1 H ow is the gold become dim, Changed the best -- the pure gold? Poured out are stones of the sanctuary At the head of all out-places.

¶ 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, Who are comparable with fine gold, How have they been reckoned earthen bottles, Work of the hands of a potter.

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 dragons have drawn out the breast, They have suckled their young ones, The daughter of my people is become cruel, Like the ostriches in a 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 C leaved hath the tongue of a suckling unto his palate with thirst, Infants asked bread, a dealer out they have none.

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 eating of dainties have been desolate in out-places, Those supported on scarlet have embraced dunghills.

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

6 A nd greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people, Than the sin of Sodom, That was overturned as a moment, And no hands were stayed on 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 P urer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.

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 D arker than blackness hath been their visage, They have not been known in out-places, Cleaved hath their skin unto their bone, It hath withered -- it hath been as 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 have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase 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 merciful women have boiled their own children, They have been for food to them, In 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 C ompleted hath Jehovah His fury, He hath poured out the fierceness of His anger, And he kindleth a fire in Zion, And it devoureth her 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 B elieve not did the kings of earth, And any of the inhabitants of the world, That come would an adversary and enemy Into 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, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding 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 have wandered naked in out-places, They have been polluted with blood, Without being able to touch their clothing,

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

15 ` Turn aside -- unclean,' they called to them, `Turn aside, turn aside, touch not,' For they fled -- yea, they have wandered, They have said among nations: `They do not add to sojourn.'

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 face of Jehovah hath divided them, He doth not add to behold them, The face of priests they have not lifted up, Elders they have not favoured.

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 W hile we exist -- consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation saveth not.

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 have hunted our steps from going in our broad-places, Near hath been our end, fulfilled our days, For come hath our end.

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 S wifter have been our pursuers, Than the eagles of the heavens, On the mountains they have burned us, In the wilderness they have laid wait for us.

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 anointed of Jehovah, Hath been captured in their pits, of whom we said: `In his shadow we do live among 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 J oy and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, Dwelling in the land of Uz, Even unto thee pass over doth a cup, Thou art drunk, and makest thyself 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 C ompleted thy iniquity, daughter of Zion, He doth not add to remove thee, He hath inspected thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He hath removed because of thy 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.