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

² Zion’s precious children—
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 baby’s tongue
clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst.^(D)
Infants beg for food,
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 trash 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 lapis lazuli.

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 iniquities 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 no longer watches over them.
The priests are not respected;
the elders find no favor.

¹⁷ All the while our eyes were failing
as we looked in vain for help;^(Q)
we watched from our towers
for a nation that would not save us.

¹⁸ Our steps were closely followed
so that we could not walk in our streets.
Our end approached;^(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, the breath of our life,^[c](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.^[d]
But he will punish your iniquity, Daughter Edom,
and will expose your sins.^(X)

5 Lord, 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^[e] Egypt
and with Assyria, to get enough food.^(Z)
7 Our ancestors sinned; they no longer exist,
but we bear their punishment.^(AA)
8 Slaves rule over us;^(AB)
no one rescues us from them.
⁹ We secure our food at the risk of our lives
because of the sword in the wilderness.
¹⁰ Our skin is as hot^[f] as an oven^(AC)
from the ravages of hunger.
¹¹ Women have been raped in Zion,
virgins in the cities of Judah.
¹² Princes have been hung up by their hands;
elders are shown no respect.^(AD)
13 Young men labor at millstones;^(AE)
boys stumble under loads of wood.
¹⁴ The elders have left the city gate,
the young men, their music.^(AF)
15 Joy has left our hearts;^(AG)
our dancing has turned to mourning.
¹⁶ The crown has fallen from our head.^(AH)
Woe to us, for we have sinned.^(AI)
17 Because of this, our heart is sick;
because of these, our eyes grow dim:^(AJ)
18 because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate
and has jackals prowling in it.^(AK)
19 You, Lord, are enthroned forever;
your throne endures from generation to generation.^(AL)
20 Why do you continually forget us,^(AM)
abandon us for our entire lives?
²¹ Lord, bring us back to yourself, so we may return;^(AN)
renew our days as in former times,
²² unless you have completely rejected us
and are intensely angry with us.

⁵⁷ The Lord is my portion;^[a](A)
I have promised to keep your words.
⁵⁸ I have sought your favor^(B) with all my heart;
be gracious to me^(C) according to your promise.
⁵⁹ I thought about my ways^(D)
and turned my steps back to your decrees.
⁶⁰ I hurried, not hesitating
to keep your commands.
⁶¹ Though the ropes of the wicked^(E)
were wrapped around me,
I did not forget your instruction.^(F)
62 I rise at midnight to thank you^(G)
for your righteous judgments.^(H)
63 I am a friend to all who fear you,^(I)
to those who keep your precepts.
⁶⁴ Lord, the earth is filled with your faithful love;^(J)
teach me your statutes.^(K)

¹⁰ The one who hires a fool or who hires those passing by
is like an archer who wounds everyone indiscriminately.
¹¹ As a dog returns to its vomit,
so also a fool repeats his foolishness.^(A)