90.  For I own that I am too weak for this warfare, and therefore turned my back, hiding my face in the rout, and sat solitary,271    Lam. iii. 28. because I was filled with bitterness272    Ib. iii. 19. and sought to be silent, understanding that it is an evil time,273    Mic. ii. 3. that the beloved had kicked,274    Deut. xxxii. 15. that we were become backsliding children,275    Jer. iii. 14. who are the luxuriant vine,276    Hos. x. 1. the true vine, all fruitful, all beautiful,277    Jer. ii. 21; x. 16. springing up splendidly with showers from on high.278    Ps. lxv. 10.  For the diadem of beauty,279    Isai. lxii. 3. the signet of glory,280    Ezek. xxviii. 12. the crown of magnificence281    Ib. xxiii. 42. has been changed for me into shame; and if anyone, in face of these things, is daring and courageous, he has my blessing on his daring and courage.

Ϟʹ. Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ἀσθενέστερος εἶναι τοῦ πολέμου τούτου ὁμολογῶ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἔδωκα τὰ νῶτα, καλύψας τὸ πρόσωπον ἐν τροπῇ, καὶ καταμόνας καθεσθῆναι, ὅτι πικρίας ἐνεπλήσθην, ἐζήτησα καὶ σιωπῆσαι, συνιὼν, ὅτι ὁ καιρὸς πονηρός ἐστιν: ὅτι ἀπελάκτισαν οἱ ἠγαπημένοι, ὅτι γεγόναμεν υἱοὶ ἀφεστηκότες, ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ εὐκληματοῦσα, ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινὴ, πᾶσα καρποφόρος, ὡραία πᾶσα, καλῶς ταῖς σταγόσι ταῖς ἄνωθεν ἀνατέλλουσα: ὅτι ἐστράφη εἰς ἀτιμίαν ἐμοὶ τὸ διάδημα τοῦ κάλλους, τὸ ἀποσφράγισμα τῆς ἐμῆς δόξης, ὁ τῆς καυχήσεως στέφανος: εἰ δέ τις πρὸς ταῦτα τολμηρὸς καὶ γενναῖος, μακάριος οὗτος ἐμοὶ τοῦ θάρσους καὶ τῆς γενναιότητος.