1 Yahweh’s Wrath Spent Aleph How dark the gold has become,Howthe pure gold has changed!The sacred stones are poured outAt the head of every street.Beth
2 The precious sons of Zion,Weighed against fine gold,How they are regarded as earthen jars,The work of a potter’s hands!Gimel
3 Even jackals offer the breast;They nurse their young;Butthe daughter of my people has become cruelLike ostriches in the wilderness.Daleth
4 The tongue of the nursing baby cleavesTo the roof of its mouth because of thirst;The infants ask for bread,Butno one breaksitfor them.He
5 Those who ate delicaciesAre desolate in the streets;Those 4:5 Lit established in crimson reared in crimsonEmbrace ash pits.Vav
6 So the 4:6 Or punishment for iniquity iniquity of the daughter of my peopleIs greater than the 4:6 Or punishment for sin sin of Sodom,Which was overthrown as in a moment,And no hands 4:6 Or wrung over her whirled toward her.Zayin
7 Her 4:7Or dedicated ones Nazirites were purer than snow;They were whiter than milk;They were more ruddyin 4:7Lit bones body than corals,Their polishingwas like 4:7Heb sappir lapis lazuli.Heth
8 Their form is blacker than soot;They are not recognized in the streets;Their skin is shriveled on their bones;It is withered, it has become like wood.Teth
9 Better are those pierced through with the swordThan those pierced through with hunger;For theirlifeflows away, being strickenFor lack of the produce of 4:9Lit my fields the field.Yodh
10 The hands of compassionate womenBoiled their own children;They became food for themBecause of the destruction of the daughter of my people.Kaph
11 Yahweh has spent His wrath;He has poured out His burning anger;And He has kindled a fire in ZionWhich has devoured its foundations.Lamedh
12 The kings of the earth did not believe,Nordidany of the inhabitants of the world,That the adversary and the enemyCould enter the gates of Jerusalem.Mem
13 Because of the sins of her prophetsAndthe iniquities of her priests,Who have shed in her midstThe blood of the righteous;Nun
14 They wandered, blind, in the streets;They were defiled with bloodSo that no one could touch their garments.Samekh
15 “Depart! Unclean!” 4:15 Or they (men) cried to them they cried of themselves.“Depart, depart, do not touch!”So they fled and wandered;Menamong the nations said,“They shall not continue to sojournwith us.”Pe
16 The presence of Yahweh has eradicated them;He will not continue to look at them;They did not 4:16Lit lift up the faces of honor the priests;They did not favor the elders.Ayin
17 Yet our eyes were spent,Lookingfor 4:17 Lit our help help was vanity;In our watching we have watchedFor a nation that could not save.Tsadhe
18 They hunted our stepsSo that we could not walk in our open squares;Our end drew near,Our days were 4:18Lit full finished,For our end had come.Qoph
19 Our pursuers were swifterThan the eagles of the sky;They hotly pursued us on the mountains;They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.Resh
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Yahweh,Was captured in their pits,Of whom we had said, “Under his shadowWe shall live among the nations.”Sin
21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom,Who inhabits the land of Uz;Butthe cup will pass on to you as well;You will become drunk and make yourself naked.Tav
22 The punishmentof your iniquity has come to an end, O daughter of Zion;He will exile you no longer.ButHe will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom;He will expose your sins!