It seemeth strange that the wicked prosper. 5. The Jews heretofore afflicted by weaker enemies, shall be more oppressed by the Babylonians. 10. Evil pastors shall be punished. 14. and foreign enemies destroyed.It seemeth strange that the wicked prosper. 5. The Iewes heretofore afflicted by weaker enimies, shal be more oppressed by the Babylonians. 10. Euil pastors shal be punished. 14. and forraine enimies destroyed.✦
Thou indeed O Lord art just, if I dispute with thee, but yet I will speak just things to thee: Why doth the way of the impious prosper: why is it well with all that transgress, and do wickedly?THou in deede ô Lord art iust, if I dispute with thee, but yet I wil speake iust thinges to thee: Why doth the way of the impious prosper: why is it wel with al that transgresse, and doe wickedly?✦Justus quidem tu es, Domine, si disputem tecum : verumtamen justa loquar ad te : Quare via impiorum prosperatur ; bene est omnibus qui prævaricantur et inique agunt ?
2Thou hast planted them, and they have taken root: they prosper and bring forth fruit: thou art nigh to their mouth, and far from their renes: the kidneys, seat of the inmost feelings.Thou hast planted them, and they haue taken roote: they prosper and bring forth fruite: thou art nigh to their mouth, and farre from their reynes.✦Plantasti eos, et radicem miserunt : proficiunt, et faciunt fructum : prope es tu ori eorum, et longe a renibus eorum.
3And thou Lord hast known me, thou hast seen me, and proved my heart with thee: gather them together as a flock to the victimam: a sacrificial offering, not one harmed, and sanctify them in the day of slaughter.And thou Lord hast knowen me, thou hast sene me, and proued my hart with thee: gather them together as a flocke to the victime, and * sanctifie them in the day of slaughter.✦Et tu, Domine, nosti me, vidisti me, et probasti cor meum tecum. Congrega eos quasi gregem ad victimam, et sanctifica eos in die occisionis.
4How long shall the land mourn, and the herb of every field be withered for malice of the inhabitants therein? Beast is consumed, and fowl: because they have said: He shall not see our later ends.How long shal the land mourne, and the herbe of euerie fielde be withered for malice of the inhabitants therein? Beast is consumed, and foule: because they haue saied: He shal not see our later endes.✦Usquequo lugebit terra, et herba omnis regionis siccabitur, propter malitiam habitantium in ea ? Consumptum est animal, et volucre, quoniam dixerunt : Non videbit novissima nostra.
5If running with footmen thou hast laboured: how canst thou contend with horses? And whereas in a land of peace thou hast been secure, what wilt thou do in the superbia: the swelling thickets along the Jordan's banks of Jordan?If running with footemen thou hast laboured: how canst thou contend with horses? And whereas in a land of peace thou hast bene secure, what wilt thou doe in the pride of Iordan?✦Si cum peditibus currens laborasti, quomodo contendere poteris cum equis ? cum autem in terra pacis securus fueris, quid facies in superbia Jordanis ?
6For even thy brethren, & the house of thy father, they also have fought against thee, and have cried after thee with full voice: believe them not when they shall speak good things unto thee.For euen thy bretheren, & the house of thy father, they also haue fought against thee, and haue cried after thee with ful voice: beleue them not when they shal speake good thinges vnto thee.✦Nam et fratres tui, et domus patris tui, etiam ipsi pugnaverunt adversum te, et clamaverunt post te plena voce : ne credas eis, cum locuti fuerint tibi bona.
7I have forsaken my house, I have left mine inheritance: I have given my beloved soul into the hand of her enemies.I haue forsaken my house, I haue left mine inheritance: I haue geuen my beloued soule into the hand of her enemies.✦Reliqui domum meam ; dimisi hæreditatem meam : dedi dilectam animam meam in manu inimicorum ejus.
8Mine inheritance is become unto me as a lion in the wood: it hath uttered a voice against me, therefore have I hated it.Myne inheritance is become vnto me as a lion in the wood: it hath vttered a voice against me, therefore haue I hated it.✦Facta est mihi hæreditas mea quasi leo in silva : dedit contra me vocem, ideo odivi eam.
