1How is the gold become dim ! how is the most fine gold changed ! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street . 2The precious sons of Zion , comparable to fine gold , how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers , the work of the hands of the potter ! 3Even the sea monsters 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 . 4The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst : the young children ask bread , and no man breaketh it unto them. 5They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets : they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills . 6For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom , that was overthrown as in a moment , and no hands stayed on her.
The Suffering of the Innocent
7Her Nazarites were purer than snow , they were whiter than milk , they were more ruddy in body than rubies , their polishing was of sapphire : 8Their visage is blacker than a coal ; they are not known in the streets : their skin cleaveth to their bones ; it is withered , it is become like a stick . 9They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger : for these pine away , stricken through for want of the fruits of the field . 10The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children : they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people .
The Role of the Prophets
11The LORD hath accomplished his fury ; he hath poured out his fierce anger , and hath kindled a fire in Zion , and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. 12The kings of the earth , and all the inhabitants of the world , would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem . 13For the sins of her prophets , and the iniquities of her priests , that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, 14They have wandered as blind men in the streets , they have polluted themselves with blood , so that men could not touch their garments . 15They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean ; depart , depart , touch not: when they fled away and wandered , they said among the heathen , They shall no more sojourn there . 16The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests , they favoured not the elders .
The Hope Amidst Despair
17As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help : in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us . 18They hunt our steps , that we cannot go in our streets : our end is near , our days are fulfilled ; for our end is come . 19Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven : they pursued us upon the mountains , they laid wait for us in the wilderness . 20The breath of our nostrils , the anointed of the LORD , was taken in their pits , of whom we said , Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen . 21Rejoice and be glad , O daughter of Edom , that dwellest in the land of Uz ; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken , and shalt make thyself naked . 22The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished , O daughter of Zion ; he will no more carry thee away into captivity : he will visit thine iniquity , O daughter of Edom ; he will discover thy sins .