Jeremiah 9:16–21

I will scatter them among the nations whom neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them.”

Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“Consider, and call for the mourning women to come;

send for the skillful women to come;

let them make haste and raise a wailing over us,

that our eyes may run down with tears

and our eyelids flow with water.

For a sound of wailing is heard from Zion:

‘How we are ruined!

We are utterly shamed,

because we have left the land,

because they have cast down our dwellings.’ ”

Hear, O women, the word of the Lord,

and let your ear receive the word of his mouth;

teach to your daughters a lament,

and each to her neighbor a dirge.

For death has come up into our windows;

it has entered our palaces,

cutting off the children from the streets

and the young men from the squares.

I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known, and I will pursue them with the sword until I have made an end of them.”

This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Consider now! Call for the wailing women to come;

send for the most skillful of them.

Let them come quickly

and wail over us

till our eyes overflow with tears

and water streams from our eyelids.

The sound of wailing is heard from Zion:

‘How ruined we are!

How great is our shame!

We must leave our land

because our houses are in ruins.’ ”

Now, you women, hear the word of the Lord;

open your ears to the words of his mouth.

Teach your daughters how to wail;

teach one another a lament.

Death has climbed in through our windows

and has entered our fortresses;

it has removed the children from the streets

and the young men from the public squares.

I will scatter them around the world, in places they and their ancestors never heard of, and even there I will chase them with the sword until I have destroyed them completely.”

This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:

“Consider all this, and call for the mourners.

Send for the women who mourn at funerals.

Quick! Begin your weeping!

Let the tears flow from your eyes.

Hear the people of Jerusalem crying in despair,

‘We are ruined! We are completely humiliated!

We must leave our land,

because our homes have been torn down.’ ”

Listen, you women, to the words of the Lord;

open your ears to what he has to say.

Teach your daughters to wail;

teach one another how to lament.

For death has crept in through our windows

and has entered our mansions.

It has killed off the flower of our youth:

Children no longer play in the streets,

and young men no longer gather in the squares.

and I will scatter them among the nations that they have not known, they and their ancestors, and I will send the sword after them until I bring them to an end.”

Thus says Yahweh of hosts:

“Consider closely, and call for the wailing women, so that they come,

and send for the skillful women, so that they come.

And let them hasten,

and let them lift up wailing over us,

so that our eyes may melt with tears,

and our eyelids may flow with water.

For a sound of wailing is heard from Zion,

‘How we are devastated!

We are very ashamed because we have left the land,

because they have overthrown our dwelling places.’

For hear, O women, the word of Yahweh,

and let your ear receive the word of his mouth,

and teach your daughters a lamentation,

and each woman her neighbor a lament.

For death has come into our windows,

it has entered into our fortresses,

to cut off the children from the streets,

the young men from the public squares.

I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known:

And I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.

Thus saith the Lord of hosts,

Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come;

And send for cunning women, that they may come:

And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us,

That our eyes may run down with tears,

And our eyelids gush out with waters.

For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled!

We are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land,

Because our dwellings have cast us out.

Yet hear the word of the Lord, O ye women,

And let your ear receive the word of his mouth,

And teach your daughters wailing,

And every one her neighbour lamentation.

For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces,

To cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.