Wearing sackcloth and ashes, shalt pass through the land.
Those who know thee—once splendent in power and in pelf,
King erstwhile in Zion—uplifting the hand,
Shall curse thee, Zedekiah.
Zedekiah
[Utterly crushed by the adjuration, has collapsed, groaning, on to the couch. Now he slowly rises, and contemplates Jeremiah blankly] What a power is entrusted to thee, Jeremiah. Thou hast broken the strength of my limbs. The very marrow is frozen in my bones. Terrible are thy words, Jeremiah.
Jeremiah
[He has awakened from his trance, and the fire in his eyes is quenched] Poor are my words, Zedekiah. Weakness is all my strength. I know, but cannot act!
Zedekiah
Why didst thou not come to me sooner?