Fourth Baruch

And when morning came, behold, the army of the Chaldeans surrounded the city.

And the great angel blew the trumpet, saying, “Enter the city, O army of the Chaldeans; for behold, the gate has been opened for you.”

“Therefore let the king enter with his multitude, and let him take all the people captive.”

And Jeremiah took the keys of the temple, went out of the city, and threw them before the sun, saying, “I say to you, O sun, take the keys of the temple of God, and keep them until the day on which the Lord will question you concerning them.”

“For we were not found worthy to guard them, because we became guardians of falsehood.”

While Jeremiah was still weeping over the people, they brought him out with the people, dragging him to Babylon.

And Baruch placed dust on his head, and sat down, and wept this lament, saying, “Why has Jerusalem been laid waste? Because of the sins of the beloved people she was delivered into the hands of enemies, because of our sins and those of the people.”

“But let not the lawless boast and say, ‘We were strong enough to take the city of God by our own power’; but it was because of our sins that she was delivered to you.”

“But our God will have compassion on us and will restore us to our city; but you will have no life.”

“Blessed are our fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because they departed from this world and did not see the destruction of this city.”

After saying these things, Baruch went out of the city, weeping and saying, “Grieving for you, Jerusalem, I have departed from you.”

And he remained sitting in a tomb, with angels coming to him and relating to him concerning all things that the Lord revealed to him through them.