> [[baruch-03|← Previous]] | [[baruch-00|TOC]] | [[baruch-05|Next →]] --- # Baruch, Chapter 4 ## Chapter 4 1 She is the book of the precepts of God, ^baruch-04-1 the law that endures forever; All who cling to her will live, but those will die who forsake her. 2 Turn, O Jacob, and receive her: ^baruch-04-2 walk by her light toward splendor. 3 Do not give your glory to another, ^baruch-04-3 your privileges to an alien nation. 4 Blessed are we, O Israel; ^baruch-04-4 for what pleases God is known to us! # III. BARUCH’S Poem of Consolation ## A. Baruch Addresses Diaspora 5 Take courage, my people! ^baruch-04-5 Remember, O Israel, 6 You were sold to the nations ^baruch-04-6 not for destruction; It was because you angered God that you were handed over to your foes. 7 For you provoked your Maker ^baruch-04-7 with sacrifices to demons and not to God; 8 You forgot the eternal God who nourished you, ^baruch-04-8 and you grieved Jerusalem who nurtured you. 9 She indeed saw coming upon you ^baruch-04-9 the wrath of God; and she said: ## B. Jerusalem Addresses Neighbors “Hear, you neighbors of Zion! God has brought great mourning upon me, 10 For I have seen the captivity ^baruch-04-10 that the Eternal One has brought upon my sons and daughters. 11 With joy I nurtured them; ^baruch-04-11 but with mourning and lament I sent them away. 12 Let no one gloat over me, ^baruch-04-12 a widow, bereft of many; For the sins of my children I am left desolate, because they turned from the law of God, 13 and did not acknowledge his statutes; ^baruch-04-13 In the ways of God’s commandments they did not walk, nor did they tread the disciplined paths of his justice. 14 “Let Zion’s neighbors come— ^baruch-04-14 Remember the captivity of my sons and daughters, brought upon them by the Eternal One. 15 He has brought against them a nation from afar, ^baruch-04-15 a nation ruthless and of alien speech, That has neither reverence for old age nor pity for the child; 16 They have led away this widow’s beloved sons, ^baruch-04-16 have left me solitary, without daughters. ## C. Jerusalem Addresses Diaspora 17 What can I do to help you? ^baruch-04-17 18 The one who has brought this evil upon you ^baruch-04-18 must himself deliver you from your enemies’ hands. 19 Farewell, my children, farewell; ^baruch-04-19 I am left desolate. 20 I have taken off the garment of peace, ^baruch-04-20 have put on sackcloth for my prayer of supplication; while I live I will cry out to the Eternal One. 21 “Take courage, my children; call upon God; ^baruch-04-21 he will deliver you from oppression, from enemy hands. 22 I have put my hope for your deliverance in the Eternal One, ^baruch-04-22 and joy has come to me from the Holy One Because of the mercy that will swiftly reach you from your eternal Savior. 23 With mourning and lament I sent you away, ^baruch-04-23 but God will give you back to me with gladness and joy forever. 24 As Zion’s neighbors lately saw you taken captive, ^baruch-04-24 so shall they soon see God’s salvation come to you, with great glory and the splendor of the Eternal One. 25 “My children, bear patiently the wrath ^baruch-04-25 that has come upon you from God; Your enemies have persecuted you, but you will soon see their destruction and trample upon their necks. 26 My pampered children have trodden rough roads, ^baruch-04-26 carried off by their enemies like sheep in a raid. 27 Take courage, my children; call out to God! ^baruch-04-27 The one who brought this upon you will remember you. 28 As your hearts have been disposed to stray from God, ^baruch-04-28 so turn now ten times the more to seek him; 29 For the one who has brought disaster upon you ^baruch-04-29 will, in saving you, bring you eternal joy.” ## D. Baruch Addresses Jerusalem 30 Take courage, Jerusalem! ^baruch-04-30 The one who gave you your name will console you. 31 Wretched shall be those who harmed you, ^baruch-04-31 who rejoiced at your downfall; 32 Wretched shall be the cities where your children were enslaved, ^baruch-04-32 wretched the city that received your children. 33 As that city rejoiced at your collapse, ^baruch-04-33 and made merry at your downfall, so shall she grieve over her own desolation. 34 I will take from her the rejoicing crowds, ^baruch-04-34 and her exultation shall be turned to mourning: 35 For fire shall come upon her ^baruch-04-35 from the Eternal One, for many a day, to be inhabited by demons for a long time. 36 Look to the east, Jerusalem; ^baruch-04-36 see the joy that comes to you from God! 37 Here come your children whom you sent away, ^baruch-04-37 gathered in from east to west By the word of the Holy One, rejoicing in the glory of God. \* \[[4:1] – [4]\] The poem ends with the identification of Wisdom and Torah, as in [[sirach-24|Sir 24]]:22 – [23]; cf. also [Dt 4:5] – [8]. \* \[[4:5] – [5:9]\] The poet addresses the exiles (vv. [5] – 9a), and then Zion personified is introduced, speaking to the nations and mourning the loss of her children (vv. 9b – [16]). She then addresses the exiles (vv. [17] – [29]). Finally ([4:30] – [5:9]) the poet issues three calls to Jerusalem ([4:30], [36]; [5:5]): she will see her children returning ([4:22], [36] – [37]; [5:5]). \* \[[4:25]\] Trample upon their necks: a sign of victory over the enemy (cf. [Ps 44:6]; [[isaiah-14|Is 14]]:25). The Israelites considered their enemies to be God’s enemies as well. \* \[[4:35]\] Deserts and desolate places were looked upon as the habitation of demons; cf. [Tb 8:3]; ([[luke-11|Lk 11]]:24]. a. \[[4:1]\] [Dt 4:6] – [8]; [Prv 8:35] – [36]; [[sirach-24|Sir 24]]:22. b. \[[4:2]\] [Prv 4:13], [19]. c. \[[4:4]\] [Dt 4:32] – [37]; [33:29]. d. \[[4:6]\] [Jgs 2:14]; [Is 50:1]; [52:3]. e. \[[4:7] – [8]\] [Dt 32:13] – [18]; [[1-corinthians-10|1 Cor 10]]:20]. f. \[[4:12]\] [Lam 1:1], [2], [7]. g. \[[4:15]\] [Dt 28:49] – [50]; [Jer 5:15]; [6:22] – [23]. h. \[[4:18]\] [Jer 32:42]. i. \[[4:20]\] [Jdt 9:1]; [Est 4:16]. j. \[[4:21]\] [Jer 51:5]. k. \[[4:23]\] [Jer 31:12] – [13]. l. \[[4:24]\] [Is 60:1] – [7]. m. \[[4:25]\] [Is 51:23]. n. \[[4:26]\] [Lam 2:22]. o. \[[4:27]\] [Is 40:1]. p. \[[4:29]\] [Is 35:10]. q. \[[4:30]\] [Ps 46:5]; [Is 60:14]. r. \[[4:32]\] [Jer 51:43]. s. \[[4:33] – [34]\] [[isaiah-13|Is 13]]:20 – [22]; [47:1] – [11]; [Jer 50:13]. t. \[[4:35]\] [Is 34:9] – [14]. u. \[[4:36]\] [Is 60:4] – [5]. --- _New American Bible, revised edition_ (2010, 1991, 1986, 1970) Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C. > [[baruch-03|← Previous]] | [[baruch-00|TOC]] | [[baruch-05|Next →]]