1 How over Sions
daughter
hath God hung
His wraths thicke cloud!
His wraths thicke cloud!
John Donne
12 All this concernes not you, who passe by mee, 45
O see, and marke if any sorrow bee
Like to my sorrow, which Jehova hath
Done to mee in the day of his fierce wrath?
13 That fire, which by himselfe is governed
He hath cast from heaven on my bones, and spred 50
A net before my feet, and mee o'rthrowne,
And made me languish all the day alone.
14 His hand hath of my sinnes framed a yoake
Which wreath'd, and cast upon my neck, hath broke
My strength. The Lord unto those enemies 55
Hath given mee, from whom I cannot rise.
15 He under foot hath troden in my sight
My strong men; He did company invite
To breake my young men; he the winepresse hath
Trod upon Juda's daughter in his wrath. 60
16 For these things doe I weepe, mine eye, mine eye
Casts water out; For he which should be nigh
To comfort mee, is now departed farre;
The foe prevailes, forlorne my children are.
17 There's none, though _Sion_ do stretch out her hand, 65
To comfort her, it is the Lords command
That _Iacobs_ foes girt him. _Ierusalem_
Is as an uncleane woman amongst them.
18 But yet the Lord is just, and righteous still,
I have rebell'd against his holy will; 70
O heare all people, and my sorrow see,
My maides, my young men in captivitie.
19 I called for my _lovers_ then, but they
Deceiv'd mee, and my Priests, and Elders lay
Dead in the citie; for they sought for meat 75
Which should refresh their soules, they could not get.
20 Because I am in streights, _Iehova_ see
My heart o'rturn'd, my bowells muddy bee,
Because I have rebell'd so much, as fast
The sword without, as death within, doth wast. 80
21 Of all which heare I mourne, none comforts mee,
My foes have heard my griefe, and glad they be,
That thou hast done it; But thy promis'd day
Will come, when, as I suffer, so shall they.
22 Let all their wickednesse appeare to thee, 85
Doe unto them, as thou hast done to mee,
For all my sinnes: The sighs which I have had
Are very many, and my heart is sad.
CHAP. II.
1 How over Sions daughter hath God hung
His wraths thicke cloud! and from heaven hath flung 90
To earth the beauty of _Israel_, and hath
Forgot his foot-stoole in the day of wrath!
2 The Lord unsparingly hath swallowed
All Jacobs dwellings, and demolished
To ground the strengths of _Iuda_, and prophan'd 95
The Princes of the Kingdome, and the land.
3 In heat of wrath, the horne of _Israel_ hee
Hath cleane cut off, and lest the enemie
Be hindred, his right hand he doth retire,
But is towards _Iacob_, All-devouring fire. 100
4 Like to an enemie he bent his bow,
His right hand was in posture of a foe,
To kill what _Sions_ daughter did desire,
'Gainst whom his wrath, he poured forth, like fire.
5 For like an enemie _Iehova_ is, 105
Devouring _Israel_, and his Palaces,
Destroying holds, giving additions
To _Iuda's_ daughters lamentations.
6 Like to a garden hedge he hath cast downe
The place where was his congregation, 110
And _Sions_ feasts and sabbaths are forgot;
Her King, her Priest, his wrath regardeth not.
7 The Lord forsakes his Altar, and detests
His Sanctuary, and in the foes hand rests
His Palace, and the walls, in which their cries 115
Are heard, as in the true solemnities.
8 The Lord hath cast a line, so to confound
And levell _Sions_ walls unto the ground;
He drawes not back his hand, which doth oreturne
The wall, and Rampart, which together mourne. 120
9 Their gates are sunke into the ground, and hee
Hath broke the barres; their King and Princes bee
Amongst the heathen, without law, nor there
Unto their Prophets doth the Lord appeare.
10 There _Sions Elders_ on the ground are plac'd, 125
And silence keepe; Dust on their heads they cast,
In sackcloth have they girt themselves, and low
The Virgins towards ground, their heads do throw.
11 My bowells are growne muddy, and mine eyes
Are faint with weeping: and my liver lies 130
Pour'd out upon the ground, for miserie
That sucking children in the streets doe die.
12 When they had cryed unto their Mothers, where
Shall we have bread, and drinke? they fainted there,
And in the streets like wounded persons lay 135
Till 'twixt their mothers breasts they went away.
13 _Daughter Ierusalem_, Oh what may bee
A witnesse, or comparison for thee?
Sion, to ease thee, what shall I name like thee?