1 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 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 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 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 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets:
they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
6 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have
polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch
their garments.
15 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.
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