1 How the gold has grown dim, the fine gold has changed! The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street.

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.

2 The precious children of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold, how they are regarded as earthen vessels, the work of a potter's hands!

The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

3 Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young; but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like ostriches in the wilderness.

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.

4 The tongue of the nursing infant clings to the roof of its mouth because of thirst. The children beg for bread, but no one gives it to them.

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.

5 Those who once feasted on delicacies now lie desolate in the streets; those who were brought up in fine crimson embrace ash heaps.

They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

6 The iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, with no hand turned to help her.

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.

7 Her nobles were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their appearance like sapphires.

Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:

8 Now their appearance is darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones; it has become as dry as wood.

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.

9 Those slain by the sword are better off than those dying of hunger, wasting away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field.

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 compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people.

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 has exhausted His wrath and poured out His fierce anger; He kindled a fire in Zion, consuming its foundations.

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.

12 Neither the kings of the earth nor the inhabitants of the world believed that the adversary and the enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.

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 It happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.

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 wandered blindly through the streets, defiled by blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.

They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.

15 “Go away! You are unclean!” people shouted at them. “Away, away! Do not touch us!” When they fled and wandered, the nations said, “They can stay here no longer.”

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 LORD Himself has scattered them; He will no longer watch over them. The priests are not honored, and the elders receive no favor.

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 Our eyes still fail as we look in vain for help; we have watched eagerly for a nation that could not save us.

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 Our steps were closely pursued so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near; our days were fulfilled, for our end had come.

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 pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

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 LORD’s anointed, was captured in their traps, of whom we said, 'Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.'

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, you who dwell in the land of Uz! But to you also the cup will pass; you will become drunk and strip yourself naked.

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 your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished; He will keep you in exile no longer. But He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins.

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.