5 Then I left the reflections I was engaged in, and answered her in anger, 6 “You most foolish woman, don’t you see our mourning, and what has happened to us? 7 Because Tsiyon (Zion) the mother of us all is full of sorrow, and much humbled. 8 It[fn] is right now to mourn deeply, since we all mourn, and to be sorrowful, since we are all in sorrow, but you are mourning for one son. 9 Ask the earth, and she will tell you that it is she which ought to mourn for so many that grow upon her. 10 Because out of her, all had their beginnings, and others will come; and, behold, almost all of them walk into destruction, and the multitude of them is utterly doomed. 11 Who then should mourn more, she[fn] who has lost so great a multitude, or you, who are grieved but for one? 12 But if you say to me, ‘My lamentation is not like the earth’s, for I have lost the fruit of my womb, which I brought forth with pains, and bare with sorrows;’ 13 but it is with the earth after the manner of the earth. The multitude present in it has gone as it came. 14 Then say I to you, ‘Just as you have brought forth with sorrow, even so the earth also has given her fruit, namely, people, ever since the beginning to him who made her.’ 15 Now therefore keep your sorrow to yourself, and bear with a good courage the adversities which have happened to you. 16 Because if you will acknowledge the decree of God to be just, you will both receive your son in time, and will be praised amongst women. 17 Go your way then into the city to your husband.”

18 She said to me, “I won’t do that. I will not go into the city, but I will die here.”

19 So I proceeded to speak further to her, and said, 20 “Don’t do so, but allow yourself to be persuaded by reason of the adversities of Tsiyon (Zion); and be comforted by reason of the sorrow of Yerushalem (Jerusalem). 21 Because you see that our sanctuary has been laid waste, our altar broken down, our temple destroyed, 22 our lute has been brought low, our song is put to silence, our rejoicing is at an end, the light of our candlestick is put out, the ark of our covenant is plundered, our holy things are defiled, and the name that we are called is profaned. Our free men are despitefully treated, our priests are burnt, our Levites have gone into captivity, our virgins are defiled and our wives ravished, our righteous men carried away, our little ones betrayed, our young men are brought into bondage, and our strong men have become weak. 23 What is more than all, the seal of Tsiyon has now lost the seal of her honour, and is delivered into the hands of those who hate us. 24 Therefore shake off your great heaviness, and put away from yourself the multitude of sorrows, that the Mighty One may be merciful to you again, and the Most High may give you rest, even ease from your troubles.”