Lamentations 4 · איכה

How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the hallowed stones are poured out at the top of every street.

The precious sons of Żiyyon, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

The tongue of the sucking child cleaves to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man gives it to them.

They that did feed on dainties are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

For the doom of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sedom, that was overthrown as in a moment, no hands being laid upon her.

Her Nazirites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire:

now their visage is blacker than coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin is shrivelled upon their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

Those slain with the sword are better than those slain with hunger: for when pierced through, the former do ooze with the produce of the fields.

Hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children: they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

The Lord has accomplished his fury; he has poured out his fierce anger, and has kindled a fire in Żiyyon and it has devoured its foundations.

The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy would enter the gates of Yerushalayim.

It was for the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

They wandered blind through the streets, polluted with blood, so that none could touch their garments.

Away! unclean! they cried at them; away! away! do not touch. So they fled, and wandered away: among the nations it was said, They shall no longer sojourn here.

The anger of the Lord has divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they were not gracious to the elders.

As for us, our eyes do yet fail for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

They hunt our steps, that we cannot walk in our broad places: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.

Our pursuers were swifter than the vultures in the sky: they chased us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of ῾Uż; the cup shall also pass over to thee: thou shalt be drunken, and strip thyself bare.

The punishment of thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Żiyyon; he will no more carry thee away into exile: he will visit thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover thy sins.