And if you do not listen, my being shall weep in secret for your pride, and my eyes bitterly weep and run down with tears, because the flock of יהוה shall be taken captive.
“And you shall say this word to them, ‘Let my eyes flow with tears night and day, and let them not cease; for the maiden daughter of my people has been crushed with a mighty blow, with a very severe wound.
“We shall lie down in our shame, while our reproach covers us. For we have sinned against יהוה our Elohim, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and have not obeyed the voice of יהוה our Elohim.”
O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth, and roll about in ashes! Make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation because suddenly the ravager shall come upon us.
“I shall take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains, and for the pastures of the wilderness a lamentation, because they have been burned up, without any passing over, nor has the voice of cattle been heard. Both the birds of the heavens and the beasts have fled, they have gone.
But hear the word of יהוה, O women, and let your ear receive the word of His mouth. And teach your daughters wailing, and each one her neighbour a lamentation.
She weeps bitterly at night, And her tears are upon her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no comforter for her. All her friends have betrayed her, They have become her enemies.
My eyes are spent with tears, My inward parts ferment, My bile has been poured on the ground Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people, As children and the infants languish In the streets of the city.
How shall I admonish you, To what shall I compare you, O daughter of Yerushalayim? To what shall I liken you to comfort you, O maiden daughter of Tsiyon? For your breach is as great as the sea. Who shall heal you?
Their heart cried out to יהוה, “O wall of the daughter of Tsiyon, Let tears run down like a river day and night. Give yourself no numbness, Let your eyes have no rest.
Therefore יהוה Elohim of hosts, יהוה, said this, “There is wailing in all open squares, and in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’ and shall call the farmer to mourning, and skilled lamenters to wailing.