Lamentations 4
1How will the gold be tarnished, 1 And the fine silver changed! 1 The sacred stones have been poured forth 1 At the top of all the streets. 1
2The precious sons of Zion, 1 Who were equaled in value with gold, 1 How are they counted as earthen vessels, 1 The works of the hands of the potter! 1
3Nay, serpents have drawn out the breasts, 1 They give suck to their young, 1 The daughters of my people are incurably cruel, 1 As an ostrich in a desert. 1
4The tongue of the sucking child 1 Cleaves to the roof of its mouth for thirst: 1 The little children ask for bread, 1 And there is none to break it to them. 1
5They that feed on dainties 1 Are desolate in the streets: 1 They that used to be nursed in scarlet 1 Have clothed themselves with dung. 1
6And the iniquity of the daughter of my people has been increased 1 Beyond the iniquities of Sodom, 1 The city that was overthrown very suddenly, 1 And none labored against her with their hands. 1
7Her Nazirites were made purer than snow, 1 They were whiter than milk, 1 They were purified as with fire, 1 Their polishing was superior to sapphire stone. 1
8Their countenance is become blacker than smoke; 1 They are not known in the streets: 1 Their skin has cloven to their bones; 1 They are withered, they are become as a stick. 1
9The slain with the sword were better 1 Than they that were slain with hunger: 1 They have departed, 1 Pierced through from want of the fruits of the field. 1
10The hands of tenderhearted women 1 Have sodden their own children: 1 They became meat for them 1 In the destruction of the daughter of my people. 1
11The Lord has accomplished his wrath; 1 He has poured out his fierce anger, 1 And has kindled a fire in Zion, 1 And it has devoured her foundations. 1
12The kings of the earth, 1 Even all that dwell in the world, 1 Believed not that an enemy and oppressor would enter 1 Through the gates of Jerusalem. 1
13For the sins of her prophets, 1 And iniquities of her priests, 1 Who shed righteous blood 1 In the midst of her, 1
14Her watchmen staggered in the streets, 1 They were defiled with blood in their weakness, 1 They touched their raiment with it. 1
15Depart ye from the unclean ones: 1 Call ye them: depart, depart, touch them not: 1 For they are on fire, yea, they stagger: 1 Say ye among the nations, 1 They shall no more sojourn there. 1
16The presence of the Lord was their portion; 1 But he will not again look upon them: 1 They regarded not the person of the priests, 1 They pitied not the prophets. 1
17While we yet lived our eyes failed, 1 While we looked in vain for our help. 1 We looked to a nation that could not save. 1
18We have hunted for our little ones, 1 That they should not walk in our streets. 1 Our time has drawn nigh, 1 Our days are fulfilled, 1 Our time is come. 1
19Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky, 1 They flew on the mountains, 1 In the wilderness they laid wait for us. 1
20The breath of our nostrils, our anointed Lord, 1 Was taken in their destructive snares, 1 Of whom we said, 1 In his shadow we shall live among the Gentiles. 1
21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, 1 That dwellest in the land: 1 Yet the cup of the Lord shall pass through to thee: 1 Thou shalt be drunken, and pour forth. 1
22O daughter of Zion, thine iniquity has come to an end; 1 He shall no more carry thee captive: 1 He has visited thine iniquities, O daughter of Edom; 1 He has discovered thy sins.