1 ¶ Aleph How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are scattered through the crossings of every street.

How the gold has become dim! How the most pure gold has changed! The hallowed stones are poured out at the head of every street.

2 B eth The sons of Zion, precious and esteemed more than pure gold, how are they taken for earthen vessels, the work of the hands of the potter!

The noble and precious sons of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold—how they are esteemed as earthen pots or pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

3 G imel Even the sea monsters draw out the breast; they give suck to their young ones; the daughter of my people is cruel like the ostriches in the wilderness.

Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones, but the daughter of my people has become cruel like ostriches in the wilderness.

4 D aleth The tongue of the sucking child cleaves to the roof of his mouth for thirst; the young children ask for bread, and there was no one to break it unto them.

The tongue of the nursing babe cleaves to the roof of its mouth because of thirst; the young children beg for food, but no one gives it to them.

5 H e Those that did feed delicately are made desolate in the streets; those that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

Those who feasted on dainties are perishing in the streets; those who were brought up in purple lie cleaving to refuse and ash heaps.

6 V au For the iniquity of the daughter of my people has increased more than the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and companies did not camp upon her.

For 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, and no hands had come against her or been laid on her.

7 Z ain Her Nazarites were whiter than snow; they were more radiant than milk; their composure had more fire than the precious stones cut from sapphire:

her princes were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; they were more ruddy in body than rubies or corals, their shapely figures sapphire.

8 C heth Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets; their skin cleaves to their bones; it is withered; it is dry like a stick.

them look blacker than soot and darkness; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones; it is withered and it has become like a stick.

9 T eth Those slain with the sword are better than those slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the earth.

Those who are slain with the sword are more fortunate than those who are the victims of hunger; for they pine and ebb away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

10 J od The hands of the compassionate women have cooked their own children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they were their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11 C aph The LORD has accomplished his fury; he has poured out his fierce anger and has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has devoured the foundations thereof.

The Lord has fulfilled His wrath; He has poured out His fierce anger and has kindled a fire in Zion that has consumed her foundations.

12 L amed The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world never believed that the adversary and the enemy would enter in through the gates of Jerusalem.

The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the inhabitants of the earth, that the oppressor and enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.

13 ¶ Mem For 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 the blood of the just and righteous in the midst of her.

14 N un They have wandered blindly in the streets; they were polluted in blood, so that no one could touch their garments.

wandered in the streets as if blind; they had so polluted themselves with blood it was not for men to touch their garments.

15 S amech They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not because they were contaminated; and when they were thrust through, they said among the Gentiles, They shall never dwell here again.

cried to them, Go away! Unclean! Depart! Depart! Touch not! When they fled away, then they wandered; men said among the nations, They shall not stay here any longer.

16 P e The anger of the LORD has separated them; he will never look upon them again. They did not respect the countenance of the priests, nor did they have compassion on the elders.

The anger of the Lord has scattered; He will no longer look after them. They did not respect the persons of the priests; they did not favor the elders.

17 A in As for us, our eyes have failed in seeking our vain help; in our watching we have watched for people that cannot save us.

As for us, our eyes yet failed and wasted away in looking for our worthless help. In our watching we have watched and waited expectantly for a nation that could not save us.

18 T zaddi They hunt our steps that we cannot walk in our streets; our end came near; our days were fulfilled; for our end is come.

dog our steps, so that we cannot go into our streets; our end is near, our days are fulfilled—yes, our end has come.

19 K oph Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the heaven; they pursued us upon the mountains; they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky; they pursued us on the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

20 R esh The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we had said, Under his shadow we shall live among the Gentiles.

The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their snares—he of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.

21 ¶ Schin Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup shall also pass even unto thee; thou shalt be drunken and shalt vomit.

Rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. But the cup also shall pass to you; you shall become drunk and make yourself naked.

22 T au The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will never cause thee to be carried away again; he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover thy sins.

The punishment of your iniquity will be accomplished and completed, O Daughter of Zion; will no more carry you away or keep you in exile. But He will inspect and punish your iniquity and guilt, O Daughter of Edom; He will uncover your sins.