¹⁸ The hearts of the people
    cry out to the Lord.^(A)
You walls of Daughter Zion,^(B)
    let your tears^(C) flow like a river
    day and night;^(D)
give yourself no relief,
    your eyes no rest.^(E)

¹⁹ Arise, cry out in the night,
    as the watches of the night begin;
pour out your heart^(F) like water
    in the presence of the Lord.^(G)
Lift up your hands^(H) to him
    for the lives of your children,
who faint^(I) from hunger
    at every street corner.

²⁰ “Look, Lord, and consider:
    Whom have you ever treated like this?
Should women eat their offspring,^(J)
    the children they have cared for?^(K)
Should priest and prophet be killed^(L)
    in the sanctuary of the Lord?^(M)

²¹ “Young and old lie together
    in the dust of the streets;
my young men and young women
    have fallen by the sword.^(N)
You have slain them in the day of your anger;
    you have slaughtered them without pity.^(O)

²² “As you summon to a feast day,
    so you summoned against me terrors^(P) on every side.
In the day of the Lord’s anger
    no one escaped^(Q) or survived;
those I cared for and reared^(R)
    my enemy has destroyed.”