Temple of Darkness and Light

The sword, the sword has been sharpened and polished,
sharpened for slaughter, polished to flash like lightning . . .
He has had it polished to be wielded, this sword sharpened and polished to put in the slaughterer's hand! Shout and wail, son of man, for it will come on my people, on all the chief men of Israel doomed like my people to the sword! So beat your breast,
for this will be an ordeal . .
So prophesy, son of man, and clap your hands! Let the sword pass three times, that sword for victims, that sword for a great victim, threatening them from every side!
To make hearts sink and make sure many fall, I have posted the slaughtering sword at every gate to flash like lightning, polished for slaughter. Be sharp, on the right, be ready on the left, whichever way your blade is needed!
I too shall clap my hands and sate my fury!

I am filled with misery, my life is on the brink of Sheol;
already numbered among those who sink into oblivion, I am as one bereft of strength,
left alone among the dead, like the slaughtered lying in the grave, whom you remember no more, cut off as they are from your protection.
You have plunged me to the bottom of the grave, in the darkness, in the depths;
weighted down by your anger, kept low by your waves.
You have deprived me of my friends, made me repulsive to them, imprisoned, with no escape;
my eyes are worn out with suffering. I call to you, Yahweh, all day, I stretch out my hands to you.
Do you work wonders for the dead, can shadows rise up to praise you?
Do they speak in the grave of your faithful love, of your constancy in the place of perdition?
Are your wonders known in the darkness, your saving justice in the land of oblivion?
But, for my part, I cry to you, every morning my prayer comes before you;
why do you rebuff me, turn your face away from me?
Wretched and close to death since childhood, I have borne your terrors -- I am finished!
Your anger has overwhelmed me, your terrors annihilated me.
They flood around me all day long, close in on me all at once.
You have deprived me of friends and companions, and all that I know is the dark.

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