“Before she goes into labor,(A)
    she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
    she delivers a son.(B)
Who has ever heard of such things?
    Who has ever seen(C) things like this?
Can a country be born in a day(D)
    or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
    than she gives birth to her children.(E)
Do I bring to the moment of birth(F)
    and not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Do I close up the womb
    when I bring to delivery?” says your God.
10 “Rejoice(G) with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
    all you who love(H) her;
rejoice greatly with her,
    all you who mourn(I) over her.
11 For you will nurse(J) and be satisfied
    at her comforting breasts;(K)
you will drink deeply
    and delight in her overflowing abundance.”(L)

12 For this is what the Lord says:

“I will extend peace(M) to her like a river,(N)
    and the wealth(O) of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried(P) on her arm
    and dandled on her knees.
13 As a mother comforts her child,(Q)
    so will I comfort(R) you;
    and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.”

14 When you see this, your heart will rejoice(S)
    and you will flourish(T) like grass;
the hand(U) of the Lord will be made known to his servants,(V)
    but his fury(W) will be shown to his foes.

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Mother Zion

Before she was in labor, she gave birth.
    Before her pangs came upon her, she delivered a boy.
Whoever heard of such a thing?
    Whoever saw such things as these?
Can a land come to birth in one day?
    Can a nation be born all at once?
Yet as soon as birth pangs came,
    Zion bore her children.
Will I open the womb and not bring to birth? says the Lord.
    Will I, who create life, close the womb? says your God.
10 Celebrate with Jerusalem; be happy with her,
    all you who love her!
Rejoice with her in joy,
    all you who mourn over her,
11     so that you may nurse and be satisfied
    from her comforting breasts,
    that you may drink and be refreshed
    from her full breasts.
12 The Lord says:
    Look, I’m extending prosperity to her like a river,
    and the wealth of nations like an overflowing stream.
You will nurse and be carried on the hip
    and bounced upon the knee.

13 As a mother comforts her child,
    so I will comfort you;
    in Jerusalem you will be comforted.
14 When you see this, your heart will rejoice;
    your entire being will flourish like grass.
The Lord’s power will be known among his servants,
    but his fury among his enemies.

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