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.