BARUK 90

kadnetstsar sovereign of Babel, and

BARUK for the life of Belshatstsar his son, that
inn their days upon earth might be as the
days of the shamayim.
a And these are the words of the 12 "And IfW shall give us strength,
■ book, which Baruk the son of and enlighten our eyes, and we
Neriyah, the son of Mahseyah, the son shall live under the shadow of
of Tsidqiyahu, the son of Hasadyah, Nebukadnetstsar sovereign of Babel,
the son of Hilqiyahu, wrote in Babel, and under the shadow of Belshatstsar
2 in the fifth year, and on the seventh his son, and we shall serve them many
day of the month, at the time days, and find favour in their sight.
the Kasdites took Yerushalayim, and 13 "Pray for us also to our
burned it with fire. Elohim, for we have sinned against
3 And Baruk read the words of this 3W" our Elohim; and to this day the
book in the hearing of Yekonyah the displeasure of 'WW and His wrath has
son of Yoyaqim sovereign of Yahudah, not turned from us.
and in the ears of all the people that u "And you shall read this book which
came to hear the book, we have sent to you, to make
4 and in the hearing of the nobles, and confession in the House of at
of the sovereign's sons, and in the the Feasts and Appointed Times.
hearing of the elders, and of all the 15 "And you shall say, 'To 'IVW our
people, from the least to the greatest, Elohim belongs righteousness, but to
even of all those who dwelt at Babel by us the shame of face, as it has come
the river Sud. to be this day, to those of Yahudah,
5 So they wept, fasted, and prayed and to the inhabitants of Yerushalayim,
before 16 and to our sovereigns, and to our
6 They also made a collection of silver princes, and to our kohenim, and to
according to every man's ability, our nebi'im, and to our fathers.'
7 and they sent it to Yerushalayim to 17 "For we have sinned before
Yahoyaqim the kohen ha'gadol, the 18 and disobeyed Him, and have not
son of Hilqiyahu, son of Shallum, listened to the voice of WW our
and to the kohenim, and to all the Elohim, to walk in the Commands that
people who were found with him in He gave us openly.
Yerushalayim. 19 "Since the day that brought
8 At the same time he received the our forefathers out of the land of
vessels of the House of that Mitsrayim, to this present day, we have
were carried out of the Heykal, to been disobedient to our Elohim,
return them to the land of Yahudah - and we have been negligent, by not
on the tenth day of the month Siwan - obeying His voice.
namely, vessels of silver, which 20 "Therefore the evils dinged to us,
Tsidqiyahu the son of Yoshiyahu and the curse, which MW appointed
sovereign of Yahudah had made, by Mosheh His servant at the time that
9 after Nebukadnetstsar sovereign of he brought our fathers out of the land
Babel had carried away Yekonyah, of Mitsrayim, to give us a land that
and the princes, and the captives, and flows with milk and honey, as it is to
the mighty men, and the people of the this day.
land from Yerushalayim, and brought 21 "Nevertheless we have not listened
them to Babel. to the voice of W our Elohim,
10 And they said, "See, we have sent according to all the words of the
you silver to buy burnt offerings, and nebi'im, whom He sent to us;
sin offerings, and incense, and prepare 22 but every man followed the
a grain offering, and offer on the altar imagination of his own wicked heart, to
of WW our Elohim. serve foreign mighty ones, and to do
11 "And pray for the life of Nebu- evil in the sight of ^<Kour Elohim.
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Q "Therefore has brought are but a remnant left among the
about His word, which He gentiles, where You have scattered us.
pronounced against us, and against 14 "Hear our prayers, O and our
our judges who judged Yisra'el, and petitions, and deliver us for Your own
against our sovereigns, and against sake, and give us favour in the sight of
our princes, and against the men of those who have led us away;
Yisra'el and Yahudah; 15 that all the earth may know that You
2 to bring upon us great plagues, such are our Elohim, because Yisra'el
as have never come to be under all the and his descendants are called by
shamayim, as it came to be in Your Name.
