^17 (A)As the ^[a]woman with child draws near to the time to give birth,
She writhes and cries out in her pangs of labor,
Thus were we before You, O Yahweh.

⁷ “Before she was in labor pains, ^(A)she gave birth;
Before her pangs came, ^(B)she delivered a male child.

¹³ The pains of ^(A)childbirth come upon him;
He is ^(B)not a wise son,
For ^[a]it is not the time that he should ^(C)delay at the opening of the womb.

⁹ “Now, why do you ^(A)make a loud shout?
Is there no king among you,
Or has your ^(B)counselor perished,
That writhing has taken hold of you like a woman in childbirth?