15. "The Lord has refused to accept any of our soldiers. He has sent for an army to crush our young men. We are like grapes in the Lord's winepress. He has stomped on us, even though we are his very own people.
16. "That's why we are sobbing. Tears are flowing from our eyes. No one is near to comfort us. No one can heal our spirits. Our children don't have anything. Our enemies are much too strong for us."
17. Zion reaches out its hands. But no one is there to comfort its people. The Lord has ordered that the neighbors of Jacob's people would become their enemies. Jerusalem has become polluted among them.
18. Its people say, "The Lord always does what is right. But we refused to obey his commands. Listen, all of you nations. Pay attention to how much we're suffering. Our young women and young men have been taken away as prisoners.