1How the gold has become dim, the most pure gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street. 2The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how they are esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! 3Even the jackals draw out the breast; they give suck to their young ones. The daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. 4The tongue of the sucking child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young sons ask bread, and no man breaks it to them. 5Those who fed luxuriously are desolate in the streets. Those who were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. 6For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon her. 7Her ranking men were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. Their polishing was as of sapphire. 8Their visage is blacker than a coal. They are not known in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones. It is withered. It has become like a stick. 9Those who are slain with the sword are better than those who are slain with hunger, for these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field. 10The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children. They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11LORD has accomplished his wrath. He has poured out his fierce anger, and he has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured the foundations thereof. 12The kings of the earth did not believe, nor all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem. 13[It is] because of the sins of her prophets, [and] the iniquities of her priests, who have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her. 14They wander as blind men in the streets. They are polluted with blood, so that men cannot touch their garments. 15Depart ye, they cried to them. Unclean! Depart, depart, do not touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn [here]. 16The anger of LORD has scattered them. He will no more regard them. They did not respect the persons of the priests. They did not favor the elders. 17Our eyes do yet fail [in looking] for our vain help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save. 18They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets. Our end is near, our days are fulfilled, for our end has come. 19Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens. They chased us upon the mountains. They laid wait for us in the wilderness. 20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations. 21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, who dwells in the land of Uz. [Yet] the cup shall pass through to thee also. Thou shall be drunken, and shall make thyself naked. 22The 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 uncover thy sins.