Lamentations 4:12-22

English Standard Version

^12 (A)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 ^(B)the sins of her prophets
    and ^(C)the iniquities of her priests,
who shed in the midst of her
    the blood of the righteous.

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

¹⁵ “Away! ^(F)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 (G)The Lord himself^[a] has scattered them;
    he will regard them no more;
^(H)no honor was shown to the priests,
    ^(I)no favor to the elders.

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

^18 (M)They dogged our steps
    so that we could not walk in our streets;
^(N)our end drew near; our days were numbered,
    for our end had come.

¹⁹ Our pursuers were ^(O)swifter
    than the eagles in the heavens;
they chased us on the mountains;
    they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

^20 (P)The breath of our nostrils, ^(Q)the Lord's anointed,
    was captured ^(R)in their pits,
of whom we said, ^(S)“Under his shadow
    we shall live among the nations.”

^21 (T)Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom,
    you who dwell in ^(U)the land of Uz;
but to you also ^(V)the cup shall pass;
    you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.

^22 (W)The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished;
    he will keep you in exile no longer;^[b]
but ^(X)your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will punish;
    he will uncover your sins.