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

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

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

The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against fine gold, How they are regarded as earthen jars, The work of a potter’s hands!

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

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

4 T he 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.

The 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.

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

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

6 T he 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!

For 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.

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

Her 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.

8 N ow 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.

Their 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.

9 T hose 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.

Better 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.

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

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

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

The 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.

12 T he 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—

The 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.

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

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

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

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

15 T hey 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. ”

“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.”

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

The 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.

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

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

18 T hey 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.

They 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.

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

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

20 T he 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.”

The 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.”

21 R ejoice 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.

Rejoice 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.

22 T he 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!

The 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!