7  ⁿ“Before she was in labor

she gave birth;

before her pain came upon her

she delivered a son.

8  Who has heard such a thing?

Who has seen such things?

Shall a land be born in one day?

Shall a nation be brought forth in one moment?

For ⁿas soon as Zion was in labor

she brought forth her children.

9  Shall I bring to the point of birth and not cause to bring forth?”

says the Lord;

“shall I, who cause to bring forth, shut the womb?”

says your God.

10  ^o“Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,

all you who love her;

rejoice with her in joy,

all you who mourn over her;

11  that you may nurse and be satisfied

from her consoling breast;

that you may drink deeply with delight

from her glorious abundance.”¹

12  For thus says the Lord:

^p“Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,

and the glory of the nations like an overflowing stream;

and ^qyou shall nurse, you shall be carried upon her hip,

and bounced upon her knees.

13  As one whom his mother comforts,

so ^rI will comfort you;

you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

14  You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;

^syour bones shall flourish like the grass;

and ^tthe hand of the Lord shall be known to his servants,

and he shall show his indignation against his enemies.