21 What will you say when the Lord sets over you

those you cultivated as your special allies?

Will not pain grip you

like that of a woman in labor?

22 And if you ask yourself,

“Why has this happened to me?”—

it is because of your many sins

that your skirts have been torn off

and your body mistreated.

21 What will you say when they set as head over you

those whom you yourself have taught to be friends to you?

Will not pangs take hold of you

like those of a woman in labor?

22 And if you say in your heart,

‘Why have these things come upon me?’

it is for the greatness of your iniquity

that your skirts are lifted up

and you suffer violence.

21 What will you say when the Lord takes the allies you have cultivated

and appoints them as your rulers?

Pangs of anguish will grip you,

like those of a woman in labor!

22 You may ask yourself,

“Why is all this happening to me?”

It is because of your many sins!

That is why you have been stripped

and raped by invading armies.

21 What will you say when He punishes you?

For you have taught them

To be chieftains, to be head over you.

Will not pangs seize you,

Like a woman in labor?

22 And if you say in your heart,

“Why have these things come upon me?”

For the greatness of your iniquity

Your skirts have been uncovered,

Your heels made bare.

21 What will you say when they appoint as your heads

those you had thought were your friends?

Won’t you have much pain and trouble,

like a woman giving birth to a baby?

22 You might ask yourself,

“Why has this happened to me?”

It happened because of your many sins.

Because of your sins, your skirt was torn off

and your body has been treated badly.

21 What wilt thou say, when he shall set over thee as head those whom thou hast thyself taught to be friends to thee? shall not sorrows take hold of thee, as of a woman in travail? 22 And if thou say in thy heart, Wherefore are these things come upon me? for the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, and thy heels suffer violence.

21 What wilt thou say when he shall visit thee, since thou thyself hast trained them to be princes in chief over thee? Shall not sorrows take thee, as a woman in travail?

22 And if thou say in thy heart, Wherefore come these things upon me? For the greatness of thine iniquity are thy skirts uncovered, and thy heels have suffered violence.

21 What will you say 

when God makes the people you thought were your friends 

your new masters? 

Won’t pain grip you like a woman in labor? 

22 If you ask yourself, 

“Why do these things happen to me?” 

it’s because you have so many sins. 

Your clothes have been torn off 

and your limbs are bare. 

21 What will you say when He appoints

close friends as leaders over you,

ones you yourself trained?

Won’t labor pains seize you,

as they do a woman in labor?

22 And when you ask yourself,

“Why have these things happened to me?”

It is because of your great guilt

that your skirts have been stripped off,

your body exposed.

21 What will you say when they set as head over you

those whom you have trained

to be your allies?

Will not pangs take hold of you,

like those of a woman in labor?

22 And if you say in your heart,

“Why have these things come upon me?”

it is for the greatness of your iniquity

that your skirts are lifted up,

and you are violated.

21 What will you say when he sets over you—

and you have taught them—allies as head over you?

Will not labor pains take hold of you,

like a woman giving birth?

22 And if you say in your heart,

‘Why have these things happened to me?’

Because of the greatness of your iniquity your skirts are uncovered;

your heels have endured violence.

21 You have worked hard to make special friends.

But the Lord will let them rule over you.

Then what will you say?

Suffering will take hold of you.

It will be like the pain of a woman having a baby.

22 Suppose you ask yourself,

“Why has this happened to me?”

It’s because you have committed so many sins.

That’s the reason your skirt has been torn off.

That’s why your body has been treated so badly.

21 “What will you say when He appoints over you—

And you yourself had taught them—

Former companions to be head over you?

Will not pangs take hold of you

Like a woman in childbirth?

22 “If you say in your heart,

‘Why have these things happened to me?’

Because of the magnitude of your iniquity

Your skirts have been removed

And your heels have been exposed.