{Khet} Jerusalem sinned ever more and more, therefore is she come in decay. All they that had her in honour, despise her: for they have seen her filthiness. Yea she sigheth and is ashamed of herself.

{Nun} The yoke of my transgression is come at the last; with his hand hath he taken it up, and put it about my neck. My strength is gone: the LORD hath delivered me into those hands, whereout I cannot quit myself.

{Khet} The LORD thought to break down the walls of the daughter Zion; he spread out his line, and drew not in his hand, till he had destroyed them. Therefore mourn the turrets and the broken walls together.

{Gimel} He hath so hedged me in, that I cannot get out; and hath laid heavy links upon me.

He hath put my soul out of rest; I forget all good things.

While I consider these things in my heart, I get a hope again.

{Khet} Namely, that the mercies of the LORD are not clean gone, and that his loving-kindness ceaseth not.

{Tet} O how good is the LORD unto them that put their trust in him, and to the soul that seeketh after him?

O how good is it, with stillness, to wait and tarry for the health of the LORD?

O how good is it, for a man, to take the yoke upon him from his youth up?

out of the mouth of the most Highest goeth not evil and good"?

Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto the God that is in heaven.

{Khet} But now their faces are very black: Insomuch, that thou shouldest not know them in the streets. Their skin cleaveth to their bones; It is withered, and become like a dry stock.

{Samekh} But they cried unto every man, "Flee the staining! Away, get you hence, touch it not! Yea," say they, "ye must be burnt: ye must dwell among the Gentiles, and bide no longer here."

{Pe} Wherefore yet our eyes fail us, while we look for vain help: seeing we be ever waiting upon a people that can do us no good.

We must get our living with the peril of our lives because of the drought of the wilderness.