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"Harvest is past, summer is ended, 20
And we are not saved!"
For the breaking of the daughter of my people 21
I break, I blacken!
Horror hath fastened upon me
Pangs as of her that beareth.(389)
Is there no balm in Gilead, 22
Is there no healer?
Why do the wounds never close(390)
Of the daughter of my people?
Oh that my head were waters, IX. 1
Mine eyes a fountain of tears,
That day and night I might weep
For the slain of my people!
There follows an Oracle in a very different mood. In the previous one the
Prophet has taken his people to his heart, in spite of their sin and its
havoc; in this he repels and would be quit of them.
O that I had in the desert 2
A wayfarers'(391) lodge!
Then would I leave my people,
And get away from them,
For adulterers all they be,
A bundle(392) of traitors!
Their tongue they stretch 3
Like a treacherous bow,(?)
And never for truth
Use their power in the land,
But from evil to evil go forth
And Me they know not.(393)
Be on guard with your friends, 4
Trust not your(394) brothers,
For brothers are all very Jacobs,
And friends gad about to defame.
Every one cheateth his neighbour, 5
They cannot speak truth.
Their tongues they have trained to falsehood,
They strain to be naughty--
Wrong upon wrong, deceit on deceit(?) 6
Refusing to know Me.(395)
Therefore thus saith the Lord:(396) 7
Lo, I will smelt them, will test them.
How else should I do
In face of the evil ...(397)(?)
Of the Daughter of My people?
A deadly(398) shaft is their tongue 8
The words of their mouth(39]]>
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