6 Jerusalem, you left me.” This message is from the Lord. “Again and again you left me! So I will punish and destroy you. I am tired of holding back your punishment.
7 I will separate the people of Judah with my pitchfork. I will scatter them at the city gates of the land. My people have not changed, so I will destroy them. I will take away their children.
8 Many women will lose their husbands. There will be more widows than there is sand in the sea. I will bring a destroyer at noontime. The destroyer will attack the mothers of the young men of Judah. I will bring pain and fear on the people of Judah. I will make this happen very quickly.
9 The enemy will attack with swords and kill the people. They will kill the survivors from Judah. A woman with seven children will lose them. She will cry until she becomes weak and struggles to breathe. She will be upset and confused, because her bright day has become dark.” This message is from the Lord.
10 Mother, I am sorry that you gave birth to me. I am the one who must accuse and criticize the whole land. I have not loaned or borrowed anything, but everyone curses me.
11 Surely, Lord, I have served you well. In times of disaster and trouble, I prayed to you about my enemies.
12 “Jeremiah, you know that no one can shatter a piece of iron. I mean the kind of iron that is from the north. And no one can shatter a piece of bronze either.