17 But behold, were this all we had suffered, we would not murmur nor complain; but behold, great has been the slaughter among our people:
18 Yea, thousands have fallen by the sword, while it might have otherwise been, if ye had rendered unto our armies sufficient strength and succor for them.
19 Yea, great has been your neglect towards us. And now behold, we desire to know the cause of this exceeding great neglect; yea, we desire to know the cause of your thoughtless state.
20 Can you think to sit upon your thrones, in a state of thoughtless stupor, while your enemies are spreading the work of death around you?
21 Yea, while they are murdering thousands of your brethren; yea, even they who have looked up to you for protection, yea, have placed you in a situation that ye might have succored them;
22 Yea, ye might have sent armies unto them, to have strengthened them, and have saved thousands of them from falling by the sword!
23 But behold, this is not all, ye have withheld your provisions from them, insomuch that many have fought and bled out their lives because of their great desires which they had for the welfare of this people;
24 Yea, and this they have done, when they were about to perish with hunger, because of your exceeding great neglect towards them.
25 And now, my beloved brethren; for ye ought to be beloved; yea, and ye ought to have stirred yourselves more diligently for the welfare and the freedom of this people;
26 But behold, ye have neglected them, insomuch that the blood of thousands shall come upon your heads for vengeance; yea, for known unto God were all their cries, and all their sufferings.
27 Behold, could ye suppose that ye could sit upon your thrones, and because of the exceeding goodness of God, ye could do nothing, and he would deliver you? Behold, if ye have supposed this, ye have supposed in vain.
