<p class="poetry">For the honor of your name,<n id="1" /> do not treat Jerusalem<n id="2" /> with contempt.p> <p class="poetry">Do not treat with disdain the place where your glorious throne sits.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Be mindful of your covenant with us. Do not break it!<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Should good be paid back with evil?p> <p class="poetry">Yet they are virtually digging a pit to kill me.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Just remember how I stood before youp> <p class="poetry">pleading on their behalf<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">to keep you from venting your anger on them.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Cursed be the manp> <p class="poetry">who made my father very gladp> <p class="poetry">when he brought him the newsp> <p class="poetry">that a baby boy had been born to him!<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">Ask yourselves this and consider it carefully:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Have you ever seen a man give birth to a baby?p> <p class="poetry">Why then do I see all these strong menp> <p class="poetry">grabbing their stomachs in pain like<n id="2" /> a woman giving birth?p> <p class="poetry">And why do their facesp> <p class="poetry">turn so deathly pale?p>

<p class="poetry">Indeed, the people of Israel are my dear children.p> <p class="poetry">They are the children I take delight in.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For even though I must often rebuke them,p> <p class="poetry">I still remember them with fondness.p> <p class="poetry">So I am deeply moved with pity for them<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and will surely have compassion on them.p> <p class="poetry">I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!<n id="3" />p>

&#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> did indeed remember and call to mind what you did! He remembered the sacrifices you and your ancestors, your kings, your leaders, and all the rest of the people of the land offered to other gods<n id="1" /> in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem.<n id="2" />