¹⁷ As a pregnant woman about to give birth
writhes and cries out in her pains,^(A)
so we were before you, Lord.
¹⁸ We became pregnant, we writhed in pain;
we gave birth to wind.
We have won no victories on earth,
and the earth’s inhabitants have not fallen.

⁹ ‘Will I bring a baby to the point of birth
and not deliver it? ’
says the Lord;
‘or will I who deliver, close the womb? ’
says your God.

¹³ Labour pains come on him.^(A)
He is not a wise son;^(B)
when the time comes,
he will not be born.^[a](C)