Nowhearthe wordof the LORD,O you women,And let your earreceivethe wordof His mouth;Teachyour daughterswailing,And everyoneher neighbora dirge.
"Pleasereceiveinstructionfrom His mouthAnd establishHis wordsin your heart.
Moreover, the LORDsaid,"Becausethe daughtersof Zionare proudAnd walkwith headsheldhighand seductiveeyes,And goalong with mincingstepsAnd tinklethe bangleson their feet,
And I will makemere ladstheir princes,And capriciouschildrenwill ruleover them,
"The peoplealso to whomthey are prophesyingwill be thrownout into the streetsof Jerusalembecauseof the famineand the sword;and therewill be nooneto burythem-- [neither] them, [nor] their wives,northeir sons,northeir daughters--for I will pourout their [own] wickednesson them.
Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Do not listento the wordsof the prophetswho are prophesyingto you. They are leadingyou into futility;They speaka visionof their own imagination,Not from the mouthof the LORD.
"The prophetwhohasa dreammay relate[his] dream,but let him whohasMy wordspeakMy wordin truth.Whatdoes strawhave [in common] with grain?"declaresthe LORD.
But I am fullof the wrathof the LORD;I am wearywith holding[it] in. "Pour[it] out on the childrenin the streetAnd on the gatheringof youngmentogether;For bothhusbandand wifeshall be taken,The agedand the veryold.
Cutoffyour hairand cast[it] away,And takeup a lamentationon the bareheights;For the LORDhas rejectedand forsakenThe generationof His wrath.'
"They will spreadthem out to the sun,the moonand to allthe hostof heaven,whichthey have lovedand whichthey have served,and whichthey have goneafterand whichthey have sought,and whichthey have worshiped.They will not be gatheredor buried;they will be as dungon the faceof the ground.
Whois the wisemanthat may understandthis?And [who is] he to whomthe mouthof the LORDhas spoken,that he may declareit? Whyis the landruined,laidwastelike a desert,sothat noonepassesthrough?
"Arise,cryaloudin the nightAt the beginningof the night watches;Pourout your heartlike waterBeforethe presenceof the Lord;Liftup your handsto Him For the lifeof your littleonesWho are faintbecause of hungerAt the headof everystreet."
On the groundin the streetsLieyoungand old;My virginsand my youngmenHave fallenby the sword.You have slain[them] in the dayof Your anger,You have slaughtered,not sparing.
