^17 (A)As the pregnant woman approaches the time to give birth,
She writhes and cries out in her labor pains,
Thus were we before You, O Lord.
¹⁸ We were pregnant, we writhed in labor,
We ^(B)gave birth, as it seems, only to wind.
We could not accomplish deliverance for the earth,
Nor were ^(C)inhabitants of the world ^[a]born.

⁹ “Shall I bring to the point of birth and ^(A)not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God.

¹³ The pains of ^(A)childbirth come upon him;
He is ^(B)not a wise son,
For ^[a]it is not the time that he should ^(C)delay at the opening of the womb.