he dictated his Second Roll to Baruch,
added to his Oracles on the First Roll?(370)

* * * * *

The first verses are in curious parallel to Tchekov's remarkable plaint
about his own people and "the Russian disease" as he calls their failing:
"Why do we tire so soon? And when we fall how is it that we never try to
rise again?"

And thou shalt say to them,(371) Thus saith the Lord: VIII. 4
"Does any one fall and not get up,
Or turn and not return?"(372)
Why then are this people turning 5
Persistently turning(373)?
They take fast hold of deceit,
Refuse to return.
I have been heeding, been listening-- 6
They speak but untruth!
Not a man repents of his evil,
Saying, "What have I done?"
All of them swerve in their courses
Like a plunging horse in the battle.
Even the stork in the heavens 7
Knoweth her seasons,
And dove and swift and swallow
Keep time of their coming--
Only my people, they know not
The Rule(374) of the Lord.
How say ye, "We are the wise, 8
With us is the Law(375) of the Lord."
But, lo, into falsehood hath wrought it(376)
False pen of the scribes.
Put to shame are the wise, 9
Dismayed and taken,
The Word of the Lord have they spurned--
What wisdom is theirs?
So to others I give their wives, 10
Their fields to who may take them,
For all from the least to the greatest
On plunder are bent;
From the prophet on to the priest
Everyone worketh lies.
They would heal the breach of my people 11
As though it were trifling,
Saying "It is well, it is well!"--
And well it is not!
Were they shamed of the foulness they wrought? 12
Nay, shamed not at all,
Nor knew their dishonour!
So shall they fall with the falling,
Reel in the time of their reckoning,
Sayeth the Lord.(377)

Would I harvest them?--Rede of the Lord-- 13
No grapes on the vine,
And never a fig on the fig-tree,
Withered the leaves.(378)

For what sit we still? 14
Sweep together
And into the fortified cities,
To perish.
For the Lord our own God
Hath doomed us to perish,
Hath drugged us with waters of bale--
To Him(379) have we sinned.

Hoping for peace? 15
'Twas no good,
For a season of healing?
Lo, pa