23 I saw the land, and wow, it was formless and empty,

≈ and the skies didn’t have any light.

24 I saw the mountains, and wow, they were quaking,

≈ and all the hills shook back-and-forth.

25 I looked, and wow, there were no more people,

≈ and all the birds had flown away.

26 I saw, and wow, the orchard had turned into a wilderness,

≈ and all the cities had been pulled down out of Yahweh’s sight

due to his burning anger,

27 because Yahweh says this:

The entire country will become desolate,

^ but I won’t completely destroy it.

28 The land will mourn after that,

≈ and the skies will darken from above,

because I’ve revealed my resolution,

^ and I won’t change my mind or turn back from it.

29 The city people will flee from the sound of approaching horsemen and archers.

≈ They’ll head into the thickets and up onto the cliffs.

→ Every city will be abandoned without anyone living in them.

30 So you,[fn] what will you do for the devastated one?

You dress in scarlet, adorning yourself with gold jewelry.

≈ You make your eyes look bigger with makeup, but it won’t help—

your lovers reject you and they’re coming for your life.

31 Yes, I hear a sound like a woman in labour—

≈ distress like a woman giving birth to her first child—

the sound of Tsiyyon’s daughter as she gasps for breath.

She spreads out her hands saying,

‘I fear for my life because of those murderers.’