They on their shoulders bear the helpless load; Nor yet will he his votarists' prayers fulfil: Consider deeply with yourselves, and mourn, Proclaiming thus, "My word shall surely stand; So will I bring it as I have decreed; O all ye stubborn-hearted people, hear, For I to Sion will salvation give; Israel from me his glory shall derive. CHAPTER XLVII. DAUGHTER of Babylon, descend, and sit thou in the dust; Sit on the ground, thou virgin one, who from thy throne art thrust: For thou no longer shalt be called the delicate and fair. Take thou the mill, and grind the corn, disclose thy flowing hair: Remove the sandals from thy feet, and through the rivers wade. I will take vengeance by thy shame, and none shall give thee aid. As his Avenger, Israel boasts The Holy One, the Lord of Hosts. Chaldea's daughter, sit in gloom amid thy desolations; For thou no longer shalt be called The lady of the nations. When I my heritage profaned, in anger to my race, Into thy hand I gave them up, thou didst not show them grace; Yea, e'en upon the aged ones thy heavy yoke was laid. "I shall be queen for evermore," thou vauntingly hast said. For to these things attentively thou wouldst not give thy thought; Nor wouldst thou see the bitter doom to which thou must be brought. But hear thou this, voluptuous one, wrapt in security, That sayest in thy heart, 'I am, and there is none but me: "I shall not as a widow sit, nor know the loss of sons." Yet shall these two o'erwhelming strokes descend on thee at once, The loss of sons, and widowhood thou suddenly shalt know. In vain shalt thou enchantments seek; in one day falls the blow. Thou in thy wickedness didst trust, and saidst, "None seeth me:" Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, these have both perverted thee. “I am, and there is none besides -so saidst thou in thy pride; Therefore shall evil fall on thee thou canst not turn aside: Misfortunes thou canst not escape on thee shall surely fall, And desolation cover thee, which thou didst not forestall. Persist in thy enchantments now, And in thy many sorceries; From youth thou lov'st them, let them show If timely aid may yet arise. Unto whose counsel wilt thou turn? Should see the ills that round thee break. The fiery flame shall these consume, Yea, thus shall all thy sorcerers end: And none shall save thee from thy fate. CHAPTER XLVIII. HEAR this, all ye who Jacob's kindred claim, All ye who from the streams of Judah flow, The former things I showed to you of old; Because I knew that thou wast obstinate, That as an iron sinew was thy neck, And that thy forehead showed a front of brass; Lest thou shouldst say, This hath my idol won, |