Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)
79 The psalm of Asaph. God, heathen men came into thine heritage; they defouled thine holy temple, they setted Jerusalem into the keeping of apples. (The song of Asaph. God, the heathen came to thy inheritance; they defiled thy holy Temple, and they laid Jerusalem in ruins.)
2 They setted the slain bodies of thy servants to be meats to the volatiles of heavens; the fleshes of thy saints to the beasts of the earth. (They left the dead bodies of thy servants to be food for the birds of the air; yea, the flesh of thy saints for the beasts of the earth.)
3 They shedded out the blood of them, as water in the compass of Jerusalem; and none there was that buried (them). (They poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem; and there was no one left to bury them.)
4 We be made (a) shame to our neighbours; mocking and scorning to them, that be in our compass. (We were made a reproach to our neighbours; mocked and scorned by those who be all around us.)
5 Lord, how long shalt thou be wroth into the end? shall thy vengeance be kindled as fire? (Lord, how long shalt thou be angry, forever? shall thy anger burn like fire?)
6 Pour out thine ire into heathen men, that know not thee; and into realms, that called not thy name. (Pour out thy anger upon the heathen, who know thee not; and upon the kingdoms, that have not called upon thy name.)
7 For they ate Jacob; and made desolate his place. (For they have devoured, or destroyed, the people of Jacob; and made their place desolate.)
8 Have thou not mind on our eld wickednesses; thy mercies before take us soon, for we be made poor greatly. (Remember not our past wickednesses; let thy constant love come soon to us, for we be made so very low.)
9 God, our health, help thou us, and, Lord, for the glory of thy name, deliver thou us; and be thou merciful to our sins, for thy name. (God, our salvation/God, our deliverance, help thou us, and, Lord, for the glory of thy name, save thou us; and have thou mercy on our sins, for the sake of thy name.)
14 The Lord saith these things against all my worst neighbours, that touch the heritage which I parted to my people Israel (who touch the inheritance which I gave to my people Israel), Lo! I shall draw them out of their land, and I shall draw the house of Judah out of the midst of them.
15 And when I shall draw out those Jews, I shall turn again, and have mercy on them; and I shall lead them again, a man to his heritage, and a man into his land. (But after I shall draw out those Jews, I shall return, and have mercy on them; and I shall lead them again, each person to his own inheritance, and to his own land.)
16 And it shall be, if they that be taught learn the ways of my people, that they swear in my name, The Lord liveth, as they taught my people to swear in Baal, they shall be builded in the midst of my people. (And it shall be, if they who be taught learn the ways of my people, that they swear in my name, As the Lord liveth, like they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they shall be built up, or shall flourish and prosper, in the midst of my people.)
17 That if they hear not, I shall draw out that folk by drawing out and perdition, saith the Lord. (But if they will not listen, or obey, then I shall draw out that nation, or that people, by drawing out and perdition, saith the Lord.)
13 The Lord saith these things to me, Go, and take in possession to thee a linen breech-girdle; and thou shalt put it on thy loins, and thou shalt not bear it into water.
2 And I took in possession a breech-girdle, by the word of the Lord; and I putted about my loins (and I put it about my loins).
3 And the word of the Lord was made to me in the second time, and said,
4 Take the breech-girdle, which thou haddest in possession, which is about thy loins; and rise thou, and go to Euphrates (and rise thou, and go to the Euphrates River), and hide thou it there, in the hole of a stone.
5 And I went, and hid it in Euphrates (and hid it by the Euphrates River), as the Lord commanded to me.
6 And it was done after full many days, the Lord said to me, Rise thou, and go to Euphrates (Rise thou, and go to the Euphrates River), and take from thence the breech-girdle, which I commanded to thee, that thou shouldest hide it there.
7 And I went to Euphrates, and digged out, and I took the breech-girdle from the place, where I had hid it; and lo! the breech-girdle was rotten, so that it was not able to any use. (And I went to the Euphrates River, and dug it out, and I took the breech-girdle from the place, where I had hidden it; and lo! the breech-girdle was rotten, so that now it was good for nothing.)
8 And the word of the Lord was made to me, and said,
9 The Lord saith these things, So I shall make rotten the pride of Judah, and the much pride of Jerusalem,
10 and this worst people, that will not hear my words, and go in the shrewdness of their heart; and they went after alien gods, to serve them, and to worship them; and they shall be as this breech-girdle, which is not able to any use. (and this worst people, who will not listen to, or obey, my words, and who go in the depravity of their hearts; and they went after strange, or foreign, gods, to serve them, and to worship them; and they shall be like this breech-girdle, which now is good for nothing.)
11 For as a breech-girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so I joined fast to me all the house of Israel, and all the house of Judah, saith the Lord, that they should be to me into a people, and into name, and into praising, and into glory; and they heard not. (For like a breech-girdle cleaveth to a man’s loins, so I securely joined to me all the house of Israel, and all the house of Judah, saith the Lord, so that they would be my people, and they would bring praises, and glory, to my name; but they would not listen to, or obey, me.)
3 What then is more to a Jew, or what profit of circumcision?
2 Much by all wise [Much by all manner]; first, for the speakings of God were betaken to them.
3 And what if some of them believed not? Whether the unbelief of them hath voided the faith of God?
4 God forbid [Far be it]. For God is soothfast [Forsooth God is true, or soothfast], but each man a liar; as it is written, That thou be justified in thy words, and overcome, when thou art deemed.
5 But if our wickedness [Forsooth if our wickedness, or unequity,] commend the rightwiseness of God, what shall we say? Whether God is wicked, that bringeth in wrath? After man I say.
6 God forbid [Far be it]. Else how shall God deem this world?
7 For if the truth of God hath abounded in my lying, into the glory of him, what [and] yet am I deemed as a sinner?
8 And not as we be blasphemed, and as some say that we say, Do we evil things, that good things come. Whose damnation is just.
2001 by Terence P. Noble