Lamentaciones 4

¹ How is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed! The hallowed stones are poured out At the head of every street. ² The precious sons of Zion, Comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, The work of the hands of the potter! . ³ Even the jackals draw out the breast, They give suck to their young ones; The daughter of my people is become cruel, Like the ostriches in the wilderness. . ⁴ The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth To the roof of his mouth for thirst; The young children ask bread, And none breaketh it unto them. . ⁵ They that did feed on dainties Are desolate in the streets; They that were brought up in scarlet Embrace dunghills. . ⁶ For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater Than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, And no hands fell upon her. . ⁷ Her princes were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk, They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Their polishing was as of sapphire; . ⁸ Their visage is blacker than a coal; They are not known in the streets; Their skin is shrivelled upon their bones; It is withered, it is become like a stick. . ⁹ They that are slain with the sword are better Than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, For want of the fruits of the field. . ¹⁰ The hands of women full of compassion Have sodden their own children; They were their food In the destruction of the daughter of my people. . ¹¹ The LORD hath accomplished His fury, He hath poured out His fierce anger; And He hath kindled a fire in Zion, Which hath devoured the foundations thereof. . ¹² The kings of the earth believed not, Neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter Into 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 midst of her. . ¹⁴ They wander as blind men in the streets, They are polluted with blood, So that men cannot Touch their garments. . ¹⁵ "Depart ye! unclean! " men cried unto them, "Depart, depart, touch not"; Yea, they fled away and wandered; Men said among the nations: "They shall no more sojourn here." . ¹⁶ The anger of the LORD hath divided them; He will no more regard them; They respected not the persons of the priests, They were not gracious unto the elders. . ¹⁷ As for us, our eyes do yet fail For our vain help; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save. . ¹⁸ They hunt our steps, That we cannot go in our broad places; Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; For our end is come. . ¹⁹ Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heaven; They chased us upon the mountains, They lay in wait for 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 shall live among the nations." . ²¹ Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, That dwellest in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass over unto thee also; Thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. . ²² The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion, He will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He will uncover thy sins.