CHAPTER 4
1How has gold turned dull, ℵ
how tarnished finest gold!
The sacred gems spilled out
at the corner of each street.
2Zion’s precious children, ב
worth their weight in gold,
how are they reckoned as earthenware jars,
the work of the potter’s hands!
3Even jackals offer the breast, ג
suckle their own cubs.
My People’s Daughter is now ruthless
as ostriches in the desert.
4The suckling’s tongue has cleaved ד
to his palate out of thirst.
Babes ask for bread—
none offers it to them.
5They who ate delicacies ה
are desolate in the streets.
They who were reared on purple,
embrace the refuse heaps.
6And the crime of my People’s Daughter ו
is greater than the offense of Sodom
that was overturned in a moment
and no hands were laid on her.
7Her elite were purer than snow, ז
they were whiter than milk.
Their limbs were ruddier than coral,
8Their mien is darker than black, ח
they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin is shriveled on their bones,
become as dry as wood.
9Better the slain of the sword ט
than the slain by famine.
For those run through ooze blood
more than the crop of the field.
10The hands of compassionate women י
cooked their own children—
they became nourishment for them
in the shattering of my People’s Daughter.
11The LORD has spent His fury, כ
poured out His smoldering wrath,
and lit a fire in Zion,
and her foundations it consumed.
12The kings of the earth did not believe, ל
nor all the world’s dwellers,
that a foe and enemy would enter
the gates of Jerusalem
13because of her prophets’ offenses, מ
the crimes of her priests,
who shed in her midst
the blood of the just.
14The blind wandered through the streets, נ
that none could touch their garb.
15“Turn away, you unclean,” they called to them, ס
“Turn away, turn away, do not touch!”
So they flew off, they wandered.
It was said in the nations, “They shall dwell no more.”
16The LORD’s presence has set them apart, פ
no more shall one look on them.
They showed no favor to the priests,
no mercy to the elders.
17Our eyes still pine ע
in our hope that we harbored
from a nation that cannot rescue.
18They stalked our steps צ
to block walking through the streets.
Our end drew near, our days played out,
for our end had come.
19Swifter were our pursuers ק
than the eagles of the heavens.
On the mountains they raced after us,
in the desert ambushed us.
20Our very life-breath, the LORD’s anointed, ר
of whom we had said,
“In his shade we shall live among the nations.”
21Exult and rejoice, Edom’s Daughter, ש
you who dwell in the land of Uz.
To you as well shall the cup pass on,
you shall be drunk and naked be.
22Your guilt is done with, Zion’s Daughter, ת
He no more shall exile you.
He makes a reckoning of your guilt, Edom’s Daughter,
your offenses He exposed.