Lamentations 4:11-17

English Standard Version

^11 (A)The Lord gave full vent to his wrath;
    he poured out his hot anger,
and ^(B)he kindled a fire in Zion
    that consumed its foundations.

^12 (C)The kings of the earth did not believe,
    nor any of the inhabitants of the world,
that foe or enemy could enter
    the gates of Jerusalem.

¹³ This was for ^(D)the sins of her prophets
    and ^(E)the iniquities of her priests,
who shed in the midst of her
    the blood of the righteous.

^14 (F)They wandered, blind, through the streets;
    they were so defiled with blood
^(G)that no one was able to touch
    their garments.

¹⁵ “Away! ^(H)Unclean!” people cried at them.
    “Away! Away! Do not touch!”
So they became fugitives and wanderers;
    people said among the nations,
    “They shall stay with us no longer.”

^16 (I)The Lord himself^[a] has scattered them;
    he will regard them no more;
^(J)no honor was shown to the priests,
    ^(K)no favor to the elders.

^17 (L)Our eyes failed, ever watching
    ^(M)vainly for help;
in our watching we watched
    for ^(N)a nation which could not save.