Open English Translation BAR Chapter 4

5 Be of good cheer, my people, the memorial of Yisrael. 6 You weren’t sold to the nations for destruction, but because you moved God to anger, you were delivered to your adversaries. 7 Because you provoked him who made you by sacrificing to demons and not to God. 8 You forgot the eternal God who brought you up. You also grieved Yerushalem (Jerusalem), who nursed you. 9 Because she saw the anger that came on you from God, and said, “Listen, you who live near Tsiyon (Zion); for God has brought on me great mourning. 10 Because I’ve seen the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Eternal has brought on them. 11 Because with joy I nourished them, but sent them away with weeping and mourning. 12 Let no man rejoice over me, a widow and forsaken by many. Because the sins of my children, I’m left desolate, because they turned away from God’s law 13 and had no regard for his statutes. They didn’t walk in the ways of God’s commandments or tread in the paths of discipline in his righteousness. 14 Let those who live near Tsiyon come and remember the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Eternal has brought on them. 15 Because he’s brought a nation on them from afar, a shameless nation with a strange language, who didn’t respect old men or pity children. 16 They’ve carried away the dear beloved sons of the widow, and left her who was alone desolate of her daughters.”

17 But I—how can I help you? 18 Because he who brought these calamities on you’ll deliver you from your enemies’ hand. 19 Go your way, Oh my children. Go your way, for I’m left desolate. 20 I’ve put off the garment of peace, and put on the sackcloth of my petition. I’ll cry to the Eternal as long as I live.

21 Take courage, my children. Cry to God, and he’ll deliver you from the power and hand of the enemies. 22 Because I’ve trusted in the Eternal, that he’ll save you; and joy has come to me from the Holy One, because of the mercy that’ll soon come to you from your Eternal Saviour. 23 Because I sent you out with mourning and weeping, but God will give you to me again with joy and gladness forever. 24 Because as now those who live near Tsiyon (Zion) have seen your captivity, so they’ll shortly see your salvation from our god which will come on you with great glory and brightness of the Eternal. 25 My children, suffer patiently the anger that’s come on you from God, for your enemy has persecuted you; but shortly you’ll see his destruction and will tread on their necks. 26 My delicate ones have travelled rough roads. They were taken away like a flock carried off by enemies.

27 Take courage, my children, and cry to God; for you’ll be remembered by him who’s brought this on you. 28 Because as it was your decision to go astray from God, return and seek him ten times more. 29 Because he who brought these calamities on you’ll bring you eternal joy again with your salvation. 30 Take courage, Oh Yerushalem, for he who called you by name will comfort you. 31 Miserable are those who afflicted you and rejoiced at your fall. 32 Miserable are the cities which your children served. Miserable is she who received your sons. 33 Because as she rejoiced at your fall and was glad of your ruin, so she’ll be grieved at her own desolation. 34 And I’ll take away her pride in her great multitude and her boasting will be turned into mourning. 35 Because fire will come on her from the Eternal for many days; and she’ll be inhabited by demons for a long time.

36 Oh Yerushalem (Jerusalem), look around you towards the east, and see the joy that comes to you from God. 37 Listen, your sons come, whom you sent away. They come gathered together from the east to the west at the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in God’s glory.