17. “Speak this message to the people of Judah:‘Let my eyes be filled with tears.I will cry night and day, without stopping.I will cry for my people.They have received a terrible blow.They have been hurt very badly.
18. If I go into the country,I see people killed by swords.If I go into the city,I see much sickness because the people have no food.Both the priests and the prophetshave been taken to a foreign land.’”
19. Lord, have you completely rejected the nation of Judah?Do you hate Jerusalem?Why have you hurt us so badlythat we cannot be made well again?We hoped for peace,but nothing good has come.We looked for a time of healing,but only terror came.
20. Lord, we admit that we are very wicked.We admit that our ancestors did evil things.We have sinned against you.