The Hymnes and Songs of the Chvrch Diuided into two parts. The first part comprehends the Canonicall Hymnes, and such parcels of Holy Scripture, as may properly be sung, with some other ancient Songs and Creeds. The second part consists of Spirituall Songs, appropriated to the seuerall Times and Occasions obserueable in the Church of England. Translated and Composed by G. VV. [i.e. George Wither] |
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| I. |
| III. |
| V. |
| VI. |
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| XXIIII. | SONG XXIIII. Lament. 1. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
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| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIIII. |
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 | The Hymnes and Songs of the Chvrch |  |
73
SONG XXIIII. Lament. 1.
[1]
How sad and solitarie now (alas) is that wel-peopled Citie come to be,which once so great among the Nations Was:
And, oh how widdow-like appeareth she!
74
And now her selfe is tributarie made.
2
All night shee maketh such excessiue moneThat downe her Cheekes a flood of teares doth flow:
And yet, among her Louers there is none,
That Consolation doth on her bestow.
For, they that once her Louers did appeare,
Now, turned Foes, and faithlesse to her are.
3
Now Iudah in Captiuitie complaines,That (others) heretofore so much opprest:
For her false seruice, She her selfe remaines
Among those Heathens, where she finds no rest:
And apprehended in a Strait is she,
By those that persecutors of her be
4
The very waies of Sion doe lament:75
Because that no man commeth to frequent
Her solemne Festiualls, as heretofore:
Her Priests doe sigh; Her tender Virgins bee
Vncomfortable left; And so is Shee.
5
Her Aduersaries are become her Chiefes:On high exalted those that hate her are:
And God hath brought vpon her all those griefes;
Because so many her transgressions were:
Her Children driuen from her by the Foe,
Before him into loathed Thraldome goe.
6
From Sions Daughter (once without compare)Now all her matchlesse louelinesse is gone:
And like those chased Harts her Princes fare,
Who seeke for pasture and can finde out none:
So, (of their strength depriu'd, and fainting nigh)
Before their abler Foes they feebly flie.
7
Ierusalem now thinkes vpon her Crimes,And calls to minde, (amid her present woes)
The pleasures she enioy'd in former times,
Till first shee was surprised by her Foes;
And how, (when they perceiued her forlorne)
They at her holy Sabbaths made a scorne.
8
Ierusalem's Transgressions many were,And therfore is it she disdained lies:
Those, who in former times haue honour'd her,
Her basenesse now behold, and her despise;
Yea, She Her-selfe doth sit bewailing this;
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9
Her owne vncleannesse in her skirt she bore;Not then beleeuing what her end would bee:
This great destruction falls on her therefore;
And none to helpe, or comfort her, hath she.
Oh, heed thou, Lord, and pittie thou my woes:
For, I am triumph't ouer by my Foes.
10
Her Foe hath touch'd with his polluted hand,Her things that Sacred were, before her face;
And they whose entrance thou did'st countermand,
Intruded haue into her Holy place:
Those that were not so much approu'd by Thee,
As of thy Congregation held to be.
11
Her People doe with sighs, and sorrowes, getThat little bread, which for reliefe they haue;
And giue away their precious things for meat,
So to procure wherewith their liues to saue.
Oh Lord consider this, and ponder Thou,
How vile, and how deiected I am now.
12
No pittie in you passengers is there?Your eies, oh somewhat hitherward encline;
And marke, if euer any griefe there were,
Or sorrow that did equall this of mine:
This, which the Lord on me inflicted hath,
Vpon the day of his incensed wrath.
13
He from aboue a flame hath hurled downe;That kindles in my bones preuailing fire:
77
By which I am compelled to retire;
And he hath made me a Forsaken-one,
To sit, and weepe out all the day alone.
14
The heauie Yoke, of my Transgressions now,His hand hath wreathed, and vpon me laid:
Beneath the same my tyred necke doth bow,
And all my strength is totally decay'd.
For me to those the Lord hath giuen o're,
Whose hands will hold me fast for euermore.
15
The Lord hath trampled vnderneath their Feet,Eu'n all the Mightie, in the mid'st of Me:
A great Assembly he hath caus'd to meet,
That all my ablest men might slaughtred be;
And Iudah's Virgin-Daughter treads vpon,
As in a Wine-presse Grapes are troden on.
16
For this (alas) thus weepe I; And mine eies,Mine eies drop water thus; because that he,
On whose assistance my sad Soule relies;
In my distresse is farre away from me;
Eu'n while (because of my prevailing Foe)
My Children are compeld from me to goe.
17
In vaine hath Sion stretched forth her hand;For, none vnto her succour draweth nigh;
Because the Lord hath giuen in command,
That Iacobs Foes should round about her lie;
And poore Ierusalem among them there,
Like some defiled woman doth appeare.
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18
The Lord is iustified nay-the-lesse,Because I did not his commands obey.
All Nations therefore heare my heauinesse,
And heed it (for your warning) you I pray.
For, into thraldome (through my follies) be
My Virgins, and my Youngmen borne from me.
19
Vpon my Louers I haue cried out;But they my groundlesse hopes deceiued all:
I for my reu'rend Priests enquir'd about;
I also did vpon mine Elders call:
But, in the Citie vp the Ghost they gaue,
As they were seeking meat their liues to saue.
20
Oh Lord, take pittie now on my distresse:For loe, my soule distemper'd is in mee:
My heart is ouercome with heauinesse;
Because I haue so much offended thee.
Thy Sword abroad my ruine doth become;
And Death doth also threaten me at home.
21
And of my sad complaints my Foes haue heard,But to afford me comfort there is none.
My troubles haue at full to them appear'd;
Yet they are ioyfull that thou so hast done.
But thou wilt bring the Time set downe by thee,
And then in sorrow they shall equall me.
22
Then shall those foule Offences they haue wrought,Before thy presence be remembred all;
79
(For their Transgressions) vpon them shall fall.
For, so my sighings multiplied be,
That the rewithall my heart is faint in me.
| The Hymnes and Songs of the Chvrch | |