JPS - Lamentations - 4

4:1  How is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed! The hallowed stones are poured out at the head of every street.

4:2  The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

4:3  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.

4:4  The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst; the young children ask bread, and none breaketh it unto them.

4:5  They that did feed on dainties are desolate in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

4:6  For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands fell upon her.

4:7  Her princes were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire;

4:8  Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets; their skin is shrivelled upon their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

4:9  They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

4:10  The hands of women full of compassion have sodden their own children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

4:11  HaShem hath accomplished His fury, He hath poured out His fierce anger; and He hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof.

4:12  The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.

4:13  It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

4:14  They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, so that men cannot touch their garments.

4:15  'Depart ye! unclean!' men cried unto them, 'Depart, depart, touch not'; yea, they fled away and wandered; men said among the nations: 'They shall no more sojourn here.'

4:16  The anger of HaShem hath divided them; He will no more regard them; they respected not the persons of the priests, they were not gracious unto the elders.

4:17  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.

4:18  They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our broad places; our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.

4:19  Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heaven; they chased us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

4:20  The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of HaShem, was taken in their pits; of whom we said: 'Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.'

4:21  Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: the cup shall pass over unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.

4:22  The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion, He will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He will uncover thy sins.