Distress and the sound of war hath my ear heard, The sound of a trumpet announcing slaughter and calamity, The sound of much people as of an exceeding high wind, As a tempest with mighty fire sweeping through the Negeb.
2And I said in my heart, Surely (?) God judgeth us;
3A sound I hear (moving) towards Jerusalem, the holy city.
4My loins were broken at what I heard, my knees tottered; My heart was afraid, my bones were dismayed like flax.
5I said: They establish their ways in righteousness.
6I thought upon the judgements of God since the creation of heaven and earth; I held God righteous in His judgements which have been from of old.
7God laid bare their sins in the full light of day; All the earth came to know the righteous judgements of God.
8In secret places underground their iniquities (were committed) to provoke (Him) to anger;
9They wrought confusion, son with mother and father with daughter;
10They committed adultery, every man with his neighbour's wife.
11They concluded covenants with one another with an oath touching these things; They plundered the sanctuary of God, as though there was no avenger.
12They trode the altar of the Lord, (coming straight) from all manner of uncleanness; And with menstrual blood they defiled the sacrifices, as (though these were) common flesh.
13They left no sin undone, wherein they surpassed not the heathen.
14Therefore God mingled for them a spirit of wandering; And gave them to drink a cup of undiluted wine, that they might become drunken.
15He brought him that is from the end of the earth, that smiteth mightily; He decreed (?) war against Jerusalem, and against her land.
16The princes of the land went to meet him with joy: they said unto him: Blessed be thy way! Come ye, enter ye in with peace.
17They made the rough ways even, before his entering in; They opened the gates to Jerusalem, they crowned its walls.
18As a father (entereth) the house of his sons, (so) he entered (Jerusalem) in peace; He established his feet (there) in great safety.
19He captured her fortresses and the wall of Jerusalem; For God Himself led him in safety, while they wandered.
20He destroyed their princes and every one wise in counsel; He poured out the blood of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, like the water of uncleanness.
21He led away their sons and daughters, whom they had begotten in defilement.
22They did according to their uncleanness, even as their fathers (had done): They defiled Jerusalem and the things that had been hallowed to the name of God.
23(But) God hath shown Himself righteous in His judgements upon the nations of the earth; And the pious (servants) of God are like innocent lambs in their midst.
24Worthy to be praised is the Lord that judgeth the whole earth in His righteousness.
25Behold, now, O God, Thou hast shown us Thy judgement in Thy righteousness; Our eyes have seen Thy judgements, O God.
26We have justified Thy name that is honoured for ever; For Thou art the God of righteousness, judging Israel with chastening.
27Turn, O God, Thy mercy upon us, and have pity upon us;
28And we will not depart from Thee, For good are Thy judgements upon us.
29Ours and our children's be Thy good pleasure for ever; O Lord our Saviour, we shall never more be moved.
30The Lord is worthy to be praised for His judgements with the mouth of His pious ones; And blessed be Israel of the Lord for ever.