Yerushalayim, according to that which 16 "O look down from Your
was written in the Law of Mosheh; qodesh dwelling, and consider us; bow
3 That a man should eat the flesh of down Your ear, O to hear us.
his own son, and the flesh of his own 17 "Open Your eyes and see; for the
daughter. dead who are in the graves, whose
4 "And He has delivered them to be in beings are taken from their bodies,
subjection to all the reigns that are shall neither give unto WW praise nor
around us, to be a reproach and a a righteousness;
desolation among all the people round 18 but the being that is greatly tortured,
about, where has scattered which is stooped and feeble, and with
them. eyes that fail, and the hungry being,
5 "Therefore we were thrown down, gives You praise and righteousness, O
and not exalted, because we have
sinned against WW our Elohim, and 19 "Therefore we do not make
have not been obedient to His voice. our humble supplication before
6 "To MW our Elohim belongs You, O our Elohim, for the
righteousness; but unto us and to our righteousness of our fathers, and of
fathers, open shame, as it is this day. our sovereigns.
7 "For all these plagues have come 20 for You have sent out Your wrath
upon us, which has pronounced and displeasure upon us, as You have
against us. spoken by Your servants the nebi'im,
8 "Yet have we not prayed before saying,
that every one of us might turn 21 'Thus says KW, "Bow down your
from the imaginations of his wicked shoulders to serve the sovereign of
heart. Babel; so shall you remain in the land
9 "Therefore watched over us for that I gave unto your fathers.
evil, and MW has brought it upon us; 22 "But if you do not listen to the voice
for MW is righteous in all His works of to serve the sovereign of
which He has Commanded us. Babel,
10 "Yet we have not listened to His 23 I shall cause to cease out of the
voice, to walk in the Commands of cites of Yahudah, and from without
that He has appointed us. Yerushalayim, the voice of gladness,
11 "And now, O W Elohim of and the voice of joy, the voice of the
Yisra'el, who has brought Your people bridegroom, and the voice of the bride;
out of the land of Mitsrayim with a and the whole land shall be empty of
mighty hand, and high arm, and with inhabitants."'
signs, and with wonders, and with 24 "But we would not listen to Your
great power, and have made Yourself voice, to serve the sovereign of Babel;
a Name, as it is this day; therefore You have confirmed the
12 O MW our Elohim, we have words that You spoke by Your
sinned, we have done wickedly, we servants the nebi'im, namely, that the
have dealt unrighteously in all Your bones of our sovereigns, and the
Laws. bones of our fathers, would be
13 "Let Your wrath turn from us; for we removed from their place.
 BARUK 92
25 "And see, they are thrown out to the because we have sinned before You.
heat of the day, and to the frost of the 3 For You endure forever, and we have
night, and they died in great miseries utterly perished.
by scarcity of food, by sword, and by 4 O 'WW El Shaddai, Elohim of
pestilence; Yisra'el, hear now the prayers of the
26 and the House which is called by perished Yisra'elites, and of their
Your Name, You have laid waste, as it children, who have sinned before You,
is to be seen this day, for the and not listened to Your voice, their
wickedness of the house of Yisra'el Elohim; by reason of which these
and the house of Yahudah. plagues cling to us.
27 "O ^^<Tour Elohim, You have dealt 5 Do not remember the wickednesses
with us according to all Your goodness, of our forefathers; but now at this time
and according to all Your great remember Your power and Your Name.
kindness, 6 For You are 'XVW our Elohim, and
28 as You spoke by your servant You, O ‘WAY, we shall praise.
Mosheh in the day when You 7 And for this cause You have put Your
Commanded him to write the Law reverence in our hearts, to the intent
before the children of Yisra'el saying, that we should call upon Your Name,
29 'If you do not hear My voice, surely and praise You in our captivity; for we
this very great crowd shall be turned have remembered all the wickedness
into a small remnant among the of our forefathers, who sinned before
nations, where I shall scatter them. You.
30 'For I knew that they would not hear 8 See, we are still in our captivity
Me, because they are a stiff-necked this day, where You have scattered
people; but in the land of their us, for a reproach and a curse, and
captivities they shall remember to be punished, according to all the
themselves; wickednesses of our fathers, who
31 and shall know that I am WAY their departed from ^W^our Elohim.
Elohim; for I shall give them a heart, 9 Hear, Yisra'el, the Commands of Hai;
and ears to hear. listen to understand wisdom.
