4 Baruch

Chapter 4

  1. 1 And when morning was come, behold, the host of the Chaldeans compassed the city about; and the great angel sounded the trumpet, saying: Enter into the city, ye host of the Chaldeans; for behold, the gate is opened unto you.
  2. 2 So the king entered with his multitude, and they carried away all the people captive.
  3. 3 And Jeremiah took the keys of the temple and went out of the city, and cast them before the sun, saying: I say unto thee, O sun, take the keys of the temple of God, and keep them until the day in which the Lord shall ask thee for them.
  4. 4 For we have not been found worthy to keep them, because we have become stewards of falsehood.
  5. 5 While Jeremiah was yet weeping for the people, they were dragged away to Babylon.
  6. 6 And Baruch put dust upon his head and sat down, and wept this lament, saying: Why is Jerusalem made desolate? Because of the sins of the beloved people it was delivered into the hands of enemies, because of our sins and the sins of the people.
  7. 7 But let not the lawless boast and say: We were strong enough to take the city of God by our own might. Ye did prevail against it; but it was for our sins that we were delivered up.
  8. 8 And our God will have pity on us, and will bring us back into our city; but ye shall not have life.
  9. 9 Blessed are our fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, for they went out of this world and did not see the destruction of this city.
  10. 10 When he had said these things, he went forth weeping and saying: Grieving for thee, O Jerusalem, I am gone out from thee.
  11. 11 And he remained sitting in a tomb, while the angels came and told him of all things.