5 Be of good cheer, my people, the memorial of Yisrael. 6 You weren’t sold to the nations for destruction, but because you moved God to anger, you were delivered to your adversaries. 7 Because you provoked him who made you by sacrificing to demons and not to God. 8 You forgot the eternal God who brought you up. You also grieved Yerushalem (Jerusalem), who nursed you. 9 Because she saw the anger that came on you from God, and said, “Listen, you who live near Tsiyon (Zion); for God has brought on me great mourning. 10 Because I’ve seen the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Eternal has brought on them. 11 Because with joy I nourished them, but sent them away with weeping and mourning. 12 Let no man rejoice over me, a widow and forsaken by many. Because the sins of my children, I’m left desolate, because they turned away from God’s law 13 and had no regard for his statutes. They didn’t walk in the ways of God’s commandments or tread in the paths of discipline in his righteousness. 14 Let those who live near Tsiyon come and remember the captivity of my sons and daughters, which the Eternal has brought on them. 15 Because he’s brought a nation on them from afar, a shameless nation with a strange language, who didn’t respect old men or pity children. 16 They’ve carried away the dear beloved sons of the widow, and left her who was alone desolate of her daughters.”

17 But I—how can I help you? 18 Because he who brought these calamities on you’ll deliver you from your enemies’ hand. 19 Go your way, Oh my children. Go your way, for I’m left desolate. 20 I’ve put off the garment of peace, and put on the sackcloth of my petition. I’ll cry to the Eternal as long as I live.