1 Jehovah said to me: »I would not feel sorry for these people, even if Moses and Samuel were standing in front of me. Send them away from my presence, and let them go.

2 »When they ask you where they should go, say to them: This is what Jehovah says: Those who are to die will die. Those who are to die in wars will die in wars. Those who are to die in famines will die in famines. Those who are to die in captivity will die in captivity.

3 »I will appoint over them four kinds of punishment, declares Jehovah. I will send swords to kill, dogs to drag away, and birds of the air and animals of the earth to devour and destroy.

4 »I will make these people a horrifying shocking sight to all the kingdoms on the earth. This will happen because of what Judah's King Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, did in Jerusalem.

5 »Who will take pity on you, Jerusalem? No one will mourn for you. No one will bother to ask how you are doing.

6 »You left me, declares Jehovah. You turned your back on me. So I will stretch out my hand against you use my power against you and destroy you. I am tired of showing compassion to you.

7 »I will separate them with a winnowing shovel at the city gates. I will make them childless. I will destroy my people because they will not change their ways.

8 »Their widows will be more numerous than the grains of sand on the seashore. At noontime I will send a destroyer against the mothers of young men. I will suddenly bring anguish and terror to them.

9 »A mother who gives birth to seven sons will grow faint and breathe her last. She will die, ashamed and humiliated, while it is still daylight. I will put survivors from these people to death in the presence of their enemies, says Jehovah.

10 Sadness is mine! Why did my mother bring me into the world? I have to quarrel and argue with everyone in the whole earth. I have not lent any money or borrowed any; yet everyone curses me.

11 Jehovah said: »I will certainly rescue you for a good. I will certainly make your enemies plead with you in times of evil and in times of distress.

12 »Can a man break iron, especially the iron from the north that is mixed with copper?

13 »Jehovah said to me: ‘I will send enemies to carry away the wealth and treasures of my people. This will punish them for the sins they have committed throughout the land.

14 »I will make them serve their enemies in a land they know nothing about. My anger is like fire, and it will burn forever.«

15 Then I said: »O Jehovah you understand. Remember me and help me. Let me have revenge on those who persecute me. Do not be so patient with them that they succeed in killing me. Remember that it is for your sake that I have suffered reproach.

16 »You spoke to me, and I listened to every word. I belong to you, Lord Jehovah. Your words filled my heart with joy and happiness.

17 »I did not spend my time with other people laughing and having a good time. In obedience to your orders I stayed by myself and was filled with anger.

18 »Why do I suffer constant pain? Why is my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you indeed be to me like a deceptive stream with water that is unreliable?«

19 Therefore Jehovah says: »If you return I will restore you. You will stand before me. If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become my spokesman. They for their part may turn to you. But you must not turn to them.«

20 »I will make you a fortified wall of copper to these people. Though they fight against you, they will not prevail over you. For I am with you to save you and deliver you, declares Jehovah.

21 »I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked. I will redeem you from the grasp of the cruel.«