Jeremiah 15:5–11

⁵“Who will have pity^m on you, Jerusalem?

Who will mourn for you?

Who will stop to ask how you are?

⁶You have rejectedⁿ me,” declares the Lord.

“You keep on backsliding.

So I will reach out^o and destroy you;

I am tired of holding back.^p

⁷I will winnow^q them with a winnowing fork

at the city gates of the land.

I will bring bereavement^r and destruction on my people,^s

for they have not changed their ways.^t

⁸I will make their widows^u more numerous

than the sand of the sea.

At midday I will bring a destroyer^v

against the mothers of their young men;

suddenly I will bring down on them

anguish and terror.^w

⁹The mother of seven will grow faint^x

and breathe her last.^y

Her sun will set while it is still day;

she will be disgraced^z and humiliated.

I will put the survivors to the sword^a

before their enemies,”^b

declares the Lord.

¹⁰Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth,^c

a man with whom the whole land strives and contends!^d

I have neither lent^e nor borrowed,

yet everyone curses^f me.

¹¹The Lord said,

“Surely I will deliver you^g for a good purpose;

surely I will make your enemies plead^h with you

in times of disaster and times of distress.