Lamentations 4
1How has the zahav lost its luster! 1 How is the most fine gold changed! 1 The avnei kodesh are poured out on every street corner. 1
2The precious Bnei Tziyon, 1 comparable to fine gold, 1 how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, 1 the work of the hands of the yotzer (potter)! 1
3Even the jackals offer the breast; 1 they nurse their young ones; 1 the Bat Ami is become heartless, 1 like the ostriches in the midbar. 1
4The leshon of the nursing infant 1 cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst; 1 the olalim beg for lechem, 1 and no man giveth it unto them. 1
5They that did feed delicately 1 are destitute in the chutzot; 1 they that were brought up in purple 1 lie on dunghills. 1
6For the punishment of the iniquity of the Bat Ami 1 is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, 1 that was overthrown as in a moment, 1 and no hands helped her. 1
7Her nobles were purer than snow; 1 they were whiter than cholov, 1 they were more ruddy in body than rubies, 1 their appearance was of sapphire; 1
8Their visage is blacker than soot; 1 they are not known in the streets; 1 their skin cleaveth to their atzmot; 1 it is dried up, it is become like a stick. 1
9They that are slain with the cherev 1 are better than they that are slain with hunger; 1 for these pine away, 1 being pierced for want of the increase of the sadeh. 1
10The hands of the pitiful nashim 1 have cooked their own yeladim; 1 they were their meat 1 in the destruction of the Bat Ami. 1
11Hashem hath accomplished His fury; 1 He hath poured out His charon af, 1 and hath kindled an eish in Tziyon, 1 and it hath devoured the yesodot thereof. 1
12The malkhei eretz, 1 and all the inhabitants of the tevel (world), 1 would not have believed that the adversary and the oyev 1 should have entered into the sha'arei Yerushalayim. 1
13For the sins of her Nevi'im, 1 and the iniquities of her Kohanim, 1 that have shed the dahm of the Tzaddikim 1 in the midst of her. 1
14They have groped about like ivrim (blind men) in the streets; 1 they have defiled themselves with dahm, 1 so that men dare not touch their garments. 1
15They cried unto them: Go away; 1 tamei (unclean)! 1 Depart, depart, touch not; 1 so they fled away and wandered. They said among the Goyim: 1 They shall no more sojourn there. 1
16The anger of Hashem hath scattered them; 1 He will no more regard them; 1 they respected not the persons of the Kohanim; 1 they showed no favor to the Zekenim. 1
17As for us, our eyes failed 1 looking in vain for ezratenu (our help); 1 from our towers we have watched 1 for a nation that could not save us. 1
18They stalk our steps, 1 that we cannot go in our streets; 1 kitzeinu (our end) is near, our yamim are numbered; 1 for kitzeinu is come. 1
19Our pursuers are swifter 1 than the eagles of Shomayim; 1 they pursued us upon the mountains, 1 they laid wait for us in the midbar. 1
20The Moshiach of Hashem, who was our very life, 1 was taken in their traps, 1 of whom we said: Under his shadow [of protection] 1 we shall live among the Goyim. 1
21Rejoice and be glad, O Bat Edom, 1 that dwellest in Eretz Utz; 1 the kos (cup) also shall pass unto thee; 1 thou shalt be drunk, and shalt be stripped naked. 1
22The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O Bat Tziyon; 1 He will no more prolong your Golus; 1 He will visit thine iniquity, O Bat Edom; 1 He will expose thy sins.