6. I, the Lord, say: ‘You people have deserted me!You keep turning your back on me.’So I have unleashed my power against you and have begun to destroy you.I have grown tired of feeling sorry for you!”
7. The Lord continued,“In every town in the land I will purge them like straw blown away by the wind.I will destroy my people.I will kill off their children.I will do so because they did not change their behavior.
8. Their widows will become in my sight more numerousthan the grains of sand on the seashores.At noontime I will bring a destroyeragainst the mothers of their young men.I will cause anguish and terrorto fall suddenly upon them.
9. The mother who had seven children will grow faint.All the breath will go out of her.Her pride and joy will be taken from her in the prime of their life.It will seem as if the sun had set while it was still day.She will suffer shame and humiliation.I will cause any of them who are still left aliveto be killed in war by the onslaughts of their enemies,”says the Lord.
10. I said,“Oh, mother, how I regret that you ever gave birth to me!I am always starting arguments and quarrels with the people of this land.I have not lent money to anyone and I have not borrowed from anyone.Yet all of these people are treating me with contempt.”
11. The Lord said, “Jerusalem, I will surely send you away for your own good.I will surely bring the enemy upon you in a time of trouble and distress.
12. Can you people who are like iron and bronzebreak that iron fist from the north?
13. I will give away your wealth and your treasures as plunder.I will give it away free of charge for the sins you have committed throughout your land.
14. I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you know nothing about.For my anger is like a fire that will burn against you.”
15. I said, “Lord, you know how I suffer.Take thought of me and care for me.Pay back for me those who have been persecuting me.Do not be so patient with them that you allow them to kill me.Be mindful of how I have put up with their insults for your sake.
16. As your words came to me I drank them in,and they filled my heart with joy and happinessbecause I belong to you.
17. I did not spend my time in the company of other people,laughing and having a good time.I stayed to myself because I felt obligated to youand because I was filled with anger at what they had done.
18. Why must I continually suffer such painful anguish?Why must I endure the sting of their insults like an incurable wound?Will you let me down when I need youlike a brook one goes to for water, but that cannot be relied on?”
19. Because of this, the Lord said,“You must repent of such words and thoughts!If you do, I will restore you to the privilege of serving me.If you say what is worthwhile instead of what is worthless,I will again allow you to be my spokesman.They must become as you have been.You must not become like them.