<p class="poetry">What will you say<n id="1" /> when the <sc>Lordsc><n id="2" /> appoints as rulers over you those alliesp> <p class="poetry">that you, yourself, had actually prepared as such?<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Then anguish and agony will grip youp> <p class="poetry">like that of a woman giving birth to a baby.<n id="4" />p>

&#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel has a message for you, Baruch.

<p class="poetry">Terror, pits, and traps<n id="1" /> are in storep> <p class="poetry">for the people who live in Moab.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will send men against it to destroy it<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">with their axes and hatchets.p> <p class="poetry">They will hack up its fine cedar panels and columnsp> <p class="poetry">and throw them into the fire.p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all<n id="1" /> has solemnly sworn,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;I will fill your land with enemy soldiers.p> <p class="poetry">They will swarm over it like locusts.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They will raise up shouts of victory over it.&#8217;p>

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> cried out,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Who in the world<n id="2" /> will have pity on you, Jerusalem?p> <p class="poetry">Who will grieve over you?p> <p class="poetry">Who will stop long enough<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">to inquire about how you are doing?<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">I, the <sc>Lordsc>, say:<n id="1" /> &#8216;You people have deserted me!p> <p class="poetry">You keep turning your back on me.&#8217;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">So I have unleashed my power against you<n id="3" /> and have begun to destroy you.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">I have grown tired of feeling sorry for you!&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

<p class="bodytext">I said,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;<sc>Lordsc>, you know how I suffer.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Take thought of me and care for me.p> <p class="poetry">Pay back for me those who have been persecuting me.p> <p class="poetry">Do not be so patient with them that you allow them to kill me.p> <p class="poetry">Be mindful of how I have put up with their insults for your sake.p>

However, listen to what I, the <sc>Lordsc>, promise you, King Zedekiah of Judah. I, the <sc>Lordsc>, promise that<n id="1" /> you will not die in battle or be executed.<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">I will bring terror on you from every side,&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">says the Lord <sc>Godsc> who rules over all.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;You will be scattered in every direction.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">No one will gather the fugitives back together.p>

<p class="poetry">Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears.p> <p class="poetry">They are cruel and show no mercy.p> <p class="poetry">They sound like the roaring seap> <p class="poetry">as they ride forth on their horses.p> <p class="poetry">Lined up in formation like men going into battlep> <p class="poetry">to attack you, Daughter Zion.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">For though I, the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all,<n id="1" /> planted you in the land,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I now decree that disaster will come on you<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">because the nations of Israel and Judah have done evilp> <p class="poetry">and have made me angry by offering sacrifices to the god Baal.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears.p> <p class="poetry">They are cruel and show no mercy.p> <p class="poetry">They sound like the roaring seap> <p class="poetry">as they ride forth on their horses.p> <p class="poetry">Lined up in formation like men going into battle,p> <p class="poetry">they are coming against you, fair Babylon!<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Beware! I am opposed to you, Babylon!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You are like a destructive mountain that destroys all the earth.p> <p class="poetry">I will unleash my power against you;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I will roll you off the cliffs and make you like a burned-out mountain.<n id="4" />p>

But now, Jeremiah, today I will set you free<n id="1" /> from the chains on your wrists. If you would like to come to Babylon with me, come along and I will take care of you.<n id="2" /> But if you prefer not to come to Babylon with me, you are not required to do so.<n id="3" /> You are free to go anywhere in the land you want to go.<n id="4" /> Go wherever you choose.&#8221;<n id="5" />