4 How the gold has become tarnished,
the fine gold become dull!
The stones of the temple^[a] lie scattered
at the corner of every street.^(A)

² Zion’s precious people—
once worth their weight in pure gold^(B)—
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^(C) in the wilderness.

⁴ The nursing infant’s tongue
clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst.^(D)
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^(E)
huddle in garbage heaps.

⁶ The punishment of my dear people
is greater than that of Sodom,^(F)
which was overthrown in an instant
without a hand laid on it.

⁷ Her dignitaries were brighter than snow,
whiter than milk;
their bodies^[b] were more ruddy than coral,
their appearance like sapphire.^[c]

⁸ Now they appear darker than soot;^(G)
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.

¹⁰ The hands of compassionate women
have cooked their own children;^(H)
they became their food
during the destruction of my dear people.^(I)

¹¹ The Lord has exhausted His wrath,
poured out His burning anger;
He has ignited a fire in Zion,
and it has consumed her foundations.^(J)

¹² The kings of the earth
and all the world’s inhabitants did not believe
that an enemy or adversary
could enter Jerusalem’s gates.^(K)

¹³ Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets
and the guilt of her priests,
who shed the blood of the righteous
within her.^(L)

¹⁴ Blind, they stumbled in the streets,^(M)
defiled by this blood,^(N)
so that no one dared
to touch their garments.

¹⁵ “Stay away! Unclean!” people shouted at them.
“Away, away! Don’t touch us!”^(O)
So they wandered aimlessly.^(P)
It was said among the nations,
“They can stay here no longer.”

¹⁶ The Lord Himself has scattered them;
He regards them no more.
The priests are not respected;
the elders find no favor.

¹⁷ All the while our eyes were failing
as we looked in vain for assistance;^(Q)
we watched from our towers
for a nation^[d] that refused to help.

¹⁸ Our steps were closely followed
so that we could not walk in our streets.
Our end drew near;^(R) our time ran out.
Our end had come!

¹⁹ Those who chased us were swifter
than eagles in the sky;^(S)
they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains
and ambushed us in the wilderness.

²⁰ The Lord’s anointed,^[e] the breath of our life,^[f](T)
was captured in their traps.
We had said about him,
“We will live under his protection among the nations.”

²¹ So rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom,^(U)
you resident of the land of Uz!^(V)
Yet the cup^(W) will pass to you as well;
you will get drunk and expose yourself.

²² Daughter Zion, your punishment is complete;
He will not lengthen your exile.^[g]
But He will punish your iniquity, Daughter Edom,
and will expose your sins.^(X)

5 Yahweh, remember what has happened to us.
Look, and see our disgrace!^(Y)
2 Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,
our houses to foreigners.
³ We have become orphans, fatherless;
our mothers are widows.
⁴ We must pay for the water we drink;
our wood comes at a price.
⁵ We are closely pursued;
we are tired, and no one offers us rest.
⁶ We made a treaty with^[h] Egypt
and with Assyria, to get enough food.^(Z)
7 Our fathers sinned; they no longer exist,
but we bear their punishment.
⁸ Slaves rule over us;^(AA)
no one rescues us from their hands.
⁹ We secure our food at the risk of our lives
because of the sword in the wilderness.
¹⁰ Our skin is as hot^[i] as an oven^(AB)
from the ravages of hunger.
¹¹ Women are raped in Zion,
girls in the cities of Judah.
¹² Princes are hung up by their hands;
elders are shown no respect.^(AC)
13 Young men labor at millstones;^(AD)
boys stumble under loads of wood.
¹⁴ The elders have left the city gate,
the young men, their music.^(AE)
15 Joy has left our hearts;^(AF)
our dancing has turned to mourning.
¹⁶ The crown has fallen from our head.^(AG)
Woe to us, for we have sinned.^(AH)
17 Because of this, our heart is sick;
because of these, our eyes grow dim:^(AI)
18 because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate
and has jackals prowling in it.^(AJ)
19 You, Lord, are enthroned forever;
Your throne endures from generation to generation.^(AK)
20 Why have You forgotten us forever,^(AL)
abandoned us for our entire lives?
²¹ Lord, restore us to Yourself, so we may return;^(AM)
renew our days as in former times,
²² unless You have completely rejected us
and are intensely angry with us.

¹ Lord, You showed favor to Your land;^(A)
You restored Jacob’s prosperity.^[a](B)
2 You took away Your people’s guilt;
You covered all their sin.^(C)Selah
³ You withdrew all Your fury;
You turned from Your burning anger.^(D)