Here is the book in which you may read God’s commandments, that law of his which stands for ever; holding fast by it or forsaking it, a man makes life or death his goal.

This is the book of the commandments of God, and the law, that is for ever: all they that keep it, shall come to life: but they that have forsaken it, to death.

Hic liber mandatorum Dei, et lex quæ est in æternum: omnes qui tenent eam pervenient ad vitam: qui autem dereliquerunt eam, in mortem.

Jacob, thy steps retrace, and this path follow, guiding thy steps by glow of the light that beckons thee;

Return, O Jacob, and take hold of it, walk in the way by its brightness, in the presence of the light thereof.

Convertere, Jacob, et apprehende eam: ambula per viam ad splendorem ejus contra lumen ejus.

this is thy pride, wouldst thou yield it up to another? Thy prize, shall an alien race enjoy it?

Give not thy honour to another, nor thy dignity to a strange nation.

Ne tradas alteri gloriam tuam, et dignitatem tuam genti alienæ.

Israel, a blessed race is ours, that has knowledge of God’s will.

We are happy, O Israel: because the things that are pleasing to God, are made known to us.

Beati sumus, Israël, quia quæ Deo placent manifesta sunt nobis.

People of God, take courage, all that is left of Israel’s muster-roll!

Be of good comfort, O people of God, the memorial of Israel:

Animæquior esto, populus Dei, memorabilis Israël:

Sold as slaves though you be, he does not mean your ruin. He has given your enemies the mastery, none the less; had you not defied his vengeance?

You have been sold to the Gentiles, not for your destruction: but because you provoked God to wrath, you are delivered to your adversaries.

venundati estis gentibus non in perditionem: sed propter quod in ira ad iracundiam provocastis Deum, traditi estis adversariis.

Had you not challenged the eternal power that made you, by sacrificing to evil powers, that gods were none?

For you have provoked him who made you, the eternal God, offering sacrifice to devils, and not to God.

Exacerbastis enim eum qui fecit vos, Deum æternum, immolantes dæmoniis, et non Deo.

To God that fostered you, what ingratitude, to Jerusalem that nursed you, what bitter pain!

For you have forgotten God, who brought you up, and you have grieved Jerusalem that nursed you.

Obliti enim estis Deum qui nutrivit vos, et contristastis nutricem vestram Jerusalem.

Alas, she cried, as she saw the divine vengeance falling on you, listen, neighbour cities all, to my complaint; here is a heavy load of grief God has charged me with!

For she saw the wrath of God coming upon you, and she said: Give ear, all you that dwell near Sion, for God hath brought upon me great mourning:

Vidit enim iracundiam a Deo venientem vobis, et dixit: Audite, confines Sion: adduxit enim mihi Deus luctum magnum.

Sentence of banishment he, the eternal, has pronounced upon my people, sons and daughters of mine;

For I have seen the captivity of my people, of my sons, and my daughters, which the Eternal hath brought upon them.

Vidi enim captivitatem populi mei, filiorum meorum et filiarum, quam superduxit illis Æternus.

how joyously I nurtured them, with what tears of anguish I saw them depart!

For I nourished them with joy: but I sent them away with weeping and mourning.

Nutrivi enim illos cum jucunditate; dimisi autem illos cum fletu et luctu.

And let none boast over my widowing, that so much have lost; if I am thus forlorn, it is because of my sons’ transgression, that refused God’s will;

Let no man rejoice over me, a widow, and desolate: I am forsaken of many for the sins of my children, because they departed from the law of God.

Nemo gaudeat super me viduam et desolatam: a multis derelicta sum propter peccata filiorum meorum, quia declinaverunt a lege Dei.

his claim disowned, his paths left untrodden; not for them the straight road of loyal observance.

And they have not known his justices, nor walked by the ways of God’s commandments, neither have they entered by the paths of his truth and justice.

Justitias autem ipsius nescierunt, nec ambulaverunt per vias mandatorum Dei, neque per semitas veritatis ejus cum justitia ingressi sunt.

Come, neighbours, tell we the sad tale again, how he, the eternal, would sentence these sons and daughters of mine to exile.

Let them that dwell about Sion come, and remember the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Eternal hath brought upon them.

Veniant confines Sion, et memorentur captivitatem filiorum et filiarum mearum, quam superduxit illis Æternus.

A cruel race he summoned to the attack from far away, men of an alien speech;

For he hath brought a nation upon them from afar, a wicked nation, and of a strange tongue:

Adduxit enim super illos gentem de longinquo, gentem improbam, et alterius linguæ,

for old age they had no reverence, for childhood no pity; robbed widow of her darling sons, and left her desolate.

Who have neither reverenced the ancient, nor pitied children, and have carried away the beloved of the widow, and have left me all alone without children.

qui non sunt reveriti senem, neque puerorum miserti sunt, et abduxerunt dilectos viduæ, et a filiis unicam desolaverunt.

Alas, my children, look not to me for aid!

But as for me, what help can I give you?

Ego autem, quid possum adjuvare vos?

He it is must save you from the power of your enemies, who is the author of your calamity.

But he that hath brought the evils upon you, he will deliver you out of the hands of your enemies.

qui enim adduxit super vos mala, ipse vos eripiet de manibus inimicorum vestrorum.

Go your ways, my children, go your ways; I am left desolate;

Go your way, my children, go your way: for I am left alone.

Ambulate, filii, ambulate: ego enim derelicta sum sola.

the festal robe of happier times I have put aside, clothed myself in sackcloth as the suppliants do; I will spend my days pleading with him, the eternal.

I have put off the robe of peace, and have put upon me the sackcloth of supplication, and I will cry to the most High in my days.