9Why, is mine inheritance unto me as a bird of divers colours? is it as a bird dyed throughout? come, assemble yourselves all ye beasts of the land, make haste to devour.Why, is myne inheritance vnto me as a bird of diuers coulors? is it as a birde died through out? come, assemble yourselues al ye beastes of the land, make haste to deuoure.✦Numquid avis discolor hæreditas mea mihi ? numquid avis tincta per totum ? Venite, congregamini, omnes bestiæ terræ : properate ad devorandum.
10Many pastores: shepherds, not ministers have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden down my portion: they have made my portion that was worthy to be desired, into a desert of desolation.Manie pastours haue destroyed my vineyard, they haue troden downe my portion: they haue made my portion that was worthie to be desired, into a desert of desolation.✦Pastores multi demoliti sunt vineam meam, conculcaverunt partem meam, dederunt portionem meam desiderabilem in desertum solitudinis.
11They have laid it into dissipationem: a scattering, a laying waste, and it hath mourned upon me. With desolation is all the land made desolate: because there is none that considereth in the heart.They haue laied it into dissipation, and it hath mourned vpon me. With desolation is al the land made desolate: because there is none that considereth in the hart.✦Posuerunt eam in dissipationem, luxitque super me : desolatione desolata est omnis terra, quia nullus est qui recogitet corde.
12Upon all the ways of the desert the wasters are come, because the sword of our Lord shall devour from one end of the land to the other end thereof: there is no peace to all flesh.Vpon al the wayes of the desert the wasters are come, because the sword of our Lord shal deuoure from one end of the land to the other end thereof: there is no peace to al flesh.✦Super omnes vias deserti venerunt vastatores, quia gladius Domini devorabit : ab extremo terræ usque ad extremum ejus, non est pax universæ carni.
13They have sown wheat, and reaped thorns: they have taken an inheritance, and it shall not profit them: you shall be ashamed of your fruits, for the wrath of the fury of our Lord.They haue sowen wheate, and reaped thornes: they haue taken an inheritance, and it shal not profite them: you shal be ashamed of your fruites, for the wrath of the furie of our Lord.✦Seminaverunt triticum, et spinas messuerunt : hæreditatem acceperunt, et non eis proderit. Confundemini a fructibus vestris propter iram furoris Domini.
14Thus saith the Lord against all my most wicked neighbours: which touch the inheritance that I have distributed to my people of Israel: Behold I will pluck them out of their land, & the house of Juda I will pluck out of the midst of them.Thus saith the Lord against al my most wicked neighbours: which touche the inheritance that I haue distributed to my people of Israel: Behold I wil plucke them out of their land, & the house of Iuda I wil plucke out of the middes of them.✦Hæc dicit Dominus adversum omnes vicinos meos pessimos, qui tangunt hæreditatem quam distribui populo meo Israël : Ecce ego evellam eos de terra sua, et domum Juda evellam de medio eorum.
15And when I shall have plucked them out, I will return, and have mercy on them: and will bring them back, every man to his inheritance, and every man into his land.And when I shal haue plucked them out, I wil returne, and haue mercie on them: and wil bring them backe, euerie man to his inheritance, and euerie man into his land.✦Et cum evulsero eos, convertar, et miserebor eorum, et reducam eos : virum ad hæreditatem suam, et virum in terram suam.
16And it shall be: if being taught they will learn the ways of my people, that they swear in my name: Our Lord liveth, as they have taught my people to swear by Baal: they shall be built in the midst of my people.And it shal be: if being taught they wil learne the waies of my people, that they sweare in my name: Our Lord liueth, as they haue taught my people to sweare by Baal: they shal be built in the middes of my people.✦Et erit : si eruditi didicerint vias populi mei, ut jurent in nomine meo : Vivit Dominus ! sicut docuerunt populum meum jurare in Baal, ædificabuntur in medio populi mei.
17But if they will not hear, I will pluck out that nation with plucking up and with destruction, saith our Lord.But if they wil not heare, I wil plucke out that nation with plucking vp and with destruction, saith our Lord.✦Quod si non audierint, evellam gentem illam evulsione et perditione, ait Dominus.
The reading text follows the 1582 first edition.