13. The Lord answered, “It is because Judah quit following my teachings that I gave them. They have not obeyed me or done what I told them to do.
14. Instead, they were stubborn and followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them to do.
15. So this is what the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: “I will soon make the people of Judah eat bitter food and drink poisoned water.
16. I will scatter them through other nations that they and their ancestors never knew about. I will chase the people of Judah with the sword until they are all killed.”
17. This is what the Lord All-Powerful says:“Now, think about these things!Call for the women who cry at funerals to come.Send for those women who are good at that job.
18. Let them come quicklyand cry loudly for us.Then our eyes will fill with tears,and streams of water will flow from our eyelids.
19. The sound of loud crying is heard from Jerusalem:‘We are truly ruined!We are truly ashamed!We must leave our land,because our houses are in ruins.’ ”
20. Now, women of Judah, listen to the word of the Lord ;open your ears to hear the words of his mouth.Teach your daughters how to cry loudly.Teach one another a funeral song.