11. I will make a road for my people. The mountains will be made flat, and the low roads will be raised.
12. “Look! People are coming to me from faraway places. They are coming to me from the north and from the west. They are coming to me from Aswan in Egypt.”
13. Heavens and earth, be happy! Mountains, shout with joy! The Lord comforts his people. He is good to his poor people.
14. But now Zion says, “The Lord has left me; the Lord has forgotten me.”
15. But the Lord says, “Can a woman forget her baby? Can she forget the child who came from her body? Even if she can forget her children, I cannot forget you.
16. I drew a picture of you on my hand. You are always before my eyes.
17. Your children will come back to you, and those who destroyed you will leave.
18. Look up! Look all around you! All of your children are gathering together and coming to you.” The Lord says, “On my life, I promise you this: Your children will be like jewels that you tie around your neck. Your children will be like the necklace that a bride wears.
19. “You are destroyed and defeated now. Your land is useless. But after a short time, you will have many people in your land. And those who destroyed you will be far, far away.
20. You were sad for the children you lost, but they will tell you, ‘This place is too small! Give us a bigger place to live!’
21. Then you will say to yourself, ‘Who gave me all these children? I was sad and lonely. My children were taken away. They were gone. So who gave me these children? Look, I was the only one left. Where did all these children come from?’”