8 Who has ever heard of such things?

Who has ever seen things like this?

Can a country be born in a day

or a nation be brought forth in a moment?

Yet no sooner is Zion in labor

than she gives birth to her children.

9 Do I bring to the moment of birth

and not give delivery?” says the Lord.

“Do I close up the womb

when I bring to delivery?” says your God.

10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,

all you who love her;

rejoice greatly with her,

all you who mourn over her.

11 For you will nurse and be satisfied

at her comforting breasts;

you will drink deeply

and delight in her overflowing abundance.”

12 For this is what the Lord says:

“I will extend peace to her like a river,

and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;

you will nurse and be carried on her arm

and dandled on her knees.

8 Who has heard such a thing?

Who has seen such things?

Shall a land be born in one day?

Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?

For as soon as Zion was in labor

she brought forth her children.

9 Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?”

says the Lord;

“shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?”

says your God.

10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,

all you who love her;

rejoice with her in joy,

all you who mourn over her;

11 that you may nurse and be satisfied

from her consoling breast;

that you may drink deeply with delight

from her glorious abundance.”

12 For thus says the Lord:

“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,

and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;

and you shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip,

and bounced upon her knees.

8 Who has ever seen anything as strange as this?

Who ever heard of such a thing?

Has a nation ever been born in a single day?

Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment?

But by the time Jerusalem’s birth pains begin,

her children will be born.

9 Would I ever bring this nation to the point of birth

and then not deliver it?” asks the Lord.

“No! I would never keep this nation from being born,”

says your God.

10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem!

Be glad with her, all you who love her

and all you who mourn for her.

11 Drink deeply of her glory

even as an infant drinks at its mother’s comforting breasts.”

12 This is what the Lord says:

“I will give Jerusalem a river of peace and prosperity.

The wealth of the nations will flow to her.

Her children will be nursed at her breasts,

carried in her arms, and held on her lap.

8 Who has heard such a thing?

Who has seen such things?

Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day?

Or shall a nation be born at once?

For as soon as Zion was in labor,

She gave birth to her children.

9 Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?” says the Lord.

“Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?” says your God.

10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem,

And be glad with her, all you who love her;

Rejoice for joy with her, all you who mourn for her;

11 That you may feed and be satisfied

With the consolation of her bosom,

That you may drink deeply and be delighted

With the abundance of her glory.”

12 For thus says the Lord:

“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,

And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.

Then you shall feed;

On her sides shall you be carried,

And be dandled on her knees.

8 No one has ever heard of that happening;

no one has ever seen that happen.

In the same way no one ever saw a country begin in one day;

no one has ever heard of a new nation beginning in one moment.

But Jerusalem will give birth to her children

just as soon as she feels the birth pains.

9 In the same way I will not cause pain

without allowing something new to be born,” says the Lord.

“If I cause you the pain,

I will not stop you from giving birth to your new nation,” says your God.

10 “Jerusalem, rejoice.

All you people who love Jerusalem, be happy.

Those of you who felt sad for Jerusalem

should now feel happy with her.

11 You will take comfort from her and be satisfied,

as a child is nursed by its mother.

You will receive her good things

and enjoy her wealth.”

12 This is what the Lord says:

“I will give her peace that will flow to her like a river.

The wealth of the nations will come to her like a river overflowing its banks.

Like babies you will be nursed and held in my arms

and bounced on my knees.

8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall a land be born in one day? shall a nation be brought forth at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. 9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith Jehovah: shall I that cause to bring forth shut the womb? saith thy God.

10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her; 11 that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12 For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream: and ye shall suck thereof; ye shall be borne upon the side, and shall be dandled upon the knees.

8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Can a land be made to bring forth in one day? shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her sons. 9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith Jehovah; I who cause to bring forth, shall I shut the womb? saith thy God. 10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn over her: 11 because ye shall suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; because ye shall drink out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. 12 For thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the nations like an overflowing torrent; and ye shall suck, ye shall be carried upon the side, and be dandled upon the knees.

8 Who has heard of such a thing? 

Who has seen such things? 

Can a country be born in one day? 

Can a nation be born in a moment? 

