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?

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?

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!

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?

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?

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?

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?

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? 

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?

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?

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?

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.

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?