18. "The army will attack you because of your conduct and actions. That is how you will be punished. It will be so bitter! It will cut deep down into your hearts!"
19. I'm suffering! I'm really suffering! I'm hurting badly. My heart is suffering so much! It's pounding inside me. I can't keep silent. I've heard the sound of trumpets. I've heard the battle cry.
20. One trouble follows another. The whole land is destroyed. In an instant my tents are gone. My home disappears in a moment.
21. How long must I look at our enemy's battle flag? How long must I hear the sound of the trumpets?
22. The Lord says, "My people are foolish. They do not know me. They are children who do not have any sense. They have no understanding at all. They are skilled in doing what is evil. They do not know how to do what is good."
23. I looked at the earth. It didn't have any shape. And it was empty. I looked at the sky. Its light was gone.
24. I looked at the mountains. They were shaking. All of the hills were swaying.
25. I looked. And there weren't any people. Every bird in the sky had flown away.
26. I looked. And the fruitful land had become a desert. All of its towns were destroyed. The Lord had done all of that because of his burning anger.
27. The Lord says, "The whole land will be destroyed. But I will not destroy it completely.
28. So the earth will be filled with sadness. The sky above will grow dark. I have spoken, and I will not take pity on them. I have made my decision, and I will not change my mind."
29. People can hear the sound of horsemen. Men who are armed with bows are coming. The people in every town run away. Some of them go into the bushes. Others climb up among the rocks. All of the towns are deserted. No one is living in them.
30. What are you doing, you who are destroyed? Why do you dress yourself in bright red clothes? Why do you put on jewels of gold? Why do you put makeup on your eyes? You make yourself beautiful for no reason at all. Your lovers hate you. They are trying to kill you.