¹Thus saith Jehovah: Where is the bill of your mother’s divorce, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, through your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away. ²Wherefore did I come, and there was no man? I called, and there was none to answer? Is my hand at all shortened that I cannot redeem, or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make rivers a wilderness; their fish stink because there is no water, and die for thirst. ³I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

⁴The Lord Jehovah hath given me the tongue of the instructed, that I should know how to succour by a word him that is weary. He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the instructed. ⁵The Lord Jehovah hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not away back. ⁶I gave my back to smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. ⁷But the Lord Jehovah will help me: therefore shall I not be confounded; therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed. ⁸He is near that justifieth me: who will contend with me? let us stand together; who is mine adverse party? let him draw near unto me. ⁹Behold, the Lord Jehovah will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Behold, they all shall grow old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.

¹⁰Who is among you that feareth Jehovah, that hearkeneth to the voice of his servant? he that walketh in darkness, and hath no light, —let him confide in the name of Jehovah, and stay himself upon his God. ¹¹Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and among the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of my hand: ye shall lie down in sorrow.

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