12. See, these shall come from afar:some from the north and the west,others from the land of Syene.
13. Sing out, heavens, and rejoice, earth,break forth into song, you mountains,For the Lord comforts his peopleand shows mercy to his afflicted.
14. But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me;my Lord has forgotten me.”
15. Can a mother forget her infant,be without tenderness for the child of her womb?Even should she forget,I will never forget you.
16. See, upon the palms of my hands I have engraved you;your walls are ever before me.
17. Your children hasten—your levelers, your destroyersgo forth from you;
18. Look about and see,they are all gathering and coming to you.As I live—oracle of the Lord—you shall don them as jewels,bedeck yourself like a bride.
19. Though you were waste and desolate,a land of ruins,Now you shall be too narrow for your inhabitants,while those who swallowed you up will be far away.
20. The children of whom you were bereftshall yet say in your hearing,“This place is too narrow for me,make room for me to live in.”