Exui me stola pacis, indui autem me sacco obsecrationis, et clamabo ad Altissimum in diebus meis.

Take courage, my children, and raise your voices, too, in appeal; from the enemy’s tyrant grasp the Lord shall deliver you.

Be of good comfort, my children, cry to the Lord, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the princes your enemies.

Animæquiores estote, filii; clamate ad Dominum, et eripiet vos de manu principum inimicorum.

Upon him, the eternal, I pin evermore my hopes of your happiness, the holy God, evermore our deliverer! Light grows my heart, to think of the mercy he has in store for you.

For my hope is in the Eternal that he will save you: and joy is come upon me from the Holy One, because of the mercy which shall come to you from our everlasting Saviour.

Ego enim speravi in æternum salutem vestram, et venit mihi gaudium a Sancto, super misericordia quæ veniet vobis ab æterno salutari nostro.

With lamentation I bade farewell to you, and with tears; with joy and triumph he will bring you back to me, and for ever;

For I sent you forth with mourning and weeping: but the Lord will bring you back to me with joy and gladness for ever.

Emisi enim vos cum luctu et ploratu: reducet autem vos mihi Dominus cum gaudio et jucunditate in sempiternum.

these neighbours of mine, that saw you banished at his decree, shall witness ere long a divine deliverance; what renown shall be yours when it comes, what dawn unending!

For as the neighbours of Sion have now seen your captivity from God: so shall they also shortly see your salvation from God, which shall come upon you with great honour, and everlasting glory.

Sicut enim viderunt vicinæ Sion captivitatem vestram a Deo, sic videbunt et in celeritate salutem vestram a Deo, quæ superveniet vobis cum honore magno et splendore æterno.

Bear patiently, my children, with the punishment that has overtaken you. What if thy enemy hunts thee down? Ere long thou shalt see the ruin of him, set thy foot on his neck!

My children, suffer patiently the wrath that is come upon you: for thy enemy hath persecuted thee, but thou shalt quickly see his destruction: and thou shalt get up upon his neck.

Filii, patienter sustinete iram quæ supervenit vobis: persecutus est enim te inimicus tuus: sed cito videbis perditionem ipsius, et super cervices ipsius ascendes.

Ah, the rough roads delicate feet of yours have travelled! Like a plundered flock the enemy drove you.

My delicate ones have walked rough ways, for they were taken away as a flock made a prey by the enemies.

Delicati mei ambulaverunt vias asperas: ducti sunt enim ut grex direptus ab inimicis.

Yet take courage, my children, and cry out upon the Lord; he, the author of your exile, has not forgotten you.

Be of good comfort, my children, and cry to the Lord: for you shall be remembered by him that hath led you away.

Animæquiores estote, filii, et proclamate ad Dominum: erit enim memoria vestra ab eo qui duxit vos.

Hearts that loved to stray, ten times more eagerly retrace your steps, and come back to him!

For as it was your mind to go astray from God; so when you return again you shall seek him ten times as much.

Sicut enim fuit sensus vester ut erraretis a Deo, decies tantum iterum convertentes requiretis eum:

And he, that compassed your woe, in unfading joy will compass your deliverance.

For he that hath brought evils upon you, shall bring you everlasting joy again with your salvation.

qui enim induxit vobis mala, ipse rursum adducet vobis sempiternam jucunditatem cum salute vestra.

Thyself, Jerusalem, take courage! He that called thee by thy name brings thee comfort.

Be of good heart, O Jerusalem: for he exhorteth thee, that named thee.

Animæquior esto, Jerusalem: exhortatur enim te, qui te nominavit.

Woe to the men that harassed thee, and triumphed in thy ruin,

The wicked that have afflicted thee, shall perish: and they that have rejoiced at thy ruin, shall be punished.

Nocentes peribunt, qui te vexaverunt: et qui gratulati sunt in tua ruina, punientur.

woe to every city that enslaved and harboured children of thine!

The cities which thy children have served, shall be punished: and she that received thy sons.

Civitates quibus servierunt filii tui, punientur, et quæ accepit filios tuos.

No smile of content greeted the disaster of thy fall, but shall be paid for with a sigh of desolation;

For as she rejoiced at thy ruin, and was glad of thy fall: so shall she be grieved for her own desolation.

Sicut enim gavisa est in tua ruina, et lætata est in casu tuo, sic contristabitur in sua desolatione,

the city that was once so populous, all its boasting gone, all its pride of yesterday turned into lament!

And the joy of her multitude shall be cut off: and her gladness shall be turned to mourning.

et amputabitur exsultatio multitudinis ejus, et gaudimonium ejus erit in luctum.

Long shall the fires of eternal justice smoulder there, long shall it be the haunt of devils.

For fire shall come upon her from the Eternal, long to endure, and she shall be inhabited by devils for a great time.

Ignis enim superveniet ei ab Æterno in longiturnis diebus, et habitabitur a dæmoniis in multitudine temporis.

Turn thee about, Jerusalem, and look to the sun’s rising; see what rejoicing the Lord has in store for thee;

Look about thee, O Jerusalem, towards the east, and behold the joy that cometh to thee from God.

Circumspice, Jerusalem, ad orientem, et vide jucunditatem a Deo tibi venientem.

sons of thine, in many lands lost to thee, gathered by his call from east to west shall come back again, praising joyfully God’s holy will.

For behold thy children come, whom thou sentest away scattered, they come gathered together from the east even to the west, at the word of the Holy One rejoicing for the honour of God.

Ecce enim veniunt filii tui, quos dimisisti dispersos: veniunt collecti ab oriente usque ad occidentem, in verbo Sancti, gaudentes in honorem Dei.