| Chapter 4 |
1 | How is the gold become dim! the most pure gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary poured out at the top of all the streets! |
2 | The sons of Zion, so precious, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! |
3 | Even the jackals offer the breast, they give suck to their young; the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. |
4 | The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst; the young children ask bread, no man breaketh it unto them. |
5 | They that fed delicately are desolate in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dung-hills. |
6 | And the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the reward of the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were violently laid upon her. |
7 | Her Nazarites were purer than snow, whiter than milk; they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their figure was as sapphire. |
8 | Their visage is darker than blackness, they are not known in the streets; their skin cleaveth to their bones, it is withered, it is become like a stick. |
9 | The slain with the sword are happier than the slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field. |
10 | The hands of pitiful women have boiled their own children: they were their meat in the ruin of the daughter of my people. |
11 | Jehovah hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath consumed the foundations thereof. |
12 | The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should enter into the gates of Jerusalem. |
13 | [It is] for the sins of her prophets, [and] the iniquities of her priests, who have shed the blood of the righteous in the midst of her. |
14 | They wandered about blind in the streets; they were polluted with blood, so that men could not touch their garments. |
15 | They cried unto them, Depart! Unclean! Depart! depart, touch not! When they fled away, and wandered about, it was said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn [there]. |
16 | The face of Jehovah hath divided them; he will no more regard them. They respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the aged. |
17 | Our eyes still failed for our vain help; in our watching, we have watched for a nation that did not save. |
18 | They hunted our steps, that we could not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. |
19 | Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens; they chased us hotly upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. |
20 | The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations. |
21 | Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: the cup shall pass also unto thee; thou shalt be drunken, and make thyself naked. |
22 | The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity. He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins. |