18 But even though we are in terrible pain, and we can hardly see or walk, we are alive. And so we can praise you and tell others how good you are.
19 Our Lord God, we pray for your mercy, even though our ancestors and our kings refused to do what was right.
20 You have punished us in your anger, just as your servants the prophets warned.
21 Long ago, your prophets gave us your message and told us that if we would obey the king of Babylonia and serve him, we would not be carried away from our homeland.
22 They told us that if we refused to obey you and serve the king,
23 you would make Judah and Jerusalem places of sadness where no joyful sounds are heard, even at wedding feasts. You threatened to make our country an empty wasteland.
24 We did not obey your command to serve the king of Babylonia. So you have done everything you threatened to do, just as your prophets warned. The bones of our kings and our ancestors were dug up