We hear a cry of fear:

terror, not peace.

6Inquire and see:

does a male give birth?

Why, then, do I see all these men,

their hands on their loins

Like women in labor,

all their faces drained of color?c

7Ah! How mighty is that day—

there is none like it!

A time of distress for Jacob,

though he shall be saved from it.d

10But you, my servant Jacob, do not fear!—oracle of theLord—

do not be dismayed, Israel!

For I will soon deliver you from places far away,

your offspring from the land of their exile;

Jacob shall again find rest,

secure, with none to frighten him,g

11for I am with you—oracle of theLord—to save you.

I will bring to an end all the nations

among whom I have scattered you;

but you I will not bring to an end.

I will chastise you as you deserve,

I will not let you go unpunished.h

12For thus says theLord:

Incurable is your wound,

grievous your injury;i

13There is none to plead your case,

no remedy for your running sore,

no healing for you.

14All your lovers have forgotten you,

they do not seek you out.

I struck you as an enemy would strike,

punishing you cruelly.j

15Why cry out over your wound?

There is no relief for your pain.

Because of your great guilt,

your numerous sins,

I have done this to you.k

16Yet all who devour you shall be devoured,

all your enemies shall go into exile.

All who plunder you shall become plunder,

all who pillage you I will hand over to be pillaged.l

17For I will restore your health;

I will heal your injuries—oracle of theLord.

“The outcast” they have called you,

“whom no one looks for.”m

18Thus says theLord:

See! I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents,

on his dwellings I will have compassion;

A city shall be rebuilt upon its own ruins,

a citadel restored where it should be.n

19From them will come praise,

the sound of people rejoicing.

I will increase them, they will not decrease,

I will glorify them, they will not be insignificant.o

20His children shall be as of old,

his assembly shall stand firm in my presence,

I will punish all his oppressors.p

21His leader* shall be one of his own,

and his ruler shall emerge from his ranks.

He shall approach me when I summon him;

Why else would he dare

approach me?—oracle of theLord.

22You shall be my people,

and I will be your God.q

23Look! The storm of theLord!

His wrath breaks out

In a whirling storm

that bursts upon the heads of the wicked.r

24The anger of theLord will not abate

until he has carried out completely

the decisions of his heart.

In days to come

you will fully understand it.s