16. They have come to warn the nations and to tell Jerusalem that enemies are coming from a country far away. These enemies will shout against the cities of Judah
17. and will surround Jerusalem like men guarding a field, because her people have rebelled against the Lord. The Lord has spoken.
18. Judah, you have brought this on yourself by the way you have lived and by the things you have done. Your sin has caused this suffering; it has stabbed you through the heart.
19. The pain! I can't bear the pain!My heart! My heart is beating wildly!I can't keep quiet;I hear the trumpetsand the shouts of battle.
20. One disaster follows another;the whole country is left in ruins.Suddenly our tents are destroyed;their curtains are torn to pieces.
21. How long must I see the battle ragingand hear the blasts of trumpets?
22. The Lord says, “My people are stupid;they don't know me.They are like foolish children;they have no understanding.They are experts at doing what is evil,but failures at doing what is good.”
23. I looked at the earth — it was a barren waste;at the sky — there was no light.
24. I looked at the mountains — they were shaking,and the hills were rocking to and fro.
25. I saw that there were no people;even the birds had flown away.
26. The fertile land had become a desert;its cities were in ruinsbecause of the Lord's fierce anger.
27. (The Lord has said that the whole earth will become a wilderness, but that he will not completely destroy it.)
28. The earth will mourn;the sky will grow dark.The Lord has spokenand will not change his mind.He has made his decisionand will not turn back.
29. At the noise of the horsemen and bowmeneveryone will run away.Some will run to the forest,others will climb up among the rocks.Every town will be left empty,and no one will live in them again.
30. Jerusalem, you are doomed!Why do you dress in scarlet?Why do you put on jewellery and paint your eyes?You are making yourself beautiful for nothing!Your lovers have rejected youand want to kill you.