17 This is what the Lord Almighty says:

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

send for the most skillful of them.

18 Let them come quickly

and wail over us

till our eyes overflow with tears

and water streams from our eyelids.

19 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.’ ”

20 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.

21 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.

17 Thus says the Lord of hosts:

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

send for the skillful women to come;

18 let them make haste and raise a wailing over us,

that our eyes may run down with tears

and our eyelids flow with water.

19 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.’ ”

20 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.

21 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.

17 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:

18 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.

19 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.

20 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.

21 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.

17 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.

18 Quick! Begin your weeping!

Let the tears flow from your eyes.

19 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.’ ”

20 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.

21 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.

17 Thus says the Lord of hosts:

“Consider and call for the mourning women,

That they may come;

And send for skillful wailing women,

That they may come.

18 Let them make haste

And take up a wailing for us,

That our eyes may run with tears,

And our eyelids gush with water.

19 For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion:

‘How we are plundered!

We are greatly ashamed,

Because we have forsaken the land,

Because we have been cast out of our dwellings.’ ”

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

And let your ear receive the word of His mouth;

Teach your daughters wailing,

And everyone her neighbor a lamentation.

21 For death has come through our windows,

Has entered our palaces,

To kill off the children—no longer to be outside!

And the young men—no longer on the streets!

17 This is what the Lord All-Powerful says:

“Now, think about these things!

Call for the women who cry at funerals to come.

Send for those women who are good at that job.

18 Let them come quickly

and cry loudly for us.

Then our eyes will fill with tears,

and streams of water will flow from our eyelids.

19 The sound of loud crying is heard from Jerusalem:

‘We are truly ruined!

We are truly ashamed!

We must leave our land,

because our houses are in ruins.’ ”

20 Now, women of Judah, listen to the word of the Lord;

open your ears to hear the words of his mouth.

Teach your daughters how to cry loudly.

Teach one another a funeral song.

21 Death has climbed in through our windows

and has entered our strong cities.

Death has taken away our children who play in the streets

and the young men who meet in the city squares.

17 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for the skilful women, that they may come: 18 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. 19 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we ruined! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because they have cast down our dwellings. 20 Yet hear the word of Jehovah, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth; and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbor lamentation. 21 For death is come up into our windows, it is entered into our palaces; to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.

17 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: Consider, and call for the mourning women, that they may come, and send for the skilful women, that they may come; 18 and let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids pour forth waters. 19 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled, sorely put to shame! For we have forsaken the land, for they have cast down our dwellings. 20 Hear then the word of Jehovah, ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and each one her companion lamentation. 21 For death is come up through our windows, is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from the street, the young men from the broadways.

17 This is what the Lord of Armies says: 

Consider this: 

Call for the women who cry at funerals. 

Send for those who are the most skilled. 

18 They should come quickly and cry for us. 

Our eyes will run with tears. 

Our eyelids will flow with water. 

19 The sound of crying is heard from Zion. 

“We’re ruined! We’re very ashamed. 

We must leave our land because our homes have been torn down.” 

20 Listen to the Lord’s word, you women, 

and open your ears to hear his words. 

Teach your daughters how to cry. 

Teach your neighbors funeral songs. 

21 Death has come through our windows and entered our palaces. 

Death has cut down the children in the streets 

and the young men in the marketplaces. 

17 This is what the Lord of Hosts says:

Consider, and summon the women who mourn;

send for the skillful women.

18 Let them come quickly to raise a lament over us

so that our eyes may overflow with tears,

our eyelids soaked with weeping.

19 For a sound of lamentation is heard from Zion:

How devastated we are.

We are greatly ashamed,

for we have abandoned the land;

our dwellings have been torn down.

20 Now hear the word of the Lord, you women.

Pay attention to the word of His mouth.

Teach your daughters a lament

and one another a dirge,

21 for Death has climbed through our windows;

it has entered our fortresses,

cutting off children from the streets,

young men from the squares.

17 Thus says the Lord of hosts:

Consider, and call for the mourning women to come;

send for the skilled women to come;

18 let them quickly raise a dirge over us,

so that our eyes may run down with tears,

and our eyelids flow with water.

19 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.”

20 Hear, O women, the word of the Lord,

and let your ears receive the word of his mouth;

teach to your daughters a dirge,

and each to her neighbor a lament.

21 “Death has come up into our windows,

it has entered our palaces,

to cut off the children from the streets

and the young men from the squares.”

17 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.

18 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.

19 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.’

20 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.

21 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.

17 The Lord rules over all. He says,

“Here is something I want you to think about.

Send for the women who sob over the dead.

Send for the most skilled among them.”

18 Let them come quickly

and sob over us.

Let them cry until tears flow from our eyes.

Let them sob until water pours out of our eyes.

19 People are heard sobbing in Zion.

They are saying, “We are destroyed!

We are filled with shame!

We must leave our land.

Our houses have been torn down.”

20 Women, hear the Lord’s message.

Listen to what he’s saying.

Teach your daughters how to sob over the dead.

Teach one another a song of sadness.

21 Death has climbed in through our windows.

It has entered our forts.

It has removed the children from the streets.

It has taken the young people out of the market places.