'Birth pains' in the Bible
The voice of Yahweh, bringeth birth-pains upon the wilderness; Yahweh bringeth birth-pains upon the wilderness of Kadesh!
Cursed is he who says to a father, To what are you giving life? or to a woman, What are you in birth-pains with?
A voice has come to my ears like the voice of a woman in birth-pains, the pain of one giving birth to her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, fighting for breath, stretching out her hands, saying, Now sorrow is mine! for my strength is gone from me before the takers of life.
Put the question and see if it is possible for a man to have birth-pains: why do I see every man with his hands gripping his sides, as a woman does when the pains of birth are on her, and all faces are turned green?
See, I will take them from the north country, and get them from the inmost parts of the earth, and with them the blind and the feeble-footed, the woman with child and her who is in birth-pains together: a very great army, they will come back here.
Kerioth is taken, and the strong places have been forced, and the hearts of Moab's men of war in that day will be like the heart of a woman in birth-pains.
See, he will come up like an eagle in flight, stretching out his wings against Bozrah: and the hearts of Edom's men of war on that day will be like the heart of a woman in birth-pains.
Damascus has become feeble, she is turned to flight, fear has taken her in its grip: pain and sorrows have come on her, as on a woman in birth-pains.
But all these [things] [are] the beginning of birth pains.
For nation will rise up against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in [various] places. There will be famines. These [things] [are] the beginning of birth pains.
My children, of whom I am again in birth-pains till Christ is formed in you,
For it is in the Writings, You who have never given birth, be glad; give cries of joy, you who have had no birth-pains; for the children of her who has been given up by her husband are more than those of the woman who has a husband.
While they are saying "Peace and safety!" then in a moment destruction falls upon them, like birth-pains on a woman who is with child; and escape there is none.
And having in her womb, she cried out, suffering birth pains, and suffering to give birth.