⁷ A lion^(A) has come out of his lair;^(B)
    a destroyer^(C) of nations has set out.
He has left his place
    to lay waste^(D) your land.
Your towns will lie in ruins^(E)
    without inhabitant.

⁶ Therefore a lion from the forest^(A) will attack them,
    a wolf from the desert will ravage^(B) them,
a leopard^(C) will lie in wait near their towns
    to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great
    and their backslidings many.^(D)

¹⁵ Lions^(A) have roared;
    they have growled at him.
They have laid waste^(B) his land;
    his towns are burned^(C) and deserted.^(D)

“Until the cities lie ruined^(B)
    and without inhabitant,
until the houses are left deserted^(C)
    and the fields ruined and ravaged,^(D)

⁷ Your country is desolate,^(A)
    your cities burned with fire;^(B)
your fields are being stripped by foreigners^(C)
    right before you,
    laid waste as when overthrown by strangers.^(D)

¹⁷ “Israel is a scattered flock^(A)
    that lions^(B) have chased away.
The first to devour^(C) them
    was the king^(D) of Assyria;
the last to crush their bones^(E)
    was Nebuchadnezzar^(F) king^(G) of Babylon.”

¹⁹ “Like a lion^(A) coming up from Jordan’s thickets^(B)
    to a rich pastureland,
I will chase Edom from its land in an instant.
    Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this?
Who is like^(C) me and who can challenge me?^(D)
    And what shepherd^(E) can stand against me?”