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12 Lamed. They said to their mothers: Where is corn and wine? when they fainted away as the wounded in the streets of the city: when they breathed out their souls in the bosoms of their mothers.

13 Mem. To what shall I compare thee? or to what shall I liken thee, O daughter of Jerusalem? to what shall I equal thee, that I may comfort thee, O virgin daughter of Sion? for great as the sea is thy destruction: who shall heal thee?

14 Nun. Thy prophets have seen false and foolish things for thee: and they have not laid open thy iniquity, to excite thee to penance: but they have seen for thee false revelations and banishments.

15 Samech. All they that passed by the way have clapped their hands at thee: they have hissed, and wagged their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem, saying: Is this the city of perfect beauty, the joy of all the earth?

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12 They say to their mothers,
    “Where is bread and wine?”(A)
as they faint like the wounded
    in the streets of the city,
as their lives ebb away(B)
    in their mothers’ arms.(C)

13 What can I say for you?(D)
    With what can I compare you,
    Daughter(E) Jerusalem?
To what can I liken you,
    that I may comfort you,
    Virgin Daughter Zion?(F)
Your wound is as deep as the sea.(G)
    Who can heal you?

14 The visions of your prophets
    were false(H) and worthless;
they did not expose your sin
    to ward off your captivity.(I)
The prophecies they gave you
    were false and misleading.(J)

15 All who pass your way
    clap their hands at you;(K)
they scoff(L) and shake their heads(M)
    at Daughter Jerusalem:(N)
“Is this the city that was called
    the perfection of beauty,(O)
    the joy of the whole earth?”(P)

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