4 Now these are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah.

5 “For thus says the Lord:

‘We have heard a voice of trembling,

Of 1fear, and not of peace.

6 Ask now, and see,

Whether a 2man is ever in 3labor with child?

So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins

cLike a woman in labor,

And all faces turned pale?

7 dAlas! For that day is great,

eSo that none is like it;

And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,

But he shall be saved out of it.

8 ‘For it shall come to pass in that day,’

Says the Lord of hosts,

‘That I will break his yoke from your neck,

And will burst your bonds;

Foreigners shall no more enslave them.

9 But they shall serve the Lord their God,

And fDavid their king,

Whom I will graise up for them.

10 ‘Therefore hdo not fear, O My servant Jacob,’ says the Lord,

‘Nor be dismayed, O Israel;

For behold, I will save you from afar,

And your seed ifrom the land of their captivity.

Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet,

And no one shall make him afraid.

11 For I am with jyou,’ says the Lord, ‘to save you;

kThough I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you,

lYet I will not make a complete end of you.

But I will correct you min justice,

And will not let you go altogether unpunished.’

12 “For thus says the Lord:

n‘Your affliction is incurable,

Your wound is severe.

13 There is no one to plead your cause,

That you may be bound up;

oYou have no healing medicines.

14 pAll your lovers have forgotten you;

They do not seek you;

For I have wounded you with the wound qof an enemy,

With the chastisement rof a cruel one,

For the multitude of your iniquities,

sBecause your sins have increased.

15 Why tdo you cry about your affliction?

Your sorrow is incurable.

Because of the multitude of your iniquities,

Because your sins have increased,

I have done these things to you.

16 ‘Therefore all those who devour you ushall be devoured;

And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into vcaptivity;

Those who plunder you shall become wplunder,

And all who prey upon you I will make a xprey.

17 yFor I will restore health to you

And heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord,

‘Because they called you an outcast saying:

“This is Zion;

No one seeks her.” ’

18 “Thus says the Lord:

‘Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob’s tents,

And zhave mercy on his dwelling places;

The city shall be built upon its own 4mound,

And the palace shall remain according to its own plan.