Lamentations 4

1HOW gold can be tarnished! How pure silver can be changed! Holy stones were thrown down at the head of all the streets.

2The sons of Sion who were precious, more precious than gold; how they have been accounted as earthen vessels, the works of a potter’s hands.

3Surely jackals drew out the breasts; their whelps suckled the daughters of my people, to make them unnatural as the ostrich in the desert.

4The tongue of a suckling babe cleaved to the roof of its mouth for thirst: infants asked for bread, there is none who breaketh it for them.

5They who had fed upon dainties perished in the highways; they who had been nursed in scarlet were covered with dung.

6The transgression of the daughter of my people was greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown suddenly, without tiring hands with it.

7Her Nazarites were purer than snow; they were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy than a sapphire. Behold their change!

8Their visage became blacker than soot. They are not distinguished in the streets. Their skin is shrivelled to their bones. They are withered. They are become like a stick.

9The victims of the sword are more beautiful than those slain by famine. These stalked about, pierced through for want of the fruits of the field.

10The hands of tender-hearted women boiled their own children; these were food for them in the extreme distress of the daughter of my people.

11The Lord hath executed His wrath—He hath poured out His fierce anger. He hath kindled a fire in Sion, which hath devoured her very foundations.

12The kings of the earth, all the inhabitants of the world, did not believe that an enemy and a destroyer could have entered the gates of Jerusalem.

13Because of the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, of them who were shedding innocent blood in the midst of her,

16The presence of the Lord was their portion; He will no more look upon them: they paid no respect to the presence of priests; on prophets they had no compassion.

17While we yet existed our eyes failed looking in vain for our help. When we looked out, we looked to a nation that could not save.

18We have hunted for our little ones that they might not walk in our streets. Our time is come. Our days are fulfilled. Our time is at hand.

19They who pursue us are swifter than eagles in the air; they overtook us on the mountains. They lay in wait for us in the desert.

20In their slaughters is comprehended the breath of our nostrils, our anointed Lord, of whom we said, Under His shadow we shall live among the nations.

21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Idumea who dwellest in the land. To thee however the cup of the Lord will come and thou shalt drink and vomit.

22O daughter of Sion, thine iniquity is done away. He will no more banish thee. He hath visited thine iniquities, O daughter of Edom. He hath exposed thee for thy sins.