Lamentations 4
1How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! 1 The stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. 1
2The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, 1 How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! 1
3Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: 1 The daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. 1
4The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: 1 The young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. 1
5They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: 1 They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. 1
6For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, 1 That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. 1
7Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, 1 They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire: 1
8Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: 1 Their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. 1
9They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: 1 For these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. 1
10The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: 1 They were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. 1
11The Lord hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, 1 And hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. 1
12The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed 1 That the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. 1
13For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, 1 That have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, 1
14They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, 1 So that men could not touch their garments. 1
15They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not, when they fled away and wandered: 1 They said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there. 1
16The anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more regard them: 1 They respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders. 1
17As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: 1 In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us. 1
18They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: 1 Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. 1
19Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: 1 They pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. 1
20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, 1 Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen. 1
21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; 1 The cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. 1
22The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: 1 He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.