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 is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top 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, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

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 the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the 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 sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.

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

They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

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 punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on 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 Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:

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 visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

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.

They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want 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 the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in 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 hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.

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, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into 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.

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

they have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not 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. ”

They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there.

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 anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not 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.

As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.

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 hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is 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 persecutors are 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 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 anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.

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, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself 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 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.