4 Because of thirst the infant’s tongue

sticks to the roof of its mouth;

the children beg for bread,

but no one gives it to them.

5 Those who once ate delicacies

are destitute in the streets.

Those brought up in royal purple

now lie on ash heaps.

6 The punishment of my people

is greater than that of Sodom,

which was overthrown in a moment

without a hand turned to help her.

7 Their princes were brighter than snow

and whiter than milk,

their bodies more ruddy than rubies,

their appearance like lapis lazuli.

8 But now they are 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 killed by the sword are better off

than those who die of famine;

racked with hunger, they waste away

for lack of food from the field.

4 The tongue of the nursing infant sticks

to the roof of its mouth for thirst;

the children beg for food,

but no one gives to them.

5 Those who once feasted on delicacies

perish in the streets;

those who were brought up in purple

embrace ash heaps.

6 For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater

than the punishment of Sodom,

which was overthrown in a moment,

and no hands were wrung for her.

7 Her princes were purer than snow,

whiter than milk;

their bodies were more ruddy than coral,

the beauty of their form was like sapphire.

8 Now their face is blacker than soot;

they are not recognized in the streets;

their skin has shriveled on their bones;

it has become as dry as wood.

9 Happier were the victims of the sword

than the victims of hunger,

who wasted away, pierced

by lack of the fruits of the field.

4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst:

The young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.

5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets:

They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

6 For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom,

That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.

7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk,

They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:

8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets:

Their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

9 They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger:

For these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

4 The parched tongues of their little ones

stick to the roofs of their mouths in thirst.

The children cry for bread,

but no one has any to give them.

5 The people who once ate the richest foods

now beg in the streets for anything they can get.

Those who once wore the finest clothes

now search the garbage dumps for food.

6 The guilt of my people

is greater than that of Sodom,

where utter disaster struck in a moment

and no hand offered help.

7 Our princes once glowed with health—

brighter than snow, whiter than milk.

Their faces were as ruddy as rubies,

their appearance like fine jewels.

8 But now their faces are blacker than soot.

No one recognizes them in the streets.

Their skin sticks to their bones;

it is as dry and hard as wood.

9 Those killed by the sword are better off

than those who die of hunger.

Starving, they waste away

for lack of food from the fields.

4 The tongue of the infant clings

To the roof of its mouth for thirst;

The young children ask for bread,

But no one breaks it for them.

5 Those who ate delicacies

Are desolate in the streets;

Those who were brought up in scarlet

Embrace ash heaps.

6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people

Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom,

Which was overthrown in a moment,

With no hand to help her!

7 Her Nazirites were brighter than snow

And whiter than milk;

They were more ruddy in body than rubies,

Like sapphire in their appearance.

8 Now their appearance is blacker than soot;

They go unrecognized in the streets;

Their skin clings to their bones,

It has become as dry as wood.

9 Those slain by the sword are better off

Than those who die of hunger;

For these pine away,

Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.

4 The babies are so thirsty

their tongues stick to the roofs of their mouths.

Children beg for bread,

but no one gives them any.

5 Those who once ate fine foods

are now starving in the streets.

People who grew up wearing nice clothes

now pick through trash piles.

6 My people have been punished

more than Sodom was.

Sodom was destroyed suddenly,

and no hands reached out to help her.

7 Our princes were purer than snow,

and whiter than milk.

Their bodies were redder than rubies;

they looked like sapphires.

8 But now they are blacker than coal,

and no one recognizes them in the streets.

Their skin hangs on their bones;

it is as dry as wood.

9 Those who were killed in the war were better off

than those killed by hunger.

They starve in pain and die,

because there is no food from the field.

4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst:

The young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.

5 They that did feed delicately 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 were laid upon her.

7 Her nobles 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 cleaveth to 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.

4 The tongues of nursing infants stick to the roofs of their mouths 

because of their thirst. 

Little children beg for bread, 

but no one will break off a piece for them. 

5 Those who used to eat delicacies are now destitute in the streets. 

Those who used to wear expensive clothes now pick through piles of garbage. 

6 The punishment for my people’s wickedness has been more severe 

than the punishment for the sins of Sodom. 

