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² Zion’s precious children—
once worth their weight in pure gold^(C1)—
how they are regarded as clay jars,
the work of a potter’s hands!

³ Even jackals offer their breasts
to nurse their young,
but my dear people have become cruel
like ostriches^(C1) in the wilderness.

⁴ The nursing baby’s tongue
clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst.^(C1)
Infants beg for food,
but no one gives them any.

⁵ Those who used to eat delicacies
are destitute in the streets;
those who were reared in purple garments^(C1)
huddle in trash heaps.

⁶ The punishment of my dear people
is greater than that of Sodom,^(C1)
which was overthrown in an instant
without a hand laid on it.

⁷ Her dignitaries were brighter than snow,
whiter than milk;
their bodies^(F1) were more ruddy than coral,
their appearance like lapis lazuli.

⁸ Now they appear darker than soot;^(C1)
they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones;
it has become dry like wood.

⁹ Those slain by the sword are better off
than those slain by hunger,
who waste away, pierced with pain
because the fields lack produce.

¹⁰ The hands of compassionate women
have cooked their own children;^(C1)
they became their food
during the destruction of my dear people.^(C2)

¹¹ The Lord has exhausted his wrath,
poured out his burning anger;
he has ignited a fire in Zion,
and it has consumed her foundations.^(C1)

¹² The kings of the earth
and all the world’s inhabitants did not believe
that an enemy or adversary
could enter Jerusalem’s gates.^(C1)

¹³ Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets
and the iniquities of her priests,
who shed the blood of the righteous within her.^(C1)

¹⁴ Blind, they stumbled in the streets,^(C1)
defiled by this blood,^(C2)
so that no one dared
to touch their garments.

¹⁵ “Stay away! Unclean!” people shouted at them.
“Away, away! Don’t touch us!” ^(C1)
So they wandered aimlessly.^(C2)
It was said among the nations,
“They can stay here no longer.”

¹⁶ The Lord himself has scattered them;
he no longer watches over them.
The priests are not respected;
the elders find no favor.

¹⁷ All the while our eyes were failing
as we looked in vain for help;^(C1)
we watched from our towers
for a nation that would not save us.

¹⁸ Our steps were closely followed
so that we could not walk in our streets.
Our end approached;^(C1) our time ran out.
Our end had come!

¹⁹ Those who chased us were swifter
than eagles in the sky;^(C1)
they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains
and ambushed us in the wilderness.

²⁰ The Lord’s anointed, the breath of our life,^(F1)(C1)
was captured in their traps.
We had said about him,
“We will live under his protection among the nations.”

²¹ So rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom,^(C1)
you resident of the land of Uz!^(C2)
Yet the cup^(C3) will pass to you as well;
you will get drunk and expose yourself.

²² Daughter Zion, your punishment is complete;
he will not lengthen your exile.^(F1)
But he will punish your iniquity, Daughter Edom,
and will expose your sins.^(C1)