The painsof childbirthcomeupon him; He is not a wiseson,For it is not the timethat he should delayat the openingof the womb.
They saidto him, "ThussaysHezekiah,'Thisdayis a dayof distress,rebukeand rejection;for childrenhave cometo birth,and thereis nostrengthto deliver.
They will be terrified,Painsand anguishwill takeholdof [them]; They will writhelike a woman in labor,They will lookat oneanotherin astonishment,Their facesaflame.
As the pregnantwomanapproaches[the time] to givebirth,She writhes[and] criesout in her laborpains,Thuswere we beforeYou, O LORD.
Panicseizedthem there,Anguish,as of a woman in childbirth.
They saidto him, "ThussaysHezekiah,'Thisdayis a dayof distress,rebuke,and rejection;for childrenhave cometo birthand thereis nostrengthto [deliver].
Whilethey are saying,"Peaceand safety!"thendestructionwill comeupon them suddenlylikelabor painsupon a woman with child,and they will not escape.
The prudentseesthe eviland hideshimself, But the naivegoon, and are punishedfor it.
for He says,"AT THE ACCEPTABLETIMEI LISTENEDTO YOU, AND ON THE DAYOF SALVATIONI HELPEDYOU." Behold,nowis "THE ACCEPTABLETIME,"behold,nowis "THE DAYOF SALVATION"--
But as he was discussingrighteousness,self-controland the judgmentto come,Felixbecamefrightenedand said,"Go awayfor the present,and when I findtimeI will summonyou."
"Damascushas becomehelpless;She has turnedaway to flee,And panichas grippedher; Distressand pangshave takenholdof her Like a woman in childbirth.
Asknow,and seeIfa malecan givebirth.Whydo I seeeveryman[With] his handson his loins,as a woman in childbirth?And [why] have allfacesturnedpale?
"You who dwellin Lebanon,Nestedin the cedars,Howyou will groanwhen pangscomeupon you, Painlike a woman in childbirth!
"Whatwill you saywhenHe appointsoveryou-- And you yourselfhad taughtthem-- Former companionsto be headoveryou? Will not pangstakeholdof you Likea womanin childbirth?
For I hearda cryas of a woman in labor,The anguishas of one givingbirthto her firstchild,The cryof the daughterof Ziongaspingfor breath,Stretchingout her hands,[saying], "Ah,woeis me, for I faintbefore murderers."
"Shall I bringto the pointof birthand not givedelivery?"saysthe LORD."Orshall I who givesdeliveryshut[the womb]?" saysyour God.
For thisreasonmy loinsare fullof anguish;Painshave seizedme like the painsof a woman in labor.I am sobewilderedI cannothear,soterrifiedI cannotsee.
"Whenevera womanis in laborshe haspain,becauseher hourhas come;but whenshe givesbirthto the child,she no longerremembersthe anguishbecauseof the joythat a childhas been borninto the world.
"Do you thusrepaythe LORD,O foolishand unwisepeople?Is not He your Fatherwho has boughtyou? He has madeyou and establishedyou.
Their deedswill not allowthem To returnto their God.For a spiritof harlotryis withinthem, And they do not knowthe LORD.
for an angelof the Lordwent downat certainseasonsinto the pooland stirredup the water;whoever thenfirst,afterthe stirringup of the water,steppedin was madewellfrom whateverdiseasewith whichhe was afflicted].
