^17 (A)Like a pregnant woman
    who writhes and cries out in her pangs
    when she is near to giving birth,
so were we because of you, O Lord;

³¹ For I heard ^(A)a cry as of a woman in labour,
    anguish as of one giving birth to her first child,
the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath,
    ^(B)stretching out her hands,
“Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.”

²⁴ We have heard the report of it;
    ^(A)our hands fall helpless;
anguish has taken hold of us,
    ^(B)pain as of a woman in labour.

⁹ Now why do you cry aloud?
    ^(A)Is there no king in you?
^(B)Has your counsellor perished,
    that ^(C)pain seized you like a woman in labour?
^10 (D)Writhe and groan,^[a] O daughter of Zion,
    like a woman in labour,
for ^(E)now you shall go out from the city
    and dwell in the open country;
    you ^(F)shall go to Babylon.
There you shall be rescued;
    ^(G)there the Lord will redeem you
    from the hand of your enemies.