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.

How the gold has become dim! The most pure gold has changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head 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!

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

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 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.

The tongue of the nursing child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst: The young children ask bread, and no man breaks it to them.

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

Those who fed delicately are desolate in the streets: Those who 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.

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 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.

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 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.

Their appearance is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: Their skin clings to their bones; it is withered, it has become 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.

Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

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.

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 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.

Yahweh has accomplished his wrath, he has poured out his fierce anger; He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.

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.

The kings of the earth didn’t believe, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into 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;

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 middle of her.

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

They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men can’t 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.”

Depart! they cried to them, Unclean! depart, depart, don’t touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall not live here any more.

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.

Yahweh’s anger has scattered them; he will no more regard them: They didn’t respect the persons of the priests, they didn’t favor 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.

Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

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.

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 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.

Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky: They chased us on 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.”

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 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.

Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, that dwell in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass through to you also; you shall be drunken, and shall make yourself naked.

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!

The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion; he will no more carry you away into captivity: He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom; he will uncover your sins.