^17 (A)As the pregnant woman approaches the time to give birth,
She writhes and cries out in her labor pains,
Thus were we before You, O Lord.

⁷ “Before she travailed, ^(A)she brought forth;
Before her pain came, ^(B)she gave birth to a boy.

¹³ The pains of ^(A)childbirth come upon him;
He is ^(B)not a wise son,
For ^[a]it is not the time that he should ^(C)delay at the opening of the womb.

⁹ “Now, why do you ^(A)cry out loudly?
Is there no king among you,
Or has your ^(B)counselor perished,
That agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth?