12. The Lord made the earth by his power;by his wisdom he created the worldand stretched out the heavens.
13. At his command the waters above the sky roar;he brings clouds from the ends of the earth.He makes lightning flash in the rainand sends the wind from his storeroom.
14. At the sight of this, people feel stupid and senseless;those who make idols are disillusioned,because the gods they make are false and lifeless.
15. They are worthless and should be despised;they will be destroyed when the Lord comes to deal with them.
16. The God of Jacob is not like them;he is the one who made everything,and he has chosen Israel to be his very own people.The Lord Almighty is his name.
17. People of Jerusalem, you are under siege! Gather up your belongings.
18. The Lord is going to throw you out of this land; he is going to crush you until not one of you is left. The Lord has spoken.
19. The people of Jerusalem cried out,“How badly we are hurt!Our wounds will not heal.And we thought this was something we could endure!
20. Our tents are ruined;the ropes that held them have broken.Our children have all gone away;there is no one left to put up our tents again;there is no one to hang their curtains.”
21. I answered, “Our leaders are stupid;they do not ask the Lord for guidance.This is why they have failed,and our people have been scattered.
22. Listen! News has come!There is a great commotion in a nation to the north;its army will turn the cities of Judah into a desert,a place where jackals live.”
23. Lord, I know that no one is the master of his own destiny;no person has control over his own life.
24. Correct your people, Lord;but do not be too hard on usor punish us when you are angry;that would be the end of us.
25. Turn your anger on the nations that do not worship youand on the people who reject you.They have killed your people;they have destroyed us completelyand left our country in ruins.