<p class="bodytext">Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah worked on the Jeshanah Gate.<n id="1" /> They laid its beams and positioned its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

<p class="poetry">Even when I must walk through the darkest valley,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I fear<n id="2" /> no danger,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">for you are with me;p> <p class="poetry">your rod and your staff reassure me.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Men are nothing but a mere breath;p> <p class="poetry">human beings are unreliable.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">When they are weighed in the scales,p> <p class="poetry">all of them together are lighter than air.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">All the relatives<n id="1" /> of a poor person hate him;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">how much more do his friends avoid him &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">he pursues them<n id="3" /> with words, but they do not respond.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">I also thought to myself, &#8220;It is<n id="1" /> for the sake of people,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">so God can clearly<n id="3" /> show<n id="4" /> them that they are like animals.p>

They have burned the gods of the nations,<n id="1" /> for they are not really gods, but only the product of human hands manufactured from wood and stone. That is why the Assyrians could destroy them.<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">All who form idols are nothing;p> <p class="poetry">the things in which they delight are worthless.p> <p class="poetry">Their witnesses cannot see;p> <p class="poetry">they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame.p>

<p class="poetry">Look, all his associates<n id="1" /> will be put to shame;p> <p class="poetry">the craftsmen are mere humans.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Let them all assemble and take their stand!p> <p class="poetry">They will panic and be put to shame.p>

<p class="poetry">They will not work in vain,p> <p class="poetry">or give birth to children that will experience disaster.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> will bless their childrenp> <p class="poetry">and their descendants.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Just as a thief has to suffer dishonor when he is caught,p> <p class="poetry">so the people of Israel<n id="1" /> will suffer dishonor for what they have done.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">So will their kings and officials,p> <p class="poetry">their priests and their prophets.p>

<p class="bodytext">I said,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Oh, the feeling in the pit of my stomach!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I writhe in anguish.p> <p class="poetry">Oh, the pain in my heart!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">My heart pounds within me.p> <p class="poetry">I cannot keep silent.p> <p class="poetry">For I hear the sound of the trumpet;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">the sound of the battle cry pierces my soul!<n id="5" />p>

Stop putting your confidence in the false belief that says,<n id="1" /> &#8220;We are safe!<n id="2" /> The temple of the <sc>Lordsc> is here! The temple of the <sc>Lordsc> is here! The temple of the <sc>Lordsc> is here!&#8221;<n id="3" />

I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors<n id="1" /> have known anything about. I will send people chasing after them with swords<n id="2" /> until I have destroyed them.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">May those who persecute me be disgraced.p> <p class="poetry">Do not let me be disgraced.p> <p class="poetry">May they be dismayed.p> <p class="poetry">Do not let me be dismayed.p> <p class="poetry">Bring days of disaster on them.p> <p class="poetry">Bring on them the destruction they deserve.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

For many nations and great kings will make slaves of the king of Babylon and his nation<n id="1" /> too. I will repay them for all they have done!&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

This happened because of the wickedness the people living there did.<n id="1" /> They made me angry<n id="2" /> by worshiping and offering sacrifice to<n id="3" /> other gods whom neither they nor you nor your ancestors<n id="4" /> previously knew.<n id="5" />

<p class="poetry">What do I see?&#8221;<n id="1" /> says the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;The soldiers<n id="3" /> are terrified.p> <p class="poetry">They are retreating.p> <p class="poetry">They have been defeated.p> <p class="poetry">They are overcome with terror;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">they desert quicklyp> <p class="poetry">without looking back.p>

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1511; (<i>Qofi>)p> <p class="poetry">I called for my lovers,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">but they had deceived me.p> <p class="poetry">My priests and my eldersp> <p class="poetry">perished in the city.p> <p class="poetry">Truly they had<n id="2" /> searched for foodp> <p class="poetry">to<n id="3" /> keep themselves<n id="4" /> alive.<n id="5" />p>

And as for them,<n id="1" /> whether they listen<n id="2" /> or not &#8211; for they are a rebellious<n id="3" /> house<n id="4" /> &#8211; they will know that a prophet has been among them.

I have made your forehead harder than flint &#8211; like diamond!<n id="1" /> Do not fear them or be terrified of the looks they give you,<n id="2" /> for they are a rebellious house.&#8221;p>