^17 (A)As the pregnant woman approaches the time to give birth,
She writhes and cries out in her labor pains;
This is how we were before You, Lord.

⁷ “Before she was in labor, ^(B)she delivered;
Before her pain came, ^(C)she gave birth to a boy.
^8 (D)Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things?
Can a land be ^[a]born in one day?
Can a nation be given birth all at once?
As soon as Zion was in labor, she also delivered her sons.
⁹ Shall I bring to the point of birth but ^(E)not give delivery?” says the Lord.
“Or shall I who gives delivery shut the womb?” says your God.

⁹ “Now, why do you ^(A)cry out loudly?
Is there no king among you,
Or has your ^(B)counselor perished,
That agony has gripped you like a woman in childbirth?
^10 (C)Writhe and scream,
Daughter of Zion,
Like a woman in childbirth;
For now you will ^(D)go out of the city,
Live in the field,
And go to Babylon.
^(E)There you will be rescued,
^(F)There the Lord will redeem you
From the hand of your enemies.
¹¹ And now ^(G)many nations have been assembled against you
Who say, ‘Let her be defiled,
And let our eyes ^[a]gloat over Zion!’
¹² But they do not ^(H)know the thoughts of the Lord,
And they do not understand His plan;
For He has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.
¹³ Arise and ^(I)thresh, daughter of Zion,
For I will make your horn iron,
And I will make your hoofs bronze,
So that you may ^(J)pulverize many peoples,
And ^(K)dedicate to the Lord their unjust profit,
And their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.