Lamentations
4:1 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.
4:2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they
esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
4:3 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.
4:4 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.
4:5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that
were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
4:6 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.
4:7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they
were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:
4:8 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.
4:9 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.
4:10 The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were
their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
4:11 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.
4:12 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.
4:13 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,
4:14 They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted
themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.
4:15 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.
4:16 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.
4:17 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.
4:18 They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near,
our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
4:19 Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued
us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
4:20 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.
4:21 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.
4:22 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.
