Lamentations 4

1How has gold become dim! How has the finest gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.

2Zion's precious sons, comparable to fine gold—how they are regarded as earthen pitchers, the work of the potter's hands!

3Even dragons present the breast and nurse their young ones, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like ostriches in the wilderness.

4The suckling child's tongue clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst; young children beg for bread, but no one breaks any for them.

5Those who ate delicacies are appalled in the streets; those reared in scarlet embrace dung heaps.

6The iniquity of the daughter of my people outweighs the sin of Sodom, overthrown in a moment when no hands were laid upon her.

7Her Nazarites were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bones more ruddy than rubies, their polish like sapphire.

8Their appearance has blackened beyond coal; they go unrecognized in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones; it has dried up, become like a stick.

9Better were those slain by the sword than those slain by hunger, for they languish, thrust through, for lack of the field's produce.

10The hands of compassionate women have boiled their children; they became food for them in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11Yahweh exhausted his anger, pouring out the fury of his wrath; he ignited fire in Zion, and it devoured her foundations.

12Kings of the earth and all who dwell in the world did not believe that adversary and enemy would enter the gates of Jerusalem.

13Because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.

14They staggered blindly through the streets, defiling themselves with blood so that no one could touch their garments.

15They cried out to them, “Away! Defiled! Away, away, do not touch!” When they fled and also strayed, people among the nations said, “They shall not dwell here any longer.”

16The face of Yahweh has divided them; he will no longer look upon them. They showed the priests no respect, the elders no favor.

17Our eyes failed all the while for our vain help; in our watching we watched for a nation that could not save.

18They pursued our steps so we could not walk in our streets; our end drew near, our days were completed, for our end arrived.

19Our pursuers were swifter than eagles of the sky; they hotly pursued us on the mountains and lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

20Yahweh’s anointed, the breath through our nostrils, was captured in their traps—the one of whom we said, “In his shadow we will live among the nations.”

21Rejoice greatly and be glad, daughter of Edom who dwells in the land of Uz; the cup will pass to you also—you will get drunk and expose yourself.

22Your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion; he will exile you no longer. He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom; he will uncover your sins.