Poor fools, that in Sion or high Samaria take your ease, and fear nothing! That lord it over the Gentiles, and pass proudly through Israel’s domain,

bidding us make our way to Chalane, and thence to noble Emath, or go down to Gath, where the Philistines are, and see if land of theirs be fairer, borders of theirs be wider, than these of ours.

Poor fools, with the evil day ever at arm’s length, wrong enthroned ever close at hand!✻

Sleep they on beds of ivory, sprawl they at table, eating the best lambs flock can provide, calves fattened at the stall;

and ever must harp and voice nicely accord, ay, very Davids they think themselves for musical invention!

All their drinking is from the bowl, all their ointment of the best, and what care they for Joseph’s ruin?

Lead their folk they shall, but into exile; the revel must break up at last.

By my divine power I swear it, says the Lord God of hosts, pride of yours shall weary me, great houses of yours shall offend my sight, no longer; city and citizens, I will leave you at the enemy’s mercy.

Be there ten men left alive in a house, death shall take toll of them …✻

…

Kinsman that comes to take him away must burn him first, and so carry his bones without. Ho, there! cries he to one that lurks in the inner rooms, hast thou any left?

And when he hears the task is over, bids him say no more, unless it be to call the Lord’s name to memory✻  …

A word from the Lord, and all shall be a gaping ruin, palace and cottage both.

Strange, if yonder mountain-crags men should climb on horseback, or plough with oxen!✻ Stranger still, that people of mine should poison the springs of right and justice, all wormwood now!

And still you boast over some conquest of little worth;✻To what greatness, you say, valour of ours has brought us!✻

Trust me, men of Israel, the Lord God of hosts says, I mean to embroil you with such an enemy as shall crush the life out of you, from Emath pass to the brook that bounds the desert.