Lamentations 4

1 How the gold has become dim! The most pure gold has changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.

How the gold has become tarnished, the pure gold has become dull! The gems of the temple lie scattered on every street corner.

2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how they are esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in pure gold, are now esteemed as jars of clay, the work of a potter’s hands!

3 Even the jackals offer their breast. They nurse their young ones. But the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like an ostrich in the wilderness.

4 The tongue of the nursing child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread, and no one breaks it for them.

The nursing infant’s tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.

5 Those who ate delicacies are desolate in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple embrace dunghills.

Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps.

6 For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown as in a moment. No hands were laid on her.

The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand turned to help her.

7 Her nobles were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. Their polishing was like sapphire.

Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.

8 Their appearance is blacker than a coal. They are not known in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones. It is withered. It has become like wood.

But now their appearance is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as a stick.

9 Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for lack of the fruits of the field.

Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.

10 The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children. They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11 The LORD has accomplished his wrath. He has poured out his fierce anger. He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.

The LORD has exhausted His wrath; He has poured out His fierce anger; He has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations.

12 The kings of the earth did not believe, neither did all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.

The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any people of the world, that an enemy or a foe could enter the gates of Jerusalem.

13 It is because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the middle of her.

But this was for the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.

14 They wander as blind men in the streets. They are polluted with blood, So that men cannot touch their garments.

They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.

15 “Go away!” they cried to them. “Unclean! Go away! Go away! Do not touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, “They cannot live here any more.”

“Go away! Unclean!” men shouted at them. “Away, away! Do not touch us!” So they fled and wandered. Among the nations it was said, “They can stay here no longer.”

16 The LORD’s anger has scattered them. He will not pay attention to them any more. They did not respect the persons of the priests. They did not favor the elders.

The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are shown no honor; the elders find no favor.

17 Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us.

18 They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets. Our end is near. Our days are fulfilled, for our end has come.

They stalked our every step, so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near, our time ran out, for our end had come!

19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky. They chased us on the mountains. They set an ambush for us in the wilderness.

Those who chased us were swifter than the eagles in the sky; they pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.

20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, under his shadow we will live among the nations.

The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. We had said of him, “Under his shadow we will live among the nations.”

21 Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, who dwells in the land of Uz. The cup will pass through to you also. You will be drunken, and will make yourself naked.

So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself.

22 The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion. He will no more carry you away into captivity. He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom. He will uncover your sins.

O Daughter of Zion, your punishment is complete; He will not prolong your exile. But He will punish your iniquity, O Daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins.