⁵² Those who were my enemies without cause
    hunted me like a bird.^(A)
53 They tried to end my life in a pit^(B)
    and threw stones at me;
⁵⁴ the waters closed over my head,^(C)
    and I thought I was about to perish.^(D)

⁵⁵ I called on your name, Lord,
    from the depths^(E) of the pit.^(F)
56 You heard my plea:^(G) “Do not close your ears
    to my cry for relief.”
⁵⁷ You came near^(H) when I called you,
    and you said, “Do not fear.”^(I)

⁵⁸ You, Lord, took up my case;^(J)
    you redeemed my life.^(K)
59 Lord, you have seen the wrong done to me.^(L)
    Uphold my cause!^(M)
60 You have seen the depth of their vengeance,
    all their plots against me.^(N)

⁶¹ Lord, you have heard their insults,^(O)
    all their plots against me—
⁶² what my enemies whisper and mutter
    against me all day long.^(P)
63 Look at them! Sitting or standing,
    they mock me in their songs.^(Q)

⁶⁴ Pay them back what they deserve, Lord,
    for what their hands have done.^(R)
65 Put a veil over their hearts,^(S)
    and may your curse be on them!
⁶⁶ Pursue^(T) them in anger and destroy them
    from under the heavens of the Lord.

4 ^[a]How the gold has lost its luster,
    the fine gold become dull!
The sacred gems are scattered
    at every street corner.^(U)

² How the precious children of Zion,^(V)
    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.^(W)

⁴ Because of thirst^(X) the infant’s tongue
    sticks to the roof of its mouth;^(Y)
the children beg for bread,
    but no one gives it to them.^(Z)

⁵ Those who once ate delicacies
    are destitute in the streets.
Those brought up in royal purple^(AA)
    now lie on ash heaps.^(AB)

⁶ The punishment of my people
    is greater than that of Sodom,^(AC)
which was overthrown in a moment
    without a hand turned to help her.

⁷ Their princes were brighter than snow
    and whiter than milk,
their bodies more ruddy than rubies,
    their appearance like lapis lazuli.

⁸ But now they are blacker^(AD) than soot;
    they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones;^(AE)
    it has become as dry as a stick.

⁹ Those killed by the sword are better off
    than those who die of famine;^(AF)
racked with hunger, they waste away
    for lack of food from the field.^(AG)

¹⁰ With their own hands compassionate women
    have cooked their own children,^(AH)
who became their food
    when my people were destroyed.

¹¹ The Lord has given full vent to his wrath;^(AI)
    he has poured out^(AJ) his fierce anger.^(AK)
He kindled a fire^(AL) in Zion
    that consumed her foundations.^(AM)

¹² The kings of the earth did not believe,
    nor did any of the peoples of the world,
that enemies and foes could enter
    the gates of Jerusalem.^(AN)

¹³ But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
    and the iniquities of her priests,^(AO)
who shed within her
    the blood^(AP) of the righteous.

¹⁴ Now they grope through the streets
    as if they were blind.^(AQ)
They are so defiled with blood^(AR)
    that no one dares to touch their garments.

¹⁵ “Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them.
    “Away! Away! Don’t touch us!”
When they flee and wander^(AS) about,
    people among the nations say,
    “They can stay here no longer.”^(AT)

¹⁶ The Lord himself has scattered them;
    he no longer watches over them.^(AU)
The priests are shown no honor,
    the elders^(AV) no favor.^(AW)

¹⁷ Moreover, our eyes failed,
    looking in vain^(AX) for help;^(AY)
from our towers we watched
    for a nation^(AZ) that could not save us.

¹⁸ People stalked us at every step,
    so we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near, our days were numbered,
    for our end had come.^(BA)

¹⁹ Our pursuers were swifter
    than eagles^(BB) in the sky;
they chased us^(BC) over the mountains
    and lay in wait for us in the desert.^(BD)

²⁰ The Lord’s anointed,^(BE) our very life breath,
    was caught in their traps.^(BF)
We thought that under his shadow^(BG)
    we would live among the nations.

²¹ Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom,
    you who live in the land of Uz.^(BH)
But to you also the cup^(BI) will be passed;
    you will be drunk and stripped naked.^(BJ)

²² Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion;^(BK)
    he will not prolong your exile.
But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom,
    and expose your wickedness.^(BL)

5 Remember, Lord, what has happened to us;
    look, and see our disgrace.^(BM)
2 Our inheritance^(BN) has been turned over to strangers,^(BO)
    our homes^(BP) to foreigners.^(BQ)
3 We have become fatherless,
    our mothers are widows.^(BR)
4 We must buy the water we drink;^(BS)
    our wood can be had only at a price.^(BT)
5 Those who pursue us are at our heels;
    we are weary^(BU) and find no rest.^(BV)
6 We submitted to Egypt and Assyria^(BW)
    to get enough bread.