24 I’ve dug wells in faraway places
    and drunk their exotic waters;
I’ve waded and splashed barefoot
    in the rivers of Egypt.”

25 Did it never occur to you
    that I’m behind all this?
Long, long ago I drew up the plans,
    and now I’ve gone into action,
Using you as a doomsday weapon,
    reducing proud cities to piles of rubble,
26 Leaving their people dispirited,
    slumped shoulders, limp souls.
Useless as weeds, fragile as grass,
    insubstantial as wind-blown chaff.

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