Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river of Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God to seek from Him a safe journey for us, our little ones, and all our possessions.

Now it came about in the thirtieth year, on the fifth day of the fourth month, while I was by the river Chebar among the exiles, the heavens were opened and I saw

visions of God.

There we sat

They said to me, “The remnant there in the province who survived the captivity are in great distress and reproach, and the wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are burned with fire.”

I said to the king, “Let the king live forever. Why should my face not be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its gates have been consumed by fire?”

When they lifted up their eyes at a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky.

But if you will not listen to it,
My soul will sob in secret for such pride;
And my eyes will bitterly weep
And flow down with tears,
Because the flock of the Lord has been taken captive.

I did not sit in the circle of merrymakers,
Nor did I exult.
Because of Your hand upon me I sat alone,
For You filled me with indignation.

The elders of the daughter of Zion

Sit on the ground, they are silent.

They have thrown dust on their heads;
They have girded themselves with sackcloth.
The virgins of Jerusalem
Have bowed their heads to the ground.

Then I came to the exiles who lived beside the river Chebar at Tel-abib, and I sat there seven days where they were living, causing consternation among them.

We wept

These things I remember and I pour out my soul within me.
For I used to go along with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God,
With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a multitude keeping festival.

For I have eaten ashes like bread
And mingled my drink with weeping

“Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her;
Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her,

You who have escaped the sword,
Depart! Do not stay!

Remember the Lord from afar,

And let Jerusalem come to your mind.

“For these things I weep;

My eyes run down with water;

Because far from me is a comforter,
One who restores my soul.
My children are desolate
Because the enemy has prevailed.”

My eyes fail because of tears,
My

spirit is greatly troubled;

heart is poured out on the earth

Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people,

When little ones and infants faint
In the streets of the city.

eyes run down with streams of water

Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.

So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.

In those days, I, Daniel, had been mourning for three entire weeks.

When He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it,

And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.”

General references

“Therefore my harp is turned to mourning,
And my flute to the sound of those who weep.