¹⁷ A thousand will flee
    at the threat of one;
at the threat of five^(A)
    you will all flee^(B) away,
till you are left^(C)
    like a flagstaff on a mountaintop,
    like a banner^(D) on a hill.”

³ After affliction and harsh labor,
    Judah has gone into exile.^(A)
She dwells among the nations;
    she finds no resting place.^(B)
All who pursue her have overtaken her^(C)
    in the midst of her distress.

⁶ All the splendor has departed
    from Daughter Zion.^(A)
Her princes are like deer
    that find no pasture;
in weakness they have fled^(B)
    before the pursuer.

¹⁹ Our pursuers were swifter
    than eagles^(A) in the sky;
they chased us^(B) over the mountains
    and lay in wait for us in the desert.^(C)

¹² Cry out and wail, son of man,
    for it is against my people;
    it is against all the princes of Israel.
They are thrown to the sword
    along with my people.
Therefore beat your breast.^(A)

¹⁵ So that hearts may melt with fear^(A)
    and the fallen be many,
I have stationed the sword for slaughter^[a]
    at all their gates.
Look! It is forged to strike like lightning,
    it is grasped for slaughter.^(B)