The Distress of Zion

א

1How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.

ב

2The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

ג

3Even the sea-monsters draw out the breast, they nurse their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

ד

4The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it to them.

ה

5They that fed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

ו

6For 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.

ז

7Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:

ח

8Their 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.

ט

9They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

י

10The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children: they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

כ

11The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured her foundations.

ל

12The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy would have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.

מ

13For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

נ

14They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.

ס

15They cried to 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.

פ

16The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders.

ע

17As 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.

צ

18They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.

ק

19Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

ר

20The 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.

ש

21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through to thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.

ת

22The punishment of thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will disclose thy sins.