[Angrily] Thy wisdom is stubbornness; thy counsel, insolence. With deaf ears dost thou hearken, and thine answer is hard as flint.

JEREMIAH

Am I to laud thy blindness, to approve whate'er thou sayest? Feigning to ask counsel, thou wouldst have naught but flattery. May my tongue consume away in my mouth, my bones fall apart, ere I praise thy folly and cease from crying against thy blindness.

ZEDEKIAH

Why railest thou thus, when thou hast not yet heard my purpose?

JEREMIAH

I know thy purpose. With words dost thou fawn on me, whilst thy will is set up against me. Wouldst mock me, and play with G.o.d's word? Thou hast not summoned me to help thee decide. Long ere this has the message been signed and sealed within thy soul. Thou mayst deceive thyself, King of Israel, but me thou canst not deceive.

ZEDEKIAH

Jeremiah!

JEREMIAH

Yea, verily, I, Jeremiah, say unto thee, the king: Thou dealest falsely with me, and thy words are a blind. No longer is thy will free, nor dost thou truly desire me to influence thy decision.

ZEDEKIAH

[Unsteadily] How canst thou know this?

JEREMIAH

Thy lips betray thee. Thou quailest before my wrath like a guilty man.

Fain wouldst thou tempt me to approve thy decision, to lift the guilt from thy shoulders. Woe unto him who tempts men, for he tempts the G.o.d that is in men.

ZEDEKIAH

[Hesitates, greatly moved. Then he speaks in low tones] Much, indeed, is it given thee to know, Jeremiah. Too true are thy words. My will is no longer free, I have delivered my message to the envoy.

JEREMIAH

Recall it! Save the city.

ZEDEKIAH

He is on his way to Nebuchadnezzar.

JEREMIAH

Send for him! Bring him back!

ZEDEKIAH

Too late. The advice comes too late.

JEREMIAH

Hasten after him. Pursue him with runners and riders.

ZEDEKIAH

It is too late. By now my message must have reached the king of Ashur.

JEREMIAH

[Hides his face, lamenting] Woe, woe unto Jerusalem, woe unto Jerusalem!

ZEDEKIAH

[Drawing near him in alarm] What ails thee Jeremiah?

[JEREMIAH does not heed the king. Sobs shake his frame. Soon, however, he draws himself up once more. Now his gaze is fixed on the distance. He speaks as in a dream, raising his hands, like one inspired]

JEREMIAH

How art thou fallen from heaven, Jerusalem, sun of the morning!

Thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will ascend above the heights of the clouds.

Alas, thou art fallen from glory, Art sunken in darkness and night.

ZEDEKIAH

[Calls to him loudly, hoping to awaken him from the trance] Jeremiah!

JEREMIAH

What star was brighter than thine, Thou city of Jacob, Thou fortress of David, Thou tabernacle of Solomon, G.o.d's treasure and his holy house?

Who could herald thy ways, who could signal thy praise?

All happy the psalteries, the cymbals grew light, With sounding thy triumphs from morning till night.

ZEDEKIAH

Thou ravest, Jeremiah; awake, awake!

JEREMIAH

[Unheeding] How still art thou now, my beloved.

Thy brightness, say, where hath it gone?

The voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride No longer are heard among thy houses.

The market hath become desolate.

Quenched are the voice of joy, The voice of gladness, The sound of flute playing, And the song of the maidens.

A slayer hath fallen upon thee, An avenger from the north.

Waste places are thy streets, Nettles grow in thy pleasant places, Thorns and brambles in the palace of thy kings.

Alas, thy walls are laid low, All thy towers are broken down; Shamefully overthrown Is the everlasting heart of thy sanctuary.