8. And you, O tower of the flock,hill of daughter Zion!To you it shall come:the former dominion shall be restored,the reign of daughter Jerusalem.
9. Now why do you cry out so?Are you without a king?Or has your adviser perished,That you are seized with painslike a woman in labor?
10. Writhe, go into labor,O daughter Zion,like a woman giving birth;For now you shall leave the cityand camp in the fields;To Babylon you shall go,there you shall be rescued.There the Lord shall redeem youfrom the hand of your enemies.
11. And now many nations are gathered against you!They say, “Let her be profaned,let our eyes see Zion’s downfall!”
12. But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord,nor understand his plan:He has gathered themlike sheaves to the threshing floor.
13. Arise and thresh, O daughter Zion;your horn I will make ironAnd your hoofs I will make bronze,that you may crush many peoples;You shall devote their spoils to the Lord,their riches to the Lord of the whole earth.
14. Now grieve, O grieving daughter!“They have laid siege against us!”With the rod they strike on the cheekthe ruler of Israel.