Lamentations 4

1 The gold has become tarnished; how the purest gold has changed! The holy stones are scattered at the corner of every street.⋮

2 The precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in pure gold, but now they are worth no more than clay jars, the work of the potter's hands!⋮

3 Even the jackals offer the breast to nurse their cubs, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the desert.⋮

4 The tongue of the nursing baby sticks to the roof of his mouth by thirst; the children ask for food, but there is none for them.⋮

5 Those who used to feast on the finest food now starve in the streets. Those who were brought up wearing scarlet clothing now lie on piles of ashes.⋮

6 The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment and no hands were wrung for her.⋮

7 Her leaders were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their form was like sapphire.⋮

8 Their appearance now is darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as wood.⋮

9 Those who have been killed by the sword were happier than those killed by hunger, who wasted away, pierced by the lack of any harvest from the field.⋮

10 The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the time when the daughter of my people was being destroyed.⋮

11 Yahweh showed all his wrath; he poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her foundations.⋮

12 The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the inhabitants of the world believe, that enemies or opponents could enter the gates of Jerusalem.⋮

13 This happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests who have shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.⋮

14 They wandered, blind, through the streets. They were so defiled by that blood that no one was allowed to touch their clothes.⋮

15 “Away! Unclean!” people cried at them. “Away! Away! Do not touch!” So they wandered about; people said among the nations, “They can stay here no longer.”⋮

16 Yahweh himself scattered them; he does not watch over them anymore. They do not honor the priests, and they did not show any favor to the elders.⋮

17 Our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue us.⋮

18 They followed our steps, we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near and our days were numbered, our end had come.⋮

19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles in the sky. They chased us to the mountains and lay in wait for us in the wilderness.⋮

20 The breath in our nostrils—Yahweh's anointed one—he was the one who was captured in their pits; of whom it was said, “Under his shadow we will live among the nations.”⋮

21 Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, you who live in the land of Uz. But to you also the cup will be passed; you will be drunk and strip yourself naked.⋮

22 Daughter of Zion, your punishment will come to an end; he will not extend your exile. But daughter of Edom, he will punish; he will uncover your sins.⋮