When Zion went into labor, 

she also gave birth to her children. 

9 “Do I bring a mother to the moment of birth 

and not let her deliver?” asks the Lord. 

“Do I cause a mother to deliver 

and then make her unable to have children?” asks your God. 

10 All who love Jerusalem, be happy and rejoice with her. 

All who mourn for her, be glad with her. 

11 You will nurse and be satisfied from her comforting breasts. 

You will nurse to your heart’s delight at her full breasts. 

12 This is what the Lord says: 

I will offer you peace like a river 

and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream. 

You will nurse and be carried in Jerusalem’s arms 

and cuddled on her knees. 

8 Who has heard of such a thing?

Who has seen such things?

Can a land be born in one day

or a nation be delivered in an instant?

Yet as soon as Zion was in labor,

she gave birth to her sons.

9 “Will I bring a baby to the point of birth

and not deliver it?”

says the Lord;

“or will I who deliver, close the womb?”

says your God.

10 Be glad for Jerusalem and rejoice over her,

all who love her.

Rejoice greatly with her,

all who mourn over her—

11 so that you may nurse and be satisfied

from her comforting breast

and drink deeply and delight yourselves

from her glorious breasts.

12 For this is what the Lord says:

I will make peace flow to her like a river,

and the wealth of nations like a flood;

you will nurse and be carried on her hip

and bounced on her lap.

8 Who has heard of such a thing?

Who has seen such things?

Shall a land be born in one day?

Shall a nation be delivered in one moment?

Yet as soon as Zion was in labor

she delivered her children.

9 Shall I open the womb and not deliver?

says the Lord;

shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb?

says your God.

10 Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,

all you who love her;

rejoice with her in joy,

all you who mourn over her—

11 that you may nurse and be satisfied

from her consoling breast;

that you may drink deeply with delight

from her glorious bosom.

12 For thus says the Lord:

I will extend prosperity to her like a river,

and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream;

and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm,

and dandled on her knees.

8 Who has heard anything like this?

Who has seen anything like these things?

Can a land be born in one day?

Or can a nation be born in a moment?

Yet when she was in labor, Zion indeed gave birth to her children.

9 Shall I myself break open and not deliver?” says Yahweh,

“or I who delivers lock up the womb?” says your God.

10 “Rejoice with Jerusalem

and shout in exultation with her, all those who love her!

Rejoice with her in joy, all those who mourn over her,

11 so that you may suck and be satisfied from her consoling breast,

so that you may drink deeply and refresh yourselves from her heavy breast.”

12 For thus says Yahweh:

“Look! I am about to spread prosperity out to her like a river,

and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream,

and you shall suck and be carried on the hip;

and you shall be played with on the knees.

8 Who has ever heard of anything like that?

Who has ever seen such a thing?

Can a country be born in a day?

Can a nation be created in a moment?

But as soon as Zion goes into labor,

her people increase their numbers.

9 Zion, would I bring you to the moment of birth

and not let it happen?” says the Lord.

“Would I close up a mother’s body

when it is time for her baby to be born?” says your God.

10 “Be glad along with Jerusalem, all you who love her.

Be filled with joy because of her.

Take great delight in her,

all you who sob over her.

11 You will nurse at her comforting breasts.

And you will be satisfied.

You will drink until you are full.

And you will delight in her rich and plentiful supply.”

12 The Lord continues,

“I will cause peace to flow over her like a river.

I will make the wealth of nations sweep over her like a flooding stream.

You will nurse and be carried in her arms.

You will play on her lap.

8 “Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?

Can a land be born in one day?

Can a nation be brought forth all at once?

As soon as Zion travailed, she also brought forth her sons.

9 “Shall I bring to the point of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord.

“Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God.

10 “Be joyful with Jerusalem and rejoice for her, all you who love her;

Be exceedingly glad with her, all you who mourn over her,

11 That you may nurse and be satisfied with her comforting breasts,

That you may suck and be delighted with her bountiful bosom.”

12 For thus says the Lord, “Behold, I extend peace to her like a river,

And the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;

And you will be nursed, you will be carried on the hip and fondled on the knees.