“If there is famine in the land, if there is pestilence, if there is blight or mildew, if there is locust or grasshopper, if their enemies besiege them in the land of their cities, whatever plague or whatever sickness there is,

Where will you be stricken again,
As you continue in your rebellion?
The whole head is sick
And the whole heart is faint.

When Ephraim saw his sickness,
And Judah his wound,
Then Ephraim went to Assyria
And sent to

King Jareb.

But he is unable to heal you,
Or to cure you of your wound.

“Come, let us return to the Lord.
For He has torn us, but He will heal us;
He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.

My soul

Then all his sons and all his daughters arose to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. And he said, “Surely I will go down to Sheol in mourning for my son.” So his father wept for him.

When Mordecai learned all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the midst of the city and wailed loudly and bitterly.

The spirit of a man can endure his sickness,
But as for a broken spirit who can bear it?

Thus says the Lord,
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
Lamentation and bitter weeping.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
She refuses to be comforted for her children,
Because they are no more.”

Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and consoling her, when they saw that Mary got up quickly and went out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

General references

“Though I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
I will leave off my sad countenance and be cheerful,’

The troubles of my heart are enlarged;

Bring me out of my distresses.

In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You,
For You will answer me.