On 09-December-2008, electricity was shut off to the house between 08:30 and 14:30. I spent this time reading pseudoepigrapha and apocrypha. I rather liked Baruch's lament from 2 Baruch.
The text is believed to have been written after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 C.E. and probably before 100 C.E.
Below is my adaptation of the English translation by R.H. Charles - basically modernized and tightened up a bit (discarding bits I thought just dragged). You can find the original translation here. (I have to adapt English translations, or possibly French of Spanish, because I absolutely cannot read the original languages these ancient texts are written in). You can have a look at the text in its Syriac (complete), Greek (a few fragments) and Latin (just one fragment) forms here.
Blessed are those who were not born,
Or, having been born, have died.
But those of us who live, we despair,
Because we see the afflictions of Zion,
And what has befallen Jerusalem.
I will call the Sirens from the sea,
And the night demons from the desert,
And the dragons from the forests,
To sing dirges with me,
To sing lamentations with me.
Farmers, do not sow your fields.
Earth, withhold your bountiful harvest,
Keep your sweet fruits beneath the ground.
Vine, withhold your wine,
For no offerings will be made in Zion.
Heavens, hold back your dew,
Keep sealed your storehouses of rain.
Sun, withhold your golden rays.
Moon, extinguish your illumination.
Why should there be light,
When Zion lies covered in darkness?
Bridegrooms, stay away.
Brides, remain unadorned;
Women, pray that you will be barren,
For the barren shall rejoice.
Those who have no children shall be glad,
And those with children shall be tormented.
Why should women bear children in pain,
Only to bury them in grief?/p>
Why should we have children?
Why should we give names to our seed,
When Jerusalem lays desolate,
And her sons are led into captivity?
Who will judge these things?
To whom shall we complain?
O Lord, how can you bear this?
Our fathers died in peace,
And the righteous sleep soundly.
The know nothing of the anguish we endure,
Nor have they heard what has befallen us.
Earth, if only you could speak,
Dust, if only you had a heart,
Then you might go to Sheol and announce to the dead,
"More blessed are the dead than those who live."
2 Baruch 10:6-11:7
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