29 At the sound of the horseman and bowman (A)every city flees;
They (B)go into the thickets and climb among the rocks;
(C)Every city is forsaken,
And no man dwells in them.
30 And you, O desolate one, (D)what will you do?
Although you dress in scarlet,
Although you decorate yourself with ornaments of gold,
Although you (E)enlarge your eyes with paint,
In vain you make yourself beautiful.
Your [a](F)lovers despise you;
They seek your life.
31 For I heard a [b]cry as of a woman in labor,
The anguish as of one giving birth to her first child,
The [c]cry of the daughter of Zion (G)gasping for breath,
(H)Stretching out her [d]hands, saying,
“Ah, woe is me, for [e]I faint before murderers.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 4:30 Lit paramours
  2. Jeremiah 4:31 Lit sound
  3. Jeremiah 4:31 Lit sound
  4. Jeremiah 4:31 Lit palms
  5. Jeremiah 4:31 Lit my soul faints

29 At the sound of horsemen and archers(A)
    every town takes to flight.(B)
Some go into the thickets;
    some climb up among the rocks.(C)
All the towns are deserted;(D)
    no one lives in them.

30 What are you doing,(E) you devastated one?
    Why dress yourself in scarlet
    and put on jewels(F) of gold?
Why highlight your eyes with makeup?(G)
    You adorn yourself in vain.
Your lovers(H) despise you;
    they want to kill you.(I)

31 I hear a cry as of a woman in labor,(J)
    a groan as of one bearing her first child—
the cry of Daughter Zion(K) gasping for breath,(L)
    stretching out her hands(M) and saying,
“Alas! I am fainting;
    my life is given over to murderers.”(N)

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