2 Baruch 10:1–19

¹ And it came to pass after seven days, that the word of God came to me, and said unto me: 'Tell (2BA) ³ Jeremiah to go and support the captivity of the people unto Babylon, But do thou remain here amid the desolation of Zion, and I will show to thee after these days' what will befall at the end of (2BA) ⁴ days.' And I said to Jeremiah as the Lord commanded me. And he, indeed, departed with the people, but I, Baruch, returned and sat before the gates of the temple, and I lamented with the following lamentation over Zion and said: (2BA) ⁶ 'Blessed is he who was not born, Or he, who having been born, has died. (2BA) ⁷ But as for us who live, woe unto us, Because we see the afflictions of Zion, And what has befallen Jerusalem. (2BA) ⁸ I will call the Sirens from the sea, And ye Lilin, come ye from the desert, And ye Shedim and dragons from the forests: Awake and gird up your loins unto mourning, And take up with me the dirges, And make lamentation with me. (2BA) ⁹ Ye husbandmen, sow not again; And, O earth, wherefore givest thou thy harvest fruits? Keep within thee the sweets of thy sustenance. (2BA) ¹⁰ And thou, vine, why further dost thou give thy wine; For an offering will not again be made therefrom in Zion. Nor will the first-fruits again be offered. (2BA) ¹¹ And do ye, O heavens, withhold your dew, And open not the treasuries of rain: (2BA) ¹² And do thou, O sun, withhold the light of thy rays. And do thou, O moon, extinguish the multitude of thy light; For why should light rise again Where the light of Zion is darkened? (2BA) ¹³ And you, ye bridegrooms, enter not in, And let not the brides adorn themselves with garlands And, ye women, pray not that ye may bear. (2BA) ¹⁴ For the barren shall above all rejoice, And those who have no sons shall be glad, And those who have sons shall have anguish. (2BA) ¹⁵ For why should they bear in pain, Only to bury in grief? (2BA) ¹⁶ Or why, again, should mankind have sons? Or why should the seed of their kind again be named, Where this mother is desolate, And her sons are led into captivity? (2BA) ¹⁷ From this time forward speak not of beauty, And discourse not of gracefulness. (2BA) ¹⁸ Moreover, ye priests, take ye the keys of the sanctuary And cast them into the height of heaven, And give them to the Lord and say: "Guard Thy house Thyself. For lo! we are found false stewards." (2BA) ¹⁹ And you, ye virgins; who weave fine linen And silk with gold of Ophir, Take with haste all (these) things And cast (them) into the fire, That it may bear them to Him who made them, And the flame send them to Him who created them, Lest the enemy get possession of them.' (2BA)