32 'And they shall praise Me in the land 10 How does it come to be O Yisra'el,
of their captivity, and think upon My that you are in the land of your
Name, enemies,
33 and turn from their stiff neck, and That you have grown old in a foreign
from their wicked deeds; for they shall land,
remember the way of their fathers, That you are defiled with the dead,
who sinned before 11 That you are counted among those
34 'And I shall again bring them into the who go down into the grave?
land which I promised with an oath to 12 You have forsaken the fountain of
their fathers: Abraham, Yitshaq, and wisdom.
Ya'aqob; and they shall be masters of 13 For if you had walked in the Way of
it, and I shall increase them, and they Elohim, you would have dwelt in
shall not be diminished. peace forever.
35 And I shall make an everlasting 14 Learn where there is wisdom, where
Covenant with them to be their Elohim, there is strength, where there is
and they shall be My people; and I understanding;
shall no longer drive My people of That you may know also where there
Yisra'el out of the land that I have is length of days, and life, where
given them.' there is light of the eyes, and
q "O A^AY El Shaddai, Elohim of peace.
Yisra'el, the being in anguish, the 15 Who has found out her place?
troubled spirit cries unto You. Or who has come into her storehouse?
2 Hear O and show favour, for 16 Where are the princes of the
You are kind, and show favour to us, gentiles,
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And those who ruled the beasts of the And acquires her for pure gold?
earth; 31 No man knows her way, nor thinks
17 Those who made sport of the birds upon her path.
of the air, 32 But He who knows all knows her,
And those who hoarded silver and gold and has found her with His
in which men trust, understanding;
And made no end to their getting? He who prepared the earth forever has
18 For those who worked in silver, and filled it with four-footed beasts;
were so anxious, 33 He who sends forth light, and it
And whose works are unsearchable, goes,
19 They have vanished and gone down Calls it again, and it obeys Him with
to the grave, reverence.
And others have come up in their 34 The stars shone in their watches,
place. and rejoiced;
20 Young men have seen light, and When He calls them, they say, "Here
dwelt upon the earth; we are."
But the way of knowledge have they And so with gladness they showed
not known, light unto He who made them.
21 Nor understood its paths, nor laid 35 This is our Elohim, and there is no
hold of it; other be counted in comparison of
Their children are far from the Way. Him!
22 It has not been heard in Kena'an, 36 He has found all the way of
Nor has it been seen in Teman. knowledge,
23 The sons of Hagar who seek And has given it unto Ya'aqob His
wisdom upon earth, servant,
The merchants of Merran and of And to Yisra'el His beloved.
Teman, 37 Afterward He showed Himself on the
The authors of fables, and seekers of earth, and conversed with men.
understanding; yf This is the Book of the
None of these have known the way of ■* Commands of Elohim, and the
wisdom, or remember her paths. Law that endures forever;
24 O Yisra'el, how great is the House of All those who guard it shall attain hai;
Elohim! But those who leave it shall die.
And how large is the place of His 2 Turn, O Ya'aqob, and take hold of it;
possession! Walk in the presence of its light, that
25 It is great, and has no end; you may be illuminated.
High, and immeasurable. 3 Do not give your esteem to another,
26 There were the giants of name from Nor those which bring you profit to a
the beginning, foreign nation.
Who were of such great size, and so 4 O Yisra'el, baruk are we;
skilled in battle. For those who are pleasing to Elohim
27 These did not choose have been made known to us!
Nor did He give them the Way of 5 Take courage my people, the
knowledge: remembrance of Yisra'el.
28 And they were destroyed, because 6 You were sold to the nations, not for
they had no wisdom, destruction;
And perished through their own But because you moved Elohim to
foolishness. wrath, you were delivered unto your
29 Who has gone up into the enemies.
shamayim and taken her, 7 For you provoked He who made you
And brought her down from the by offering to demons,
clouds? And not to Elohim.
