1 H ow dark the gold has become, How the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones are poured out At the corner of every street.

¶ 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.

2 T he precious sons of Zion, Weighed against fine gold, How they are regarded as earthen jars, The work of a potter’s hands!

Beth 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!

3 E ven jackals offer the breast, They nurse their young; But the daughter of my people has become cruel Like ostriches in the wilderness.

Gimel 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.

4 T he tongue of the infant cleaves To the roof of its mouth because of thirst; The little ones ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them.

Daleth 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.

5 T hose who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those reared in purple Embrace ash pits.

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

6 F or the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown as in a moment, And no hands were turned toward her.

Vau 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.

7 H er consecrated ones were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than corals, Their polishing was like lapis lazuli.

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

8 T heir appearance is blacker than soot, They are not recognized in the streets; Their skin is shriveled on their bones, It is withered, it has become like wood.

Cheth 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.

9 B etter are those slain with the sword Than those slain with hunger; For they pine away, being stricken For lack of the fruits of the field.

Teth 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.

10 T he hands of compassionate women Boiled their own children; They became food for them Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.

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

11 T he Lord has accomplished His wrath, He has poured out His fierce anger; And He has kindled a fire in Zion Which has consumed its foundations.

Caph 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.

12 T he kings of the earth did not believe, Nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem.

Lamed 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.

13 B ecause of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous;

¶ 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,

14 T hey wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.

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

15 “ Depart! Unclean!” they cried of themselves. “Depart, depart, do not touch!” So they fled and wandered; Men among the nations said, “They shall not continue to dwell with us.”

Samech 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.

16 T he presence of the Lord has scattered them, He will not continue to regard them; They did not honor the priests, They did not favor the elders.

Pe 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.

17 Y et our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.

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

18 T hey hunted our steps So that we could not walk in our streets; Our end drew near, Our days were finished For our end had come.

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

19 O ur pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the sky; They chased us on the mountains, They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.

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

20 T he breath of our nostrils, the Lord’s anointed, Was captured in their pits, Of whom we had said, “Under his shadow We shall live among the nations.”

Resh 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.

21 R ejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, Who dwells in the land of Uz; But the cup will come around to you as well, You will become drunk and make yourself naked.

¶ 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.

22 T he punishment of your iniquity has been completed, O daughter of Zion; He will exile you no longer. But He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins!

Tau 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.