4 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.