	6 You were sold to the nations not for your destruction; It was because you angered God that you were handed over to your foes.
7 For ye provoked him that made you by sacrificing unto devils, and not to God.	7 For you provoked your Maker with sacrifices to demons, to no-gods;
8 Ye have forgotten the everlasting God, that brought you up; and ye have grieved Jerusalem, that nursed you.	8 You forsook the Eternal God who nourished you, and you grieved Jerusalem who fostered you.
9 For when she saw the wrath of God coming upon you, she said, Hearken, O ye that dwell about Sion: God hath brought upon me great mourning;	9 She indeed saw coming upon you the anger of God; and she said: "Hear, you neighbors of Zion! God has brought great mourning upon me,
10 For I saw the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting brought upon them.	10 For I have seen the captivity that the Eternal God has brought upon my sons and daughters.
11 With joy did I nourish them; but sent them away with weeping and mourning.	11 With joy I fostered them; but with mourning and lament I let them go.
12 Let no man rejoice over me, a widow, and forsaken of many, who for the sins of my children am left desolate; because they departed from the law of God.	12 Let no one gloat over me, a widow, bereft of many: For the sins of my children I am left desolate, because they turned from the law of God,
13 They knew not his statutes, nor walked in the ways of his commandments, nor trod in the paths of discipline in his righteousness.	13 and did not acknowledge his statutes; In the ways of God's commandments they did not walk, nor did they tread the disciplined paths of his justice.
14 Let them that dwell about Sion come, and remember ye the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Everlasting hath brought upon them.	14 "Let Zion's neighbors come, to take note of the captivity of my sons and daughters, brought upon them by the Eternal God.
15 For he hath brought a nation upon them from far, a shameless nation, and of a strange language, who neither reverenced old man, nor pitied child.	15 He has brought against them a nation from afar, a nation ruthless and of alien speech, That has neither reverence for age nor tenderness for childhood;
16 These have carried away the dear beloved children of the widow, and left her that was alone desolate without daughters.	16 They have led away this widow's cherished sons, have left me solitary, without daughters.
17 But what can I help you?	17 What can I do to help you?
18 For he that brought these plagues upon you will deliver you from the hands of your enemies.	18 He who has brought this evil upon you must himself deliver you from your enemies' hands.
19 Go your way, O my children, go your way: for I am left desolate.	19 Farewell, my children, farewell: I am left desolate.
20 I have put off the clothing of peace, and put upon me the sackcloth of my prayer: I will cry unto the Everlasting in my days.	20 I have taken off the garment of peace, have put on sackcloth for my prayer of supplication, and while I live I will cry out to the Eternal God.
21 Be of good cheer, O my children, cry unto the Lord, and he will deliver you from the power and hand of the enemies.	21 "Fear not, my children; call upon God, who will deliver you from oppression at enemy hands.
22 For my hope is in the Everlasting, that he will save you; and joy is come unto me from the Holy One, because of the mercy which shall soon come unto you from the Everlasting our Saviour.	22 I have trusted in the Eternal God for your welfare, and joy has come to me from the Holy One Because of the mercy that will swiftly reach you from your eternal savior.
23 For I sent you out with mourning and weeping: but God will give you to me again with joy and gladness for ever.	23 With mourning and lament I sent you forth, but God will give you back to me with enduring gladness and joy.
24 Like as now the neighbours of Sion have seen your captivity: so shall they see shortly your salvation from our God which shall come upon you with great glory, and brightness of the Everlasting.	24 As Zion's neighbors lately saw you taken captive, so shall they soon see God's salvation come to you, with great glory and the splendor of the Eternal God.
25 My children, suffer patiently the wrath that is come upon you from God: for thine enemy hath persecuted thee; but shortly thou shalt see his destruction, and shalt tread upon his neck.	25 "My children, bear patiently the anger that has come from God upon you; Your enemies have persecuted you, and you will soon see their destruction and trample upon their necks.
26 My delicate ones have gone rough ways, and were taken away as a flock caught of the enemies.	26 My pampered children have trodden rough roads, carried off by their enemies like sheep in a raid.
27 Be of good comfort, O my children, and cry unto God: for ye shall be remembered of him that brought these things upon you.	27 Fear not, my children; call out to God! He who brought this upon you will remember you.
28 For as it was your mind to go astray from God: so, being returned, seek him ten times more.	28 As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God, turn now ten times the more to seek him;
29 For he that hath brought these plagues upon you shall bring you everlasting joy with your salvation.	29 For he who has brought disaster upon you will, in saving you, bring you back enduring joy."
30 Take a good heart, O Jerusalem: for he that gave thee that name will comfort thee.	30 Fear not, Jerusalem! He who gave you your name is your encouragement.
31 Miserable are they that afflicted thee, and rejoiced at thy fall.	31 Fearful are those who harmed you, who rejoiced at your downfall;
32 Miserable are the cities which thy children served: miserable is she that received thy sons.	32 Fearful are the cities where your children were enslaved, fearful the city that took your sons.
33 For as she rejoiced at thy ruin, and was glad of thy fall: so shall she be grieved for her own desolation.	33 As that city rejoiced at your collapse, and made merry at your downfall, so shall she grieve over her own desolation.
34 For I will take away the rejoicing of her great multitude, and her pride shall be turned into mourning.	34 I will take from her the joyous throngs, and her exultation shall be turned to mourning:
35 For fire shall come upon her from the Everlasting, long to endure; and she shall be inhabited of devils for a great time.	35 For fire shall come upon her from the Eternal God, for a long time, and demons shall dwell in her from that time on.
36 O Jerusalem, look about thee toward the east, and behold the joy that cometh unto thee from God.	36 Look to the east, Jerusalem! behold the joy that comes to you from God.
37 Lo, thy sons come, whom thou sentest away, they come gathered together from the east to the west by the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God.	37 Here come your sons whom you once let go, gathered in from the east and from the west By the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God.