1 H ow is the gold become dim! how is the most pure gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.

How the gold has become dim! How changed the fine gold! The stones of the sanctuary are scattered At the head of every street.

2 T he precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

The precious sons of Zion, Valuable as fine gold, How they are regarded as clay pots, The work of the hands of the potter!

3 E ven the jackals 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.

Even the jackals present their breasts To nurse their young; But the daughter of my people is cruel, Like ostriches in the wilderness.

4 T he 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.

The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth for thirst; The young children ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them.

5 T hey that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those who were brought up in scarlet Embrace ash heaps.

6 F or 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 upon her.

The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her!

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

Her Nazirites were brighter than snow And whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Like sapphire in their appearance.

8 T heir 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.

Now their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets; Their skin clings to their bones, It has become as dry as wood.

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

Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.

10 T he hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

The hands of the compassionate women Have cooked their own children; They became food for them In the destruction of the daughter of my people.

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

The Lord has fulfilled His fury, He has poured out His fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, And it has devoured its foundations.

12 T he kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.

The kings of the earth, And all inhabitants of the world, Would not have believed That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem—

13 I t 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.

Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who shed in her midst The blood of the just.

14 T hey wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men cannot touch their garments.

They wandered blind in the streets; They have defiled themselves with blood, So that no one would touch their garments.

15 D epart ye, they cried unto them, Unclean! depart, depart, touch not! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn here.

They cried out to them, “Go away, unclean! Go away, go away, Do not touch us!” When they fled and wandered, Those among the nations said, “They shall no longer dwell here. ”

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

The face of the Lord scattered them; He no longer regards them. The people do not respect the priests Nor show favor to the elders.

17 O ur eyes do yet fail in looking for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

Still our eyes failed us, Watching vainly for our help; In our watching we watched For a nation that could not save us.

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

They tracked our steps So that we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near; Our days were over, For our end had come.

19 O ur pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens: They chased us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

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

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, Was caught in their pits, Of whom we said, “Under his shadow We shall live among the nations.”

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

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, You who dwell in the land of Uz! The cup shall also pass over to you And you shall become drunk and make yourself naked.

22 T he 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 uncover thy sins.

The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; He will no longer send you into captivity. He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will uncover your sins!