Lamentations 4

1How the gold has grown dim, how the fine gold has changed! The holy stones are poured out at the head of every street.

2The precious sons of Zion, weighed out against fine gold—how they are regarded as clay jars, the work of a potter’s hands.

3Even jackals offer the breast; they nurse their young. The daughter of my people has become cruel, like ostriches in the wilderness.

4The tongue of the nursing infant sticks to the roof of his mouth because of thirst; children ask for bread, but no one breaks it for them.

5Those who used to eat delicacies are desolate in the streets; those who were brought up on scarlet embrace ash heaps.

6For the iniquity of the daughter of my people has grown greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, though no hands labored against her.

7Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than corals, their form was like sapphire.

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

9Better were those slain by the sword than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced through for lack of the produce of the field.

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

11Yahweh has exhausted his wrath; he has poured out his burning anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, and it consumed her foundations.

12The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, that an adversary and an enemy would enter the gates of Jerusalem.

13Because of the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, who poured out in her midst the blood of the righteous,

14They wandered blind through the streets, defiled with blood, so that they could not touch their garments.

15“Turn aside! Unclean!” they cried to them. “Turn aside, turn aside, do not touch!” For they have fled; they have even wandered. Among the nations they said, “They will stay no longer.”

16The face of Yahweh has scattered them; he will no longer look on them. They showed no regard for priests; they showed no favor to elders.

17Still our eyes failed, looking in vain for our help; in our watching we watched for a nation that could not save.

18They hunted our steps, so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near; our days were fulfilled, for our end had come.

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

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

21Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz; the cup will also pass to you—you will become drunk and strip yourself bare.

22Your punishment is finished, daughter Zion; he will not exile you again. He has punished your iniquity, daughter Edom; he has uncovered your sins.