Lamentations 4 - American Standard Version 2015

¹ How is the gold become dim! {\i how} is the most pure gold changed!\par\tab The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.

² The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold,\par\tab How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

³ Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones:\par\tab The daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

⁴ The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst:\par\tab The young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.

⁵ They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets:\par\tab They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

⁶ For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom,\par\tab That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon her.

⁷ Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk;\par\tab They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire.

⁸ Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets:\par\tab Their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

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

¹⁰ The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children;\par\tab They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.\par

¹¹ Jehovah hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger;\par\tab And he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof.

¹² The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world,\par\tab That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.

¹³ {\i It is} because of the sins of her prophets, {\i and} the iniquities of her priests,\par\tab That have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

¹⁴ They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood,\par\tab So that men cannot touch their garments.

¹⁵ Depart ye, they cried unto them, Unclean! depart, depart, touch not!\par\tab When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations,\par\tab They shall no more sojourn {\i here}.

¹⁶ The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; he will no more regard them:\par\tab They respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders.\par

¹⁷ Our eyes do yet fail {\i in looking} for our vain help:\par\tab In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

¹⁸ They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets:\par\tab Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.

¹⁹ Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens:\par\tab They chased us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

²⁰ The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits;\par\tab Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.\par

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

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