1 Distress of the Siege Described How darkanddim the gold has become,How the pure gold has changed!The sacred stones [of the temple] are poured outandscatteredAt the head of every street.
2 The [noble and] precious sons of Zion,[Once] worth their weight in fine gold,How they are regarded [merely] as earthen jars,The work of a potter’s hands!
3 Even the jackals offer the breast,They nurse their young;But the daughter of my people has become cruelLike ostriches in the wilderness [that desert their young].
4 The tongue of the infant clingsTo the roof of its mouth because of thirst;The little ones ask for food,But no one gives it to them.
5 Those who feasted on delicaciesAre perishing in the streets;Those reared in purple [as nobles]Embrace ash heaps.
6 For the [punishment of the] wickedness of the daughter of my people [Jerusalem]Is greater than the [punishment for the] sin of Sodom,Which was overthrown in a moment,And no hands were turned toward her [to offer help].
7 Her princes were purer than snow,They were whiter than milk [in appearance];They were more ruddy in body than rubies,Their polishing was like lapis lazuli (sapphire).
8 Their appearance is [now] blacker than soot [because of the prolonged famine];They are not recognized in the streets;Their skin clings to their bones;It is withered, and it has become [dry] like wood.
9 Those killed with the swordAre more fortunate than those killed with hunger;For the hungry pineandebb away,For the lack of the fruits of the field.
10 The hands of compassionate womenBoiled their own children;They became food for themBecause of the destruction of the daughter of my people [Judah].
11 The Lhas fulfilled His wrath;He has poured out His fierce angerAnd has kindled a fire in ZionThat has consumed her foundations.
12 The kings of the earth did not believe,Nor did any of the inhabitants of the earth,That the adversary (oppressor) and enemyCould enter the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Because of the sins of her [counterfeit] prophetsAnd the wickedness of her [unfaithful] priests,Who have shed in her midstThe blood of the justandrighteous;
14 They wandered, blind, in the streets;They were defiled with bloodSo that no one could touch their garments.
15 People cried to them, “Go away! Unclean!Depart! Depart! Do not touch!”So they fled, then they wandered [as fugitives];People among the nations said,“They shall not stay here any longerwith us.”
16 The presence of the Lscattered them [among the nations];He will not continue to look after them.They did not honor the priests;They did not favor the elders.
17 [And as for us,] yet our eyes failed,Looking in vain for help.Watching [from the towers] we watchedFor a nation that could not save.
18 The enemy hunted our steps,So that we could not walk in our streets;Our end drew near,Our days were finishedFor our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were swifterThan the eagles of the sky;They pursued us on the mountains,They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the L[our king],Was captured in their snares,He of whom we had said, “Under his shadowWe shall live among the nations.”
21 Rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom,Who lives in the land of Uz.But the cup [of the wine of God’s wrath] will pass to you as well;You will become drunk and make yourself naked.
22 The punishmentof your sin has been completed, O Daughter of Zion;The Lwill no longer send you into exile.But He will punish your sin, O Daughter of Edom;He will expose your sins.