<t /><p class="sosspeaker"><b><i>The Lover to His Beloved:i>b>p> <p class="poetry">O you who stay in the gardens,p> <p class="poetry">my companions are listening attentively<n id="1" /> for your voice;p> <p class="poetry">let me be the one to<n id="2" /> hear it!<n id="3" />p>

Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north<n id="1" /> of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south<n id="2" /> of you, was Sodom<n id="3" /> with her daughters.

<p class="poetry">So now, listen to this,p> <p class="poetry">O one who lives so lavishly,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">who lives securely,p> <p class="poetry">who says to herself,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;I am unique! No one can compare to me!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I will never have to live as a widow;p> <p class="poetry">I will never lose my children.&#8217;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">This is how the once-proud city will end up<n id="1" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">the city that was so secure.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">She thought to herself,<n id="3" /> &#8220;I am unique! No one can compare to me!&#8221;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">What a heap of ruins she has become, a place where wild animals live!p> <p class="poetry">Everyone who passes by her taunts her<n id="5" /> and shakes his fist.<n id="6" />p>