The words of King Lemuel, ¹  an oracle ²  that his mother taught him:

“Absolutely futile!” ¹  laments the Teacher, ²  “All of these things ³  are futile!” ⁴ 

How beautiful you are! How lovely, O love, ¹  with your delights! ² 

Then I said, “Lord, ¹  have you completely rejected the nation of Judah? Do you despise ²  the city of Zion? Why have you struck us with such force that we are beyond recovery? ³  We hope for peace, but nothing good has come of it. We hope for a time of relief from our troubles, but experience terror. ⁴ 

ז (Zayin) Remember ¹  my impoverished and homeless condition, ²  which is a bitter poison. ³ 

therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: Surely I have spoken in the fire of my zeal against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who with great joy and utter contempt have made my land their property and prey, because of its pasture.’

And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Ships will come from the coast of Kittim, ¹  and will afflict Asshur, ²  and will afflict Eber, and he will also perish forever.” ³ 

Whatever you vow, you must be careful to do what you have promised, such as what you have vowed to the Lord your God as a freewill offering.

Then the whole army safely returned to Joshua at the camp in Makkedah. ¹  No one ²  dared threaten the Israelites. ³ 

‘Call judgment down on ¹  Meroz,’ says the Lord’s angelic ²  messenger; ‘Be sure ³  to call judgment down on ⁴  those who live there, because they did not come to help in the Lord’s battle, ⁵  to help in the Lord’s battle against the warriors.’ ⁶ 

So I am ready to burn up ¹  Baasha and his family, and make your family ²  like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat.

Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah which all the male and female singers use to mourn Josiah to this very day. It has become customary in Israel to sing these; they are recorded in the Book of Laments.

I recognized the fact that God had not sent him, for he had spoken the prophecy against me as a hired agent of Tobiah and Sanballat. ¹ 

“I ¹  am weary ²  of my life; I will complain without restraint; ³  I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

Total darkness waits to receive his treasures; ¹  a fire which has not been kindled ²  will consume him and devour what is left in his tent.

When someone comes to visit, ¹  he pretends to be friendly; ²  he thinks of ways to defame me, ³  and when he leaves he slanders me. ⁴ 

They say to themselves, ¹  “We will oppress all of them.” ²  They burn down all the places where people worship God in the land. ³ 

Deceitful people will not live in my palace. ¹  Liars will not be welcome in my presence. ²