21 Take courage, my children, cry to God,

and he will deliver you from the power and hand of the enemy.

22 For I have put my hope in the Everlasting to save you,

and joy has come to me from the Holy One,

because of the mercy that will soon come to you

from your everlasting savior.a

23 For I sent you out with sorrow and weeping,

but God will give you back to me with joy and gladness forever.

24 For as the neighbors of Zion have now seen your capture,

so they soon will see your salvation by God,

which will come to you with great glory

and with the splendor of the Everlasting.

25 My children, endure with patience the wrath that has come upon you from God.

Your enemy has overtaken you,

but you will soon see their destruction

and will tread upon their necks.

26 My pampered children have traveled rough roads;

they were taken away like a flock carried off by the enemy.

27 Take courage, my children, and cry to God,

for you will be remembered by the one who brought this upon you.

28 For just as you were disposed to go astray from God,

return with tenfold zeal to seek him.

29 For the one who brought these calamities upon you

will bring you everlasting joy with your salvation.

Jerusalem Is Assured of Help

(Cp Isa 52:1–10)

30 Take courage, O Jerusalem,

for the one who named you will comfort you.

31 Wretched will be those who mistreated you

and who rejoiced at your fall.

32 Wretched will be the cities that your children served as slaves;

wretched will be the city that received your offspring.

33 For just as she rejoiced at your fall

and was glad for your ruin,

so she will be grieved at her own desolation.

34 I will take away her pride in her great population,

and her insolence will be turned to grief.

35 For fire will come upon her from the Everlasting for many days,

and for a long time she will be inhabited by demons.

36 Look toward the east, O Jerusalem,

and see the joy that is coming to you from God.

37 Look, your children are coming, whom you sent away;

they are coming, gathered from east and west,

at the word of the Holy One,

rejoicing in the glory of God.