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22 The Lord says to Jerusalem,

“Look! An army is coming
    from the land of the north.
I am stirring up a great nation.
    Its army is coming from a land that is very far away.
23 Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears.
    They are mean. They do not show any mercy at all.
They come riding in on their horses.
    They sound like the roaring ocean.
They are lined up for battle.
    They are marching out
    to attack you, city of Zion.”

24 We have heard reports about them.
    And our hands can’t help us.
We are suffering greatly.
    It’s like the pain of a woman having a baby.
25 Don’t go out to the fields.
    Don’t walk on the roads.
Our enemies have swords.
    And there is terror on every side.
26 My people, put on the clothes of sadness.
    Roll among the ashes.
Mourn with bitter weeping
    just as you would mourn for an only son.
The one who is going to destroy us
    will come suddenly.

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22 This is what the Lord says:

“Look, an army is coming
    from the land of the north;(A)
a great nation is being stirred up
    from the ends of the earth.(B)
23 They are armed with bow and spear;
    they are cruel and show no mercy.(C)
They sound like the roaring sea(D)
    as they ride on their horses;(E)
they come like men in battle formation
    to attack you, Daughter Zion.(F)

24 We have heard reports about them,
    and our hands hang limp.(G)
Anguish(H) has gripped us,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.(I)
25 Do not go out to the fields
    or walk on the roads,
for the enemy has a sword,
    and there is terror on every side.(J)
26 Put on sackcloth,(K) my people,
    and roll in ashes;(L)
mourn with bitter wailing(M)
    as for an only son,(N)
for suddenly the destroyer(O)
    will come upon us.

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