Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹ ¶ By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept, when we remembered Zion.

² We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof;

³ when there, those that carried us away captive asked us for the words of the song; with our harps of joy hung upon the willows saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.

⁴ How shall we sing the song of the LORD in the land of strangers?

⁵ If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, my right hand shall be forgotten.

⁶ If I do not remember thee, my tongue shall cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I do not prefer to lift up Jerusalem as my chief joy.

⁷ ¶ Remember, O LORD, the sons of Edom in the day of Jerusalem; who said, Raze it, raze it, even to the foundation thereof.

⁸ O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewards thee as thou hast served us.

⁹ Happy shall he be, that takes and dashes thy offspring against the stones.

Ain

¹⁶ For these things I weep; my eyes, my eyes stream with water because the comforter that gives rest unto my soul has left me; my sons are desolate because the enemy prevailed.

Pe

¹⁷ Zion spread forth her hands and has no comforter; the LORD gave a commandment against Jacob that his enemies should besiege him; Jerusalem was an abomination in the midst of them.

Tzaddi

¹⁸ The LORD is righteous, for I have rebelled against his mouth; hear now, all the peoples and see my sorrow; my virgins and my young men are gone into captivity.

Koph

¹⁹ I called unto my lovers, but they have deceived me; my priests and my elders in the city perished seeking food to maintain their lives.

Resh

²⁰ Look, O LORD; for I am in distress; my bowels are troubled; my heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled; abroad the sword bereaves; at home there is as death.

Schin

²¹ They have heard that I sigh; and there is no comforter for me; all my enemies have heard of my trouble; they are glad that thou hast done it. Thou hast brought the day that thou hast spoken of, but they shall be like unto me.

Tau

²² Let all their wickedness come before thee; and do unto them as thou hast done unto me for all my rebellions; for my sighs are many, and my heart is filled with pain.

² ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diverse trials,

³ knowing that the proving of your faith works patience,

⁴ and the patience finishes the work, that ye may be perfect and entire, not lacking in anything.

⁵ And if any of you lacks wisdom, let them ask of God (who gives abundantly to all, and without reproach), and it shall be given them.

⁶ But ask in faith, not doubting anything. For he that doubts is like the wave of the sea which is driven of the wind and is tossed from one side to another.

⁷ For let not such a man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord.

⁸ The double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

⁹ Let the brother of low degree rejoice in his high status;

¹⁰ and he who is rich, in his low status, because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away.

¹¹ For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and its flower falls, and the beautiful appearance of it perishes: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.