30 Who has gone over the sea, and 8 You have forgotten the everlasting
found her, Elohim, who raised you up;
 BARUK 94
And you have grieved Yerushalayim, Cry unto and He shall deliver
who nursed you. you from the strength and hand of
9 For when she saw the wrath of your enemies.
Elohim coming upon you, she said, 22 "For my expectancy is in the
"Hear, O you who dwell around Tsiyon, Everlasting, that He shall save you;
Elohim has brought upon me great And joy has come to me from the
mourning; Qadosh One,
10 For I saw the captivity of my sons Because of the kindness which shall
and daughters, soon come to you from the
Which the Everlasting brought upon Everlasting, our Saviour.
them. 23 "For I sent you out with mourning
11 "With joy I nourished them; and weeping,
But sent them away with weeping and But Elohim shall give you to me again
mourning. with joy and gladness forever.
12 "Let no man rejoice over me, a 24 "For As the neighbours of Tsiyon
widow, and forsaken by many, have seen your captivity:
Who for the sins of my children am left So shall they soon see your salvation
laid waste; from our Elohim,
Because they departed from the Law Which shall come upon you with great
of Elohim. esteem, and brightness of the
13 "They did not know His Laws, nor Everlasting.
walk in the Way of his Commands, 25 "My children, patiently endure the
Nor trod in the paths of discipline in wrath that has come upon you from
His righteousness. Elohim;
14 "Let those who dwell around Tsiyon For your enemy has persecuted you;
come, But shortly you shall see his
And remember the captivity of my sons destruction,
and daughters, And shall tread upon his neck.
Which the Everlasting has brought 26 "My delicate ones have gone rough
upon them. ways,
15 "For He has brought a nation upon And were taken away as a flock
them from afar, caught by the enemy.
A shameless nation, and of a foreign 27 "Be of good comfort, O my children,
language, and cry unto Elohim;
Who neither reverered old men, nor For you shall be remembered by He
shown compassion to children. who brought these upon you.
16 "These have carried away the 28 "For as it was your heart to go
dearly beloved children of the astray from Elohim;
widow, So, being returned, seek Him ten times
And left she who was alone lying more.
waste without daughters. 29 "For He who has brought these
17 "But how shall I help you? plagues upon you,
18 For He who brought these plagues Brings you everlasting joy with your
upon you delivers you from the deliverance."
hands of your enemies. 30 Take courage, O Yerushalayim;
19 "Go your way, O my children, go For He who gave you that name shall
your way; comfort you.
For I am left laid waste! 31 Those who afflicted you, and
20 "I have put off the garments of rejoiced at your fall are wretched.
peace, 32 The cities that your children served
And put upon myself the sackcloth of are wretched.
my prayer. She who received your sons is
I cry to the Everlasting in my days. wretched.
21 "Be of good cheer O my children, 33 For as she rejoiced at your ruin, and
 95 BARUCH
was glad of your fall; shamayim.
So she shall be grieved when she is 4 For your name shall forever be called
laid waste. by Elohim:
34 For I shall take away the rejoicing of 'The Peace of Righteousness,' and
her great crowd, 'The Esteem of Worship of Elohim.'
And her pride shall be turned into 5 Arise, O Yerushalayim, and stand on
mourning. high,
35 For long lasting fire shall come upon And look out toward the east, and see
her from the Everlasting; your children gathered from the
And she shall be a dwelling of demons west to the east by the word of the
for a long time. Qadosh One,
36 O Yerushalayim, look around you Rejoicing in the remembrance of
toward the East, Elohim.
And see the joy that comes to you 6 For they departed from you on foot,
from Elohim. and were led away by their
37 See, your sons come, whom you enemies;
sent away, But Elohim brings them to you exalted
They come gathered together from the with esteem,
east to the west by the word of the As children of the reign.
Qadosh One, 7 For Elohim has appointed every high
Rejoicing in the esteem of Elohim. hill, and longstanding mountains to be
O Yerushalayim, put off the thrown down,
garment of mourning and And valleys filled up, to make the
affliction, ground even,
And put on the comeliness of the That Yisra'el may go safely in the
esteem that comes from Elohim esteem of Elohim,
forever. 8 And even the forests and every
2 Throw around yourself a double sweet smelling tree,
garment of the righteousness which Shall shade Yisra'el at the command
comes from Elohim; of Elohim.
And put a crown of the esteem of the 9 For Elohim shall lead Yisra'el with joy
Everlasting on your head. in the light of His esteem,
3 For Elohim shall show your With the kindness and righteousness
brightness to every land under the that comes from Him.