2 Esdras 10:1–59

¹ “So it came to pass that when my son was entered into his wedding chamber, he fell down and died. (WEB) ² Then we all put out the lamps, and all my neighbors rose up to comfort me. I remained quiet until the second day at night. (WEB) ³ It came to pass, when they had all stopped consoling me, encouraging me to be quiet, then rose I up by night, and fled, and came here into this field, as you see. (WEB) ⁴ Now I don’t intend to return into the city, but to stay here, and not eat or drink, but to continually mourn and fast until I die.” (WEB) ⁵ Then I left the reflections I was engaged in, and answered her in anger, (WEB) ⁶ “You most foolish woman, don’t you see our mourning, and what has happened to us? (WEB) ⁷ For Zion the mother of us all is full of sorrow, and much humbled. (WEB) ⁸ It is right now to mourn deeply, since we all mourn, and to be sorrowful, since we are all in sorrow, but you are mourning for one son. (WEB) ⁹ Ask the earth, and she will tell you that it is she which ought to mourn for so many that grow upon her. (WEB) ¹⁰ For out of her, all had their beginnings, and others will come; and, behold, almost all of them walk into destruction, and the multitude of them is utterly doomed. (WEB) ¹¹ Who then should mourn more, she who has lost so great a multitude, or you, who are grieved but for one? (WEB) ¹² But if you say to me, ‘My lamentation is not like the earth’s, for I have lost the fruit of my womb, which I brought forth with pains, and bare with sorrows;’ (WEB) ¹³ but it is with the earth after the manner of the earth. The multitude present in it has gone as it came. (WEB) ¹⁴ Then say I to you, ‘Just as you have brought forth with sorrow, even so the earth also has given her fruit, namely, people, ever since the beginning to him who made her.’ (WEB) ¹⁵ Now therefore keep your sorrow to yourself, and bear with a good courage the adversities which have happened to you. (WEB) ¹⁶ For if you will acknowledge the decree of God to be just, you will both receive your son in time, and will be praised among women. (WEB) ¹⁷ Go your way then into the city to your husband.” (WEB) ¹⁸ She said to me, “I won’t do that. I will not go into the city, but I will die here.” (WEB) ¹⁹ So I proceeded to speak further to her, and said, (WEB) ²⁰ “Don’t do so, but allow yourself to be persuaded by reason of the adversities of Zion; and be comforted by reason of the sorrow of Jerusalem. (WEB) ²¹ For you see that our sanctuary has been laid waste, our altar broken down, our temple destroyed, (WEB) ²² our lute has been brought low, our song is put to silence, our rejoicing is at an end, the light of our candlestick is put out, the ark of our covenant is plundered, our holy things are defiled, and the name that we are called is profaned. Our free men are despiteful… (WEB)