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.
02 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine
gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers,
the work of the hands of the potter!
03 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.
04 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.
05 They that did feed delicately are desolate in
the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet
embrace dunghills.
06 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.
07 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were
whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body
than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:
08 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.
09 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.
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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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