Lamentations 4

Distress of the Siege Described

1HowH351 1darkH6004 the goldH2091 has becomeH6004, How the pureH2896 goldH3800 has changedH8132! The sacredH6944 stonesH68 are spilledH8210 outH8210 At the 2cornerH7218 of everyH3605 streetH2351.2The preciousH3368 sonsH1121 of ZionH6726, WeighedH5537 against pureH6337 goldH6337, HowH351 they are regardedH2803 as 3earthenwareH2789 jarsH5035, The workH4639 of a potter’sH3335 handsH3027!3EvenH1571 4jackalsH8565 offerH2502 the breastH7699, They nurseH3243 their youngH1482; But the daughterH1323 of my peopleH5971 has provedH393 herself 5cruelH393, Like 6ostrichesH3283 in the wildernessH4057.4The 7tongueH3956 of the infantH3243 clingsH1692 To the roofH2441 ofH2441 its mouthH2441 because of 8thirstH6772; The childrenH5768 9askH7592 for breadH3899, But noH369 oneH369 breaksH6536 it for them.5Those who used to eatH398 10delicaciesH4574 Are made to trembleH8074 in the streetsH2351; Those who were raisedH539 in crimsonH8438 clothing EmbraceH2263 garbageH830 heapsH830.6For the 11wrongdoingH5771 of the daughterH1323 of my peopleH5971 Is greaterH1431 thanH4480 the 1213sinH2403 of SodomH5467, Which was 14overthrownH2015 as in a momentH7281, 15And noH3808 handsH3027 were turnedH2342 toward her.7Her 16consecratedH5139 onesH5139 were 17purerH2141 thanH4480 snowH7950, They shinedH6705 moreH4480 thanH4480 milkH2461; They were moreH4480 ruddyH119 in 18bodyH6106 thanH4480 pearlsH6443 ofH6443 coralH6443, Their formH1508 was like 1920lapisH5601 lazuliH5601.8Their appearanceH8389 isH2821 21darkerH2821 thanH4480 sootH7815, They are not recognizedH5234 in the streetsH2351; Their 22skinH5785 is shriveledH6821 on their bonesH6106, It isH3001 dryH3001, it has becomeH1961 like woodH6086.9BetterH2896 off are those 23killedH2491 by the swordH2719 ThanH4480 those killedH2491 by hungerH7458; For they 2425wasteH2100 awayH2100, 26strickenH1856 By the lackH4480 of the produceH8570 of the fieldH7706.10The handsH3027 of compassionateH7362 womenH802 27BoiledH1310 their own childrenH3206; They becameH1961 28foodH1262 for them Due to the destructionH7667 of the daughterH1323 of my peopleH5971.11The LordH3068 has 29expendedH3615 His wrathH2534, He has pouredH8210 outH8210 His fierceH2740 angerH639; And He has 30kindledH3341 a fireH784 in ZionH6726, And it has consumedH398 its foundationsH3247.12The kingsH4428 of the earthH776 did not believeH539, NorH3808 did anyH3605 of 31the inhabitantsH3427 of the worldH8398, That the adversaryH6862 and the enemyH340 Would 32enterH935 the gatesH8179 of JerusalemH3389.13BecauseH4480 of the sinsH2403 of her 33prophetsH5030 And the wrongdoingsH5771 of her priestsH3548, Who have shedH8210 in her midstH7130 The 34bloodH1818 of the righteousH6662,14They wanderedH5128, 35blindH5787, in the streetsH2351; They were defiledH1351 with 36bloodH1818, Such that noH3808 one couldH3201 touchH5060 their 37garmentsH3830.15“KeepH5493 awayH5493! 38UncleanH2931!” 39they criedH7121 outH7121 of themselves. “KeepH5493 awayH5493, keepH5493 awayH5493, do not touchH5060!” For they 40distancedH5327 themselvesH5327 asH1571 wellH1571 as wanderedH5128; People among the nationsH1471 saidH559, “They shall not continueH3254 to resideH1481 with us.”16The presenceH6440 of the LordH3068 has scatteredH2505 them, He will not continueH3254 to lookH5027 at them; They did not 4142honorH5375H6440 the priestsH3548, They did not favorH2603 the eldersH2205.17YetH5750 our eyesH5869 failedH3615, Looking for 43helpH5833 was 44uselessH1892; At our observationH6836 pointH6836 we have watchedH6822 For a 45nationH1471 that could not saveH3467.18They 46huntedH6679 our stepsH6806 SoH4480 thatH4480 we could notH4480 walkH1980 in our streetsH7339; Our 47endH7093 drewH7126 nearH7126, Our daysH3117 were 48finishedH4390 For our endH7093 had comeH935.19Our pursuersH7291 were 49swifterH7031 ThanH4480 the eaglesH5404 of the skyH8064; They chasedH1814 us on the mountainsH2022, They waitedH693 inH693 ambushH693 for us in the wildernessH4057.20The 50breathH7307 of our nostrilsH639, the 51Lord’sH3068 anointedH4899, Was 52capturedH3920 in their pitsH7825, Of whomH834 we had saidH559, “53In his 54shadowH6738 We shall liveH2421 among the nationsH1471.”21RejoiceH7797 and beH8055 joyfulH8055, daughterH1323 of 55EdomH112, Who livesH3427 in the landH776 of UzH5780; But the 56cupH3563 will passH5674 to you asH1571 wellH1571, You will becomeH7937 drunkH7937 and exposeH6168 yourself.22The punishment of your wrongdoingH5771 has been 57completedH8552, daughterH1323 of ZionH6726; He will noH3808 longerH3254 exileH1540 you. But He 58will punishH6485 your wrongdoingH5771, daughterH1323 of EdomH112; He will exposeH1540 your sinsH2403!