Jeremiah 4:29–31

29 At the sound of horsemen and archers

every town takes to flight.

Some go into the thickets;

some climb up among the rocks.

All the towns are deserted;

no one lives in them.

30 What are you doing, you devastated one?

Why dress yourself in scarlet

and put on jewels of gold?

Why highlight your eyes with makeup?

You adorn yourself in vain.

Your lovers despise you;

they want to kill you.

31 I hear a cry as of a woman in labor,

a groan as of one bearing her first child—

the cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath,

stretching out her hands and saying,

“Alas! I am fainting;

my life is given over to murderers.”

29 The whole city shall flee for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen;

They shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks:

Every city shall be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein.

30 And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do?

Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold,

Though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair;

Thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life.

31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child,

The voice of the daughter of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands,

Saying, Woe is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers.

29 At the noise of charioteers and archers,

the people flee in terror.

They hide in the bushes

and run for the mountains.

All the towns have been abandoned—

not a person remains!

30 What are you doing,

you who have been plundered?

Why do you dress up in beautiful clothing

and put on gold jewelry?

Why do you brighten your eyes with mascara?

Your primping will do you no good!

The allies who were your lovers

despise you and seek to kill you.

31 I hear a cry, like that of a woman in labor,

the groans of a woman giving birth to her first child.

It is beautiful Jerusalem

gasping for breath and crying out,

“Help! I’m being murdered!”

29 The whole city shall flee from the noise of the horsemen and bowmen.

They shall go into thickets and climb up on the rocks.

Every city shall be forsaken,

And not a man shall dwell in it.

30 “And when you are plundered,

What will you do?

Though you clothe yourself with crimson,

Though you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold,

Though you enlarge your eyes with paint,

In vain you will make yourself fair;

Your lovers will despise you;

They will seek your life.

31 “For I have heard a voice as of a woman in labor,

The anguish as of her who brings forth her first child,

The voice of the daughter of Zion bewailing herself;

She spreads her hands, saying,

‘Woe is me now, for my soul is weary

Because of murderers!’

29 At the sound of the horsemen and the archers,

all the people in the towns run away.

They hide in the thick bushes

and climb up into the rocks.

All of the cities of Judah are empty;

no one lives in them.

30 Judah, you destroyed nation, what are you doing?

Why do you put on your finest dress

and decorate yourself with gold jewelry?

Why do you put color around your eyes?

You make yourself beautiful, but it is all useless.

Your lovers hate you;

they want to kill you.

31 I hear a cry like a woman having a baby,

distress like a woman having her first child.

It is the sound of Jerusalem gasping for breath.

She lifts her hands in prayer and says,

“Oh! I am about to faint

before my murderers!”

29 Every city fleeth for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they go into the thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city is forsaken, and not a man dwelleth therein. 30 And thou, when thou art made desolate, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with scarlet, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou enlargest thine eyes with paint, in vain dost thou make thyself fair; thy lovers despise thee, they seek thy life. 31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, that gaspeth for breath, that spreadeth her hands, saying, Woe is me now! for my soul fainteth before the murderers.

29 At the noise of the horsemen and bowmen, every city fleeth; they go into the thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city is forsaken and no man dwelleth therein. 30 —And thou, wasted one, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold, though thou rendest thine eyes with paint, in vain dost thou make thyself fair: thy lovers despise thee, they seek thy life. 31 For I hear a voice, as of a woman in travail, anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion: she moaneth, she spreadeth forth her hands, saying, Woe unto me! for my soul faileth because of murderers.

29 All the people in the city will flee 

at the sound of riders and archers. 

They will go off into the thickets 

and climb among the rocks. 

The entire city will be abandoned, and no one will live in it. 

30 You are going to be destroyed! 

What are you going to do? 

Why do you dress in red and put on gold jewelry? 

Why do you wear eye shadow? 

You are making yourself beautiful for nothing. 

Your lovers reject you; they want to kill you. 

31 I hear a woman in labor. 

I hear the woman cry with anguish as she gives birth to her first child. 

My people Zion are gasping for breath. 

They are stretching out their hands, saying, 

“How horrible it is for us! 

We’re defenseless in the presence of murderers!” 

29 Every city flees

at the sound of the horseman and the archer.

They enter the thickets

and climb among the rocks.

Every city is abandoned;

no inhabitant is left.

30 And you, devastated one, what are you doing

that you dress yourself in scarlet,

that you adorn yourself with gold jewelry,

that you enlarge your eyes with paint?

You beautify yourself for nothing.

Your lovers reject you;

they want to take your life.

31 I hear a cry like a woman in labor,

a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child.

The cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath,

stretching out her hands:

Woe is me, for my life is weary

because of the murderers!

29 At the noise of horseman and archer

every town takes to flight;

they enter thickets; they climb among rocks;

all the towns are forsaken,

and no one lives in them.

30 And you, O desolate one,

what do you mean that you dress in crimson,

that you deck yourself with ornaments of gold,

that you enlarge your eyes with paint?

In vain you beautify yourself.

Your lovers despise you;

they seek your life.

31 For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor,

anguish as of one bringing forth her first child,

the cry of daughter Zion gasping for breath,

stretching out her hands,

“Woe is me! I am fainting before killers!”

29 From the sound of a horseman and an archer every town flees,

they enter in the thickets and among the rocks they climb.

Every town is forsaken,

and there is no person who lives in them.

30 And you, O devastated one, what do you do,

that you put on crimson,

that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold,

that you make your eyes look bigger with the eye make-up?

In vain you beautify yourself.

Your lovers reject you;

they seek your life.

31 For I heard a voice like an ill woman,

anxiety like a woman who bears her first child,

the voice of the daughter of Zion.

She is gasping for breath,

she is spreading out her hands:

“Woe is me, for I am becoming tired before killers.”

29 People can hear the sound of horsemen.

Men who are armed with bows are coming.

The people in every town run away.

Some of them go into the bushes.

Others climb up among the rocks.

All of the towns are deserted.

No one is living in them.

30 What are you doing, you who are destroyed?

Why do you dress yourself in bright red clothes?

Why do you put on jewels of gold?

Why do you put makeup on your eyes?

You make yourself beautiful for no reason at all.

Your lovers hate you.

They are trying to kill you.

31 I hear a cry like the cry of a woman having a baby.

I hear a groan like someone having her first child.

It’s the cry of the people of Zion struggling to breathe.

They reach out their hands and say,

“Help us! We’re fainting!

Murderers are about to kill us!”

29 At the sound of the horseman and bowman every city flees;

They go into the thickets and climb among the rocks;

Every city is forsaken,

And no man dwells in them.

30 And you, O desolate one, what will you do?

Although you dress in scarlet,

Although you decorate yourself with ornaments of gold,

Although you enlarge your eyes with paint,

In vain you make yourself beautiful.

Your lovers despise you;

They seek your life.

31 For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor,

The anguish as of one giving birth to her first child,

The cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath,

Stretching out her hands, saying,

“Ah, woe is me, for I faint before murderers.”