Lamentations 4

The Punishment of Zion

⁴How the gold has grown dim;

how the pure gold is changed!

The sacred stones lie scattered

at the head of every street.

²The precious children of Zion,

worth their weight in fine gold—

how they are reckoned as earthen pots,

the work of a potter’s hands!^*

³Even the jackals offer the breast

and nurse their young,

but my people has become cruel,

like the ostriches in the wilderness.^*

⁴The tongue of the infant sticks

to the roof of its mouth for thirst;

the children beg for food,

but there is nothing for them.^*

⁵Those who feasted on delicacies

perish in the streets;

those who were brought up in purple

cling to ash heaps.

⁶For 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.^m*

⁷Her princes were purer than snow,

whiter than milk;

their bodies were more ruddy than coral,

their form cut like sapphire.^n*

⁸Now 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.^*

⁹Happier were those pierced by the sword

than those pierced by hunger,

whose life drains away, deprived

of the produce of the field.^*

¹⁰The hands of compassionate women

have boiled their own children;

they became their food

in the destruction of my people.^*

¹¹The Lord gave full vent to his wrath;

he poured out his hot anger

and kindled a fire in Zion

that consumed its foundations.^*

¹²The kings of the earth did not believe,

nor did any of the inhabitants of the world,

that foe or enemy could enter

the gates of Jerusalem.^*

¹³It was for the sins of her prophets

and the iniquities of her priests,

who shed the blood of the righteous

in her midst.^*

¹⁴Blindly they wandered through the streets,

so defiled with blood

that no one was able

to touch their garments.^*

¹⁵“Away! Unclean!” people shouted at them;

“Away! Away! Do not touch!”

So they became fugitives and wanderers;

it was said among the nations,

“They shall stay here no longer.”^*

¹⁶The Lord himself has scattered them;

he will regard them no more;

no honor was shown to the priests,

no favor to the elders.^*

¹⁷Our eyes failed, ever watching

vainly for help;

we were watching eagerly

for a nation that could not save.^*

¹⁸They dogged our steps

so that we could not walk in our streets;

our end drew near; our days were numbered,

for our end had come.^*

¹⁹Our pursuers were swifter

than the eagles in the heavens;

they chased us on the mountains;

they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.^*

²⁰The Lord’s anointed, the breath of our life,

was taken in their pits—

the one of whom we said, “Under his shadow

we shall live among the nations.”^*

²¹Rejoice and be glad, O daughter Edom,

you that live in the land of Uz;

but to you also the cup shall pass;

you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.^*

²²The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter Zion, is accomplished;

he will keep you in exile no longer;

but your iniquity, O daughter Edom, he will punish;

he will uncover your sins.^*