20. Now, you women, hear the word of the Lord;open your ears to the words of his mouth.Teach your daughters how to wail;teach one another a lament.
21. Death has climbed in through our windowsand has entered our fortresses;it has removed the children from the streetsand the young men from the public squares.
22. Say, ‘This is what the Lord declares:‘ “Dead bodies will lielike dung on the open field,like cut corn behind the reaper,with no one to gather them.” ’
23. This is what the Lord says:‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdomor the strong boast of their strengthor the rich boast of their riches,
24. but let the one who boasts boast about this:that they have the understanding to know me,that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,justice and righteousness on earth,for in these I delight,’declares the Lord.
25. ‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh –
26. Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.’