Lamentations 4

Terrors of the Besieged City

¹How the gold has become tarnished, the fine gold become dull! The stones of the temple lie scattered at the head of every street. ב Beth

²Zion’s precious children — once worth their weight in pure gold — how they are regarded as clay jars, the work of a potter’s hands! ג Gimel

³Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my dear people have become cruel like ostriches in the wilderness. ד Daleth

⁴The nursing baby’s tongue clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst. Infants beg for food, but no one gives them any. ה He

⁵Those who used to eat delicacies are destitute in the streets; those who were reared in purple garments huddle in trash heaps. ו Waw

⁶The punishment of my dear people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand laid on it. ז Zayin

⁷Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their appearance like lapis lazuli. ח Cheth

⁸Now they appear darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become dry like wood. ט Teth

⁹Those slain by the sword are better off than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce. י Yod

¹⁰The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children; they became their food during the destruction of my dear people. כ Kaph

¹¹The Lord has exhausted his wrath, poured out his burning anger; he has ignited a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations. ל Lamed

¹²The kings of the earth and all the world’s inhabitants did not believe that an enemy or adversary could enter Jerusalem’s gates. מ Mem

¹³Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous within her. נ Nun

¹⁴Blind, they stumbled in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments. ס Samek

¹⁵“Stay away! Unclean!” people shouted at them. “Away, away! Don’t touch us!” So they wandered aimlessly. It was said among the nations, “They can stay here no longer.” פ Pe

¹⁶The Lord himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are not respected; the elders find no favor. ע Ayin

¹⁷All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help; we watched from our towers for a nation that would not save us. צ Tsade

¹⁸Our steps were closely followed so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end approached; our time ran out. Our end had come! ק Qoph

¹⁹Those who chased us were swifter than eagles in the sky; they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness. ר Resh

²⁰The Lord’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their traps. We had said about him, “We will live under his protection among the nations.” שׂ Sin

²¹So rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom, you resident of the land of Uz! Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself. ת Taw

²²Daughter Zion, your punishment is complete; he will not lengthen your exile. But he will punish your iniquity, Daughter Edom, and will expose your sins.