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¹ How has the gold become dim! [how] has the most pure gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.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!³ Even the jackals draw out the breast, they nurse their young ones: The daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.⁴ The tongue of the nursing child cleaves to the roof of his mouth for thirst: The young children ask bread, and no man breaks it to them.⁵ Those that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: Those 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, That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid on her.⁷ Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire.⁸ Their visage is blacker than a charcoal; they are not known in the streets: Their skin cleaves to their bones; it is withered, it has become like a stick.⁹ Those that are slain with the sword are better than those that are slain with hunger; 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; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.¹¹ Yahweh has accomplished his wrath, he has poured out his fierce anger; And he has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured the foundations thereof.¹² The kings of the earth did not believe, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.

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.¹⁴ They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men can't touch their garments.¹⁵ Depart, they cried to them, Unclean! depart, depart, don't touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn [here].¹⁶ The anger of Yahweh has scattered them; he will no more regard them: They did not respect the persons of the priests, they did not favor the elders.¹⁷ Our eyes do yet fail [in looking] for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.¹⁸ They hunt our steps, so that we can't go in our streets: Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end has come.¹⁹ Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens: They chased us on the mountains, they laid 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 shall live among the nations.

²¹ Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwell in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass through to you also; you shall be drunk, and shall make yourself naked.²² The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry you away into captivity: He will visit your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover your sins.