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,rebuke,and rejection;for childrenhave cometo birthand thereis nostrengthto [deliver].
Panicseizedthem there,Anguish,as of a woman in childbirth.
The prudentseesthe eviland hideshimself, But the naivegoon, and are punishedfor it.
They will be terrified,Painsand anguishwill takeholdof [them]; They will writhelike a woman in labor,They will lookat oneanotherin astonishment,Their facesaflame.
For thisreasonmy loinsare fullof anguish;Painshave seizedme like the painsof a woman in labor.I am sobewilderedI cannothear,soterrifiedI cannotsee.
As the pregnantwomanapproaches[the time] to givebirth,She writhes[and] criesout in her laborpains,Thuswere we beforeYou, O LORD.
They saidto him, "ThussaysHezekiah,'Thisdayis a dayof distress,rebukeand rejection;for childrenhave cometo birth,and thereis nostrengthto deliver.
"Shall I bringto the pointof birthand not givedelivery?"saysthe LORD."Orshall I who givesdeliveryshut[the womb]?" saysyour God.
"Whatwill you saywhenHe appointsoveryou-- And you yourselfhad taughtthem-- Former companionsto be headoveryou? Will not pangstakeholdof you Likea womanin childbirth?
"You who dwellin Lebanon,Nestedin the cedars,Howyou will groanwhen pangscomeupon you, Painlike 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?
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."
"Damascushas becomehelpless;She has turnedaway to flee,And panichas grippedher; Distressand pangshave takenholdof her Like a woman in childbirth.
Their deedswill not allowthem To returnto their God.For a spiritof harlotryis withinthem, And they do not knowthe LORD.
"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.
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].
But as he was discussingrighteousness,self-controland the judgmentto come,Felixbecamefrightenedand said,"Go awayfor the present,and when I findtimeI will summonyou."
for He says,"AT THE ACCEPTABLETIMEI LISTENEDTO YOU, AND ON THE DAYOF SALVATIONI HELPEDYOU." Behold,nowis "THE ACCEPTABLETIME,"behold,nowis "THE DAYOF SALVATION"--
"Do you thusrepaythe LORD,O foolishand unwisepeople?Is not He your Fatherwho has boughtyou? He has madeyou and establishedyou.
Whilethey are saying,"Peaceand safety!"thendestructionwill comeupon them suddenlylikelabor painsupon a woman with child,and they will not escape.
