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Zion Is Punished

How the gold has grown dim,
the pure gold has changed.
The stones of holiness are scattered
    at the head of every street.
The precious sons of Zion
    weighed against fine gold,
how they are thought of as earthen vessels of clay,
    the work of the potter’s hands.
Even the jackal bears the beast
    and nurses their cubs;
but the daughter of my people has become ruthless,
    like ostriches in the wilderness.
The tongue of the nursling cleaves
    to its palate in thirst.
Children beg for food,
    no one lays it out before them.[a]
The ones who eat delicacies,
    they are ruined in the streets;
the ones nurtured in purple
    lie on piles of trash.
The iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater
    than the sin of Sodom;
it was overthrown in a moment
    and no hands were laid on her.
Her princes were purer than snow,
    they were whiter than milk;
their bodies were more ruddy than rubies,
    sapphire their appearance.
Now their appearance is blacker than soot,
    they are not recognized in the streets;
their skin has shriveled on their bones,
    it has become dry like wood.
Happier were the victims of the sword
    than the victims of famine;
they have pined away, very hungry
    for the crops of my field.
10 The hands of compassionate women,
    have cooked their children;
they became as something to eat
    in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 Yahweh has completed his anger,
    he has poured out his fierce anger;[b]
he has kindled a fire in Zion,
    it consumed her[c] foundations.
12 The kings of the earth did not believe,
    and all the inhabitants of the world,
that a foe and an enemy could enter
    into the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Because of the sins of her prophets,
    the guilt of her priests,
who shed blood in her midst,
    of righteous people.
14 They wander blindly in the streets;
    they were defiled with the blood,
their clothes
    could not be touched.
15 “Go away! Defiled!” they shout to them.
    “Go away! Go away! Do not touch!”
so they left, they left; it was said among the nations,
    They will no longer dwell with us.”[d]
16 The presence of Yahweh has scattered them,
    he will no longer watch over them;
they did not honor the priests,[e]
    they did not show mercy to elders.

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 4:4 Literally “nothing spreads to them”
  2. Lamentations 4:11 Literally “the fierce anger of his nose”
  3. Lamentations 4:11 Or “its”
  4. Lamentations 4:15 Literally “They will no longer be here as aliens”
  5. Lamentations 4:16 Literally “they did not lift up the faces of the priests”

The Degradation of Zion

How the gold has become dim!
How changed the fine gold!
The stones of the sanctuary are [a]scattered
At the head of every street.

The precious sons of Zion,
[b]Valuable as fine gold,
How they are [c]regarded (A)as clay pots,
The work of the hands of the potter!

Even the jackals present their breasts
To nurse their young;
But the daughter of my people is cruel,
(B)Like ostriches in the wilderness.

The tongue of the infant clings
To the roof of its mouth for thirst;
(C)The young children ask for bread,
But no one breaks it for them.

Those who ate delicacies
Are desolate in the streets;
Those who were brought up in scarlet
(D)Embrace ash heaps.

The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people
Is greater than the punishment of the (E)sin of Sodom,
Which was (F)overthrown in a moment,
With no hand to help her!

Her [d]Nazirites were [e]brighter than snow
And whiter than milk;
They were more ruddy in body than rubies,
Like sapphire in their [f]appearance.

Now their appearance is blacker than soot;
They go unrecognized in the streets;
(G)Their skin clings to their bones,
It has become as dry as wood.

Those slain by the sword are better off
Than those who die of hunger;
For these (H)pine away,
Stricken for lack of the fruits of the (I)field.

10 The hands of the (J)compassionate women
Have [g]cooked their (K)own children;
They became (L)food for them
In the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11 The Lord has fulfilled His fury,
(M)He has poured out His fierce anger.
(N)He kindled a fire in Zion,
And it has devoured its foundations.

12 The kings of the earth,
And all inhabitants of the world,
Would not have believed
That the adversary and the enemy
Could (O)enter the gates of Jerusalem—

13 (P)Because of the sins of her prophets
And the iniquities of her priests,
(Q)Who shed in her midst
The blood of the just.

14 They wandered blind in the streets;
(R)They have defiled themselves with blood,
(S)So that no one would touch their garments.

15 They cried out to them,
“Go away, (T)unclean!
Go away, go away,
Do not touch us!”
When they fled and wandered,
Those among the nations said,
“They shall no longer dwell here.

16 The [h]face of the Lord scattered them;
He no longer regards them.
(U)The people do not respect the priests
Nor show favor to the elders.

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Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 4:1 Lit. poured out
  2. Lamentations 4:2 Lit. Weighed against
  3. Lamentations 4:2 reckoned
  4. Lamentations 4:7 Or nobles
  5. Lamentations 4:7 Or purer
  6. Lamentations 4:7 Lit. polishing
  7. Lamentations 4:10 boiled
  8. Lamentations 4:16 Tg. anger