Certainly the Lord has chosen Zion; he decided to make it his home.

May the Lord, the Creator of heaven and earth, bless you from Zion!

We will make for you gold ornaments studded with silver.

Zion will be freed by justice, and her returnees by righteousness.

“Do not get married and do not have children here in this land.

“You say, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets of good news for us here in Babylon.’

The city remained under siege until Zedekiah’s eleventh year.

They raped women in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah.

For wild animals are prowling over Mount Zion, which lies desolate.

Blow the trumpet in Zion. Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly!

“Escape, Zion, you who live among the Babylonians!”

Now early in the morning, as he returned to the city, he was hungry.

Now some Greeks were among those who had gone up to worship at the feast.

Now those who had been forced to scatter went around proclaiming the good news of the word.

The Maidens to The Beloved: Why is your beloved better than others, O most beautiful of women? Why is your beloved better than others, that you would command us in this manner?

The Maidens to the Beloved: Where has your beloved gone, O most beautiful among women? Where has your beloved turned? Tell us, that we may seek him with you.

Daughter Zion is left isolated, like a hut in a vineyard, or a shelter in a cucumber field; she is a besieged city.

They say, “Let’s attack Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it. Then we’ll set up the son of Tabeel as its king.”

Raise a signal flag that tells people to go to Zion. Run for safety! Do not delay! For I am about to bring disaster out of the north. It will bring great destruction.

But on Mount Zion there will be a remnant of those who escape, and it will be a holy place once again. The descendants of Jacob will conquer those who had conquered them.