Sodom was destroyed instantly, without one human hand touching it. 

7 Zion’s princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk. 

Their bodies were more pink than coral. 

Their hair was like sapphires. 

8 Their faces are ⸤now⸥ blacker than soot. 

No one recognizes them on the streets. 

Their skin has shriveled on their bones. 

It has become as dry as bark. 

9 Those who were killed with swords are better off 

than those who are dying from starvation. 

Those who were stabbed bled to death. 

The others are dying because there is nothing in the fields to eat. 

4 The nursing infant’s tongue

clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst.

Little children beg for bread,

but no one gives them any.

5 Those who used to eat delicacies

are destitute in the streets;

those who were reared in purple garments

huddle in garbage heaps.

6 The punishment of my dear people

is greater than that of Sodom,

which was overthrown in an instant

without a hand laid on it.

7 Her dignitaries were brighter than snow,

whiter than milk;

their bodies were more ruddy than coral,

their appearance like sapphire.

8 Now they appear darker than soot;

they are not recognized in the streets.

Their skin has shriveled on their bones;

it has become dry like wood.

9 Those slain by the sword are better off

than those slain by hunger,

who waste away, pierced with pain

because the fields lack produce.

4 The tongue of the infant sticks

to the roof of its mouth for thirst;

the children beg for food,

but no one gives them anything.

5 Those who feasted on delicacies

perish in the streets;

those who were brought up in purple

cling to ash heaps.

6 For the chastisement of my people has been greater

than the punishment of Sodom,

which was overthrown in a moment,

though no hand was laid on it.

7 Her princes were purer than snow,

whiter than milk;

their bodies were more ruddy than coral,

their hair like sapphire.

8 Now their visage is blacker than soot;

they are not recognized in the streets.

Their skin has shriveled on their bones;

it has become as dry as wood.

9 Happier were those pierced by the sword

than those pierced by hunger,

whose life drains away, deprived

of the produce of the field.

4 The tongue of the nursling cleaves

to its palate in thirst.

Children beg for food,

no one lays it out before them.

5 The ones who eat delicacies,

they are ruined in the streets;

the ones nurtured in purple

lie on piles of trash.

6 The iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater

than the sin of Sodom;

it was overthrown in a moment

and no hands were laid on her.

7 Her princes were purer than snow,

they were whiter than milk;

their bodies were more ruddy than rubies,

sapphire their appearance.

8 Now their appearance is blacker than soot,

they are not recognized in the streets;

their skin has shriveled on their bones,

it has become dry like wood.

9 Happier were the victims of the sword

than the victims of famine;

they have pined away, very hungry

for the crops of my field.

4 When our babies get thirsty,

their tongues stick to the roofs of their mouths.

When our children beg for bread,

no one gives them any.

5 Those who once ate fine food

are dying in the streets.

Those who wore fancy clothes

are now lying on piles of trash.

6 My people have been punished

more than Sodom was.

It was destroyed in a moment.

No one offered it a helping hand.

7 Jerusalem’s princes were brighter than snow.

They were whiter than milk.

Their bodies were redder than rubies.

They looked like sapphires.

8 But now they are blacker than coal.

No one even recognizes them in the streets.

Their skin is wrinkled on their bones.

It has become as dry as a stick.

9 Those who have been killed with swords are better off

than those who have to die of hunger.

Those who are hungry waste away to nothing.

They don’t have any food from the fields.

4 The tongue of the infant cleaves

To the roof of its mouth because of thirst;

The little ones ask for bread,

But no one breaks it for them.

5 Those who ate delicacies

Are desolate in the streets;

Those reared in purple

Embrace ash pits.

6 For the iniquity of the daughter of my people

Is greater than the sin of Sodom,

Which was overthrown as in a moment,

And no hands were turned toward her.

7 Her consecrated ones were purer than snow,

They were whiter than milk;

They were more ruddy in body than corals,

Their polishing was like lapis lazuli.

8 Their appearance is blacker than soot,

They are not recognized in the streets;

Their skin is shriveled on their bones,

It is withered, it has become like wood.

9 Better are those slain with the sword

Than those slain with hunger;

For they pine away, being stricken

For lack of the fruits of the field.