The Bible

 

Jeremijine tužbalice 4

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1 Kako potamne zlato, promeni se čisto zlato? Kamenje je od svetinje razmetnuto po uglovima svih ulica.

2 Dragi sinovi sionski, cenjeni kao najčistije zlato, kako se cene zemljani sudovi, kao delo ruku lončarevih!

3 I zveri ističu sise svoje i doje mlad svoju, a kći naroda mog posta nemilostiva kao noj u pustinji.

4 Jezik detetu koje sisa prionu za grlo od žeđi; deca ištu hleba, a nema nikoga da im lomi.

5 Koji jeđahu poslastice, ginu na ulicama; koji odrastoše u skerletu, valjaju se po bunjištu.

6 I kar koji dopade kćeri naroda mog veći je od propasti koja dopade Sodomu, koji se zatre u času i ruke se ne zabaviše oko njega.

7 Nazireji njeni behu čistiji od snega, belji od mleka; telo im beše crvenije od dragog kamenja, glatki kao safir.

8 A sada im je lice crnje od uglja, ne poznaju se na ulicama; koža im se prilepila za kosti, osušila se kao drvo.

9 Bolje bi onima koji su pobijeni mačem nego onima koji mru od gladi, koji izdišu ubijeni od nestašice roda zemaljskog.

10 Svojim rukama žene žalostive kuvaše decu svoju, ona im biše hrana u pogibli kćeri naroda mog.

11 Navrši Gospod gnev svoj, izli žestoki gnev svoj, i raspali oganj na Sionu, koji mu proždre temelje.

12 Ne bi verovali carevi zemaljski i svi stanovnici po vasiljenoj da će neprijatelj i protivnik ući na vrata jerusalimska.

13 Ali bi za grehe proroka njegovih i za bezakonja sveštenika njegovih, koji prolivahu krv pravedničku usred njega.

14 Lutahu kao slepci po ulicama, kaljahu se krvlju, koje ne mogahu da se ne dotiču haljinama svojim.

15 Odstupite, nečisti, viču im, odstupite, odstupite, ne dodevajte se ničega. I odlaze i skitaju se; i među narodima se govori: Neće se više staniti.

16 Gnev Gospodnji raseja ih, neće više pogledati na njih; ne poštuju sveštenika, nisu žalostivi na starce.

17 Većnam oči iščileše izgledajući pomoćzaludnu; čekasmo narod koji ne može izbaviti.

18 Vrebaju nam korake, da ne možemo hoditi po ulicama svojim, približi se kraj naš, navršiše se dani naši, dođe kraj naš.

19 Koji nas goniše, behu lakši od orlova nebeskih, po gorama nas goniše, u pustinji nam zasedaše.

20 Disanje nozdrva naših, pomazanik Gospodnji, za kog govorasmo da ćemo živeti pod senom njegovim među narodima, uhvati se u jame njihove.

21 Raduj se i veseli se, kćeri edomska, koja živiš u zemlji Uzu! Doći će do tebe čaša, opićeš se, i otkrićeš se.

22 Svrši se kar za bezakonje tvoje, kćeri sionska; neće te više voditi u ropstvo; pohodiće tvoje bezakonje, kćeri edomska, otkriće grehe tvoje.

   

From Swedenborg's Works

 

Arcana Coelestia #374

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374. That 'the voice of blood' 1 means violence done to charity is clear from many places in the Word where 'voice' stands for everything that accuses, and 'blood' for all sin, especially hatred. For anyone who hates his brother murders him in his own heart, as the Lord teaches,

You have heard that it was said to the men of old, You shall not kill, and whoever kills will be liable to judgement. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without cause will be liable to judgement. Whoever indeed says to his brother, Raca! will be liable to the Sanhedrin. And whoever says You fool! will be liable to the Gehenna of fire. Matthew 5:21-22.

These sayings denote degrees of hatred. Hatred is contrary to charity; and though a person does not actually commit murder, the intention to do so is still there, and by whatever possible method. It is external restraints alone which prevent murder actually being committed. And this is why all hatred is called blood, as in Jeremiah,

How well you direct Your way in the quest for love! Yes, in your skirts the blood of needy innocent souls is found. Jeremiah 2:33-34.

[2] And since hatred is meant by blood, so is every kind of wickedness, for hatred is the source of all wickedness, as in Hosea,

Perjuring, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they commit robbery, and blood' has followed on blood. 1 Therefore the land will mourn and every inhabitant will anguish. Hosea 4:2-3.

And in Ezekiel,

Will you judge the city of blood' and declare to her all her abominations? A City that sheds blood' in the midst of her. By your blood which you have shed you have become guilty. Ezekiel 22:2-4, 6, 9.

This is referring to the lack of compassion. In the same prophet,

The land is full of the judgement of blood, 1 and the city is full of violence. Ezekiel 7:23.

And in Jeremiah,

For the sins of the prophets of Jerusalem, the iniquities of her priests who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous, they wander blind in the streets; they are defiled with blood. Lamentations 4:13-14.

In Isaiah,

When the Lord will have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and wiped away from its midst the blood 1 of Jerusalem by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. Isaiah 4:4.

In the same prophet,

Your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity. Isaiah 59:3.

In Ezekiel,

I passed by you and saw you weltering in your blood, 1 and I said to you, Live in your blood 1 I indeed said to you, Live in your blood. 1 Ezekiel 16:6, 22.

This refers to the abominations of Jerusalem, which are called 'blood' 1 . Lack of compassion, and hatred, in the last times a real so described as blood in Revelation 16:3-4. The plural 'bloods' is used because all forms of iniquity and abomination well up out of hatred, just as all forms of good and holiness do out of love. Anyone therefore who hates his neighbour would murder him if he could, and he does do so in whatever way he can. That is to say, he does him violence, which is strictly the meaning here of 'voice of blood'. 1

Footnotes:

1. literally, bloods

  
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Thanks to the Swedenborg Society for the permission to use this translation.