⁶ “I gave you empty stomachs in every city
    and lack of bread in every town,
    yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the Lord.^(A)

⁷ “I also withheld^(B) rain from you
    when the harvest was still three months away.
I sent rain on one town,
    but withheld it from another.^(C)
One field had rain;
    another had none and dried up.
⁸ People staggered from town to town for water^(D)
    but did not get enough^(E) to drink,
    yet you have not returned^(F) to me,”
declares the Lord.^(G)

⁹ “Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards,
    destroying them with blight and mildew.^(H)
Locusts^(I) devoured your fig and olive trees,^(J)
    yet you have not returned^(K) to me,”
declares the Lord.

¹⁰ “I sent plagues^(L) among you
    as I did to Egypt.^(M)
I killed your young men^(N) with the sword,
    along with your captured horses.
I filled your nostrils with the stench^(O) of your camps,
    yet you have not returned to me,”^(P)
declares the Lord.^(Q)

¹¹ “I overthrew some of you
    as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.^(R)
You were like a burning stick^(S) snatched from the fire,
    yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the Lord.^(T)

¹² “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?^(A)
    Look around and see.
Is any suffering like my suffering^(B)
    that was inflicted on me,
that the Lord brought on me
    in the day of his fierce anger?^(C)

³¹ One courier^(A) follows another
    and messenger follows messenger
to announce to the king of Babylon
    that his entire city is captured,^(B)

¹⁹ As often as it comes it will carry you away;^(A)
    morning after morning,^(B) by day and by night,
    it will sweep through.”

The understanding of this message
    will bring sheer terror.^(C)

As it is with the good,
    so with the sinful;
as it is with those who take oaths,
    so with those who are afraid to take them.^(A)

¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,^(A)
    but the Lord delivers him from them all;^(B)