⁵ Blessed are those whose strength^(H) is in you,
    whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.^(I)
6 As they pass through the Valley of Baka,
    they make it a place of springs;^(J)
    the autumn^(K) rains also cover it with pools.^[d]
7 They go from strength to strength,^(L)
    till each appears^(M) before God in Zion.^(N)

“Consider now! Call for the wailing women^(A) to come;
    send for the most skillful of them.
¹⁸ Let them come quickly
    and wail over us
till our eyes overflow with tears
    and water streams from our eyelids.^(B)
19 The sound of wailing is heard from Zion:
    ‘How ruined^(C) we are!
    How great is our shame!
We must leave our land
    because our houses are in ruins.’”

²⁰ Now, you women, hear the word of the Lord;
    open your ears to the words of his mouth.^(D)
Teach your daughters how to wail;
    teach one another a lament.^(E)
21 Death has climbed in through our windows^(F)
    and has entered our fortresses;
it has removed the children from the streets
    and the young men^(G) from the public squares.

“‘Dead bodies will lie
    like dung^(H) on the open field,
like cut grain behind the reaper,
    with no one to gather them.’”

“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom^(I)
    or the strong boast of their strength^(J)
    or the rich boast of their riches,^(K)
24 but let the one who boasts boast^(L) about this:
    that they have the understanding to know^(M) me,
that I am the Lord,^(N) who exercises kindness,^(O)
    justice and righteousness^(P) on earth,
    for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord.