²³ I have looked upon the earth, and see, it is waste and void. I looked toward heaven, and it had no shine. ²⁴ I beheld the mountains, and they tremble, and all the hills were in a fear. ²⁵ I looked about me, and there was nobody, and all the birds of the air were away. ²⁶ I marked well, and the plowed field was become waste: yea, all their cities were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and indignation of his wrath.

²⁷ For thus hath the LORD said, "The whole land shall be desolate, yet will I not then have done. ²⁸ And therefore let the earth mourn, and let the heaven be sorry above: for the things that I have purposed and taken upon me to do, shall not repent me, and I will not go from it."

²⁹ The whole land shall flee, for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen: they shall run into dens, into woods, and climb up the stony rocks. All the cities shall be void, and no man dwelling therein. ³⁰ What wilt thou now do, thou being destroyed? For though thou clothest thyself with scarlet, and deckest thee with gold. Though thou paintest thy face with colors, yet shalt thou trim thyself in vain. For those that hitherto have been thy great favorers, shall abhor thee, and go about to slay thee. ³¹ For, methink I hear a noise, like as it were of a woman travailing, or one laboring of her first child: Even the voice of the daughter Zion, that casteth out her arms, and swooneth, saying, "Ah woe is me! How sore vexed and faint is my heart, for them that are slain?"