16. Lord, in trouble they have sought You;they poured out a prayerwhen Your chastening was on them.
17. Like a woman with child, who is in pain and cries out in her pangswhen she draws near the time of her delivery,so have we been in Your sight, O Lord.
18. We have been with child, we have been in pain,we have, as it were, brought forth wind;we have not accomplished any deliverance in the earth,nor were the inhabitants of the world born.
19. Your dead shall live,their corpses shall arise.Awake and sing,you who dwell in dust,for your dew is as the dew of the dawn,and the earth shall give birth to the departed spirits.
20. Come, my people, enter your chambers,and shut your doors behind you;hide for a little whileuntil the indignation is over.
21. For the Lord comes out of His placeto punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;the earth also shall disclose her bloodshedand shall cover her slain no more.