Lamentations 4

VIN(i) 1 How the gold has grown dim, the pure gold has changed. The stones of holiness are scattered at the head of every street. 2 The precious sons of Zion are weighed against pure gold; how they are counted as earthen vessels, the work of a potter's hand! 3 Even the jackals offer their breast. They nurse their young ones. But the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. 4 The nursing infant's tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread, but no one gives to them. 5 Those who ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps. 6 The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overturned suddenly without a hand lifted to help her. 7 Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance was like lapis lazuli. 8 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. 9 Those killed by the sword are better off than those who died of starvation. For these die slowly and waste away from lack of food from the field. 10 ( ι - [Yod.]) With their own hands, compassionate women boil their own children they become their food when my beloved people were destroyed. 11 the LORD has completed his anger, he has poured out his fierce anger; he has kindled a fire in Zion, it consumed her foundations. 12 The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the dwellers of the habitance, That foe and enemy could enter into the gateways of Jerusalem." 13 But it hath happened because of the sins of her prophets, the iniquities of her priests, that had shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous. 14 they reeled blind in the streets. They are defiled with blood, so that not any are able to touch their garments. 15 “Go away!” they cried to them. “Unclean! Go away! Go away! Don't touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, “They can't live here any more.” 16 The LORD himself has scattered them; he will no more regard them. They did not respect the priests, they did not favor the elders. 17 Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save. 18 They go after our steps so that we may not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are numbered; for our end has come. 19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky. They chased us on the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness. 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Yahweh, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, under his shadow we will live among the nations. 21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz; but to you also the cup will pass, you will become drunk and strip yourself bare. 22 O daughter of Sion, thine iniquity is done away. He will no more banish thee. He hath visited thine iniquities, daughter of Edom. He hath exposed thee for thy sins.