<t /><p class="poetry">Whatever<n id="1" /> you plot<n id="2" /> against the <sc>Lordsc>, he will completely destroy!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Distress<n id="4" /> will not arise<n id="5" /> a second time.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Woe to the city guilty of bloodshed!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">She is full of lies;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">she is filled with plunder;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">she has hoarded her spoil!<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> is slow to anger<n id="1" /> but great in power;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the <sc>Lordsc> will certainly not<n id="3" /> allow the wicked<n id="4" /> to go unpunished.p><t /><p class="poetry">He marches out<n id="5" /> in the whirlwind and the raging storm;p> <p class="poetry">dark storm clouds billow like dust<n id="6" /> under his feet.<n id="7" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Even though<n id="2" /> they are powerful<n id="3" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">and what is more,<n id="4" /> even though their army is numerous<n id="5" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">nevertheless,<n id="6" /> they will be destroyed<n id="7" /> and trickle away!<n id="8" />p> <p class="poetry">Although I afflicted you,p> <p class="poetry">I will afflict you no more.<n id="9" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> has issued a decree against you:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Your dynasty will come to an end.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your gods.p> <p class="poetry">I will desecrate<n id="3" /> your grave &#8211; because you are accursed!&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Your destruction is like an incurable wound;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">your demise is like a fatal injury!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">All who hear what has happened to you<n id="3" /> will clap their hands for joy,<n id="4" />p> <p class="bodytext">for no one ever escaped your endless cruelty!<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry"><v id="(2:1)" /><n id="1" /> Look! A herald is running<n id="2" /> on the mountains!p> <p class="poetry">A messenger is proclaiming deliverance:<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Celebrate your sacred festivals, O Judah!p> <p class="poetry">Fulfill your sacred vows to praise God!<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">For never again<n id="5" /> will the wicked<n id="6" /> Assyrians<n id="7" /> invade<n id="8" /> you,p> <p class="poetry">they<n id="9" /> have been completely destroyed.&#8221;<n id="10" />p>