1 How the gold has lost its luster,

the fine gold become dull!

The sacred gems are scattered

at every street corner.

2 How the precious children of Zion,

once worth their weight in gold,

are now considered as pots of clay,

the work of a potter’s hands!

3 Even jackals offer their breasts

to nurse their young,

but my people have become heartless

like ostriches in the desert.

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.

1 How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed!

The stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top 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 sea monsters 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 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.

1 How the gold has lost its luster!

Even the finest gold has become dull.

The sacred gemstones

lie scattered in the streets!

2 See how the precious children of Jerusalem,

worth their weight in fine gold,

are now treated like pots of clay

made by a common potter.

3 Even the jackals feed their young,

but not my people Israel.

They ignore their children’s cries,

like ostriches in the desert.

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.

1 How the gold has become dim!

How changed the fine gold!

The stones of the sanctuary are scattered

At the head of every street.

2 The precious sons of Zion,

Valuable as fine gold,

How they are regarded as clay pots,

The work of the hands of the potter!

3 Even the jackals present their breasts

To nurse their young;

But the daughter of my people is cruel,

Like ostriches in the wilderness.

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.

1 See how the gold has lost its shine,

how the pure gold has dulled!

The stones of the Temple are scattered

at every street corner.

2 The precious people of Jerusalem

were more valuable than gold,

but now they are thought of as clay jars

made by the hands of a potter.

3 Even wild dogs give their milk

to feed their young,

but my people are cruel

like ostriches in the desert.

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.

1 How is the gold become dim! how is the most pure gold changed!

The stones of the sanctuary 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 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.

1 How is the gold become dim! the most pure gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary poured out at the top of all the streets! 2 The sons of Zion, so precious, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! 3 Even the jackals offer the breast, they give suck to their young; 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, no man breaketh it unto them. 5 They that fed delicately are desolate in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dung-hills.

1 “Look how the gold has become tarnished! 

The fine gold has changed! 

The sacred stones are scattered at every street corner. 

2 “Zion’s precious children, who are worth their weight in fine gold, 

are now treated like clay pots, 

like those made by a potter’s hands. 

3 Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, 

but the women of my people are as cruel as wild ostriches. 

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. 

1 How the gold has become tarnished,

the fine gold become dull!

The stones of the temple lie scattered

at the corner of every street.

2 Zion’s precious people—

once worth their weight in pure gold —

how they are regarded as clay jars,

the work of a potter’s hands!

3 Even jackals offer their breasts

to nurse their young,

but my dear people have become cruel

like ostriches in the wilderness.

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.

1 How the gold has grown dim,

how the pure gold is changed!

The sacred stones lie scattered

at the head of every street.

2 The precious children of Zion,

worth their weight in fine gold—

how they are reckoned as earthen pots,

the work of a potter’s hands!

3 Even the jackals offer the breast

and nurse their young,

but my people has become cruel,

like the ostriches in the wilderness.

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.

1 How the gold has grown dim,

the pure gold has changed.

The stones of holiness are scattered

at the head of every street.

2 The precious sons of Zion

weighed against fine gold,

how they are thought of as earthen vessels of clay,

the work of the potter’s hands.

3 Even the jackal bear the breast

and nurse their cubs;

but the daughter of my people has become ruthless,

like ostriches in the wilderness.

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.

1 Look at how the gold has lost its brightness!

See how dull the fine gold has become!

The sacred jewels are scattered

at every street corner.

2 The priceless children of Zion

were worth their weight in gold.

But now they are thought of as clay pots

made by the hands of a potter.

3 Even wild dogs

nurse their young pups.

But my people are as mean

as ostriches in the desert.

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.

1 How dark the gold has become,

How the pure gold has changed!

The sacred stones are poured out

At the corner of every street.

2 The precious sons of Zion,

Weighed against fine gold,

How they are regarded as earthen jars,

The work of a potter’s hands!

3 Even jackals offer the breast,

They nurse their young;

But the daughter of my people has become cruel

Like ostriches in the wilderness.

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.