Lamentações 4

The Degradation of Zion

1 How the gold has become dim!

How changed the fine gold!

The stones of the sanctuary are scattered

At the head of every street.

2 The precious sons of Zion,

Valuable as fine gold,

How they are regarded *Is. 30:14; Jer. 19:11; (2 Cor. 4:7)as clay pots,

The work of the hands of the potter!

3 Even the jackals present their breasts

To nurse their young;

But the daughter of my people is cruel,

*Job 39:14–17Like ostriches in the wilderness.

4 The tongue of the infant clings

To the roof of its mouth for thirst;

*Ps. 22:15The young children ask for bread,

But no one breaks it for them.

5 Those who ate delicacies

Are desolate in the streets;

Those who were brought up in scarlet

*Job 24:8Embrace ash heaps.

6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people

Is greater than the punishment of the *Ezek. 16:48sin of Sodom,

Which was *Gen. 19:25; Jer. 20:16overthrown in a moment,

With no hand to help her!

7 Her Nazirites were brighter than snow

And whiter than milk;

They were more ruddy in body than rubies,

Like sapphire in their appearance.

8 Now their appearance is blacker than soot;

They go unrecognized in the streets;

*Job 19:20; Ps. 102:5Their skin clings to their bones,

It has become as dry as wood.

9 Those slain by the sword are better off

Than those who die of hunger;

For these *Lev. 26:39; Ezek. 24:23pine away,

Stricken forlack of the fruits of the *Jer. 16:4field.

10 The hands of the *Lev. 26:29; Deut. 28:57; 2 Kin. 6:29; Jer. 19:9; Lam. 2:20; Ezek. 5:10compassionate women

Have cooked their *Is. 49:15own children;

They became *Deut. 28:57food for them

In the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11 The Lord has fulfilled His fury,

*Jer. 7:20; Lam. 2:17; Ezek. 22:31He has poured out His fierce anger.

*Deut. 32:22; Jer. 21:14He kindled a fire in Zion,

And it has devoured its foundations.

12 The kings of the earth,

And all inhabitants of the world,

Would not have believed

That the adversary and the enemy

Could *Jer. 21:13enter the gates of Jerusalem—

13 *Jer. 5:31; Ezek. 22:26, 28; Zeph. 3:4Because of the sins of her prophets

And the iniquities of her priests,

*Jer. 2:30; 26:8, 9; Matt. 23:31Who shed in her midst

The blood of the just.

14 They wandered blind in the streets;

*Jer. 2:34They have defiled themselves with blood,

*Num. 19:16So that no one would touch their garments.

15 They cried out to them,

"Go away, *Lev. 13:45, 46unclean!

Go away, go away,

Do not touch us!"

When they fled and wandered,

Those among the nations said,

"They shall no longer dwell here."

16 The face of the Lord scattered them;

He no longer regards them.

*Lam. 5:12Thepeople do not respect the priests

Nor show favor to the elders.

17 Still *2 Kin. 24:7our eyes failed us,

Watching vainly for our help;

In our watching we watched

For a nation that could not save us.

18 *2 Kin. 25:4They tracked our steps

So that we could not walk in our streets.

*Ezek. 7:2, 3, 6; Amos 8:2Our end was near;

Our days were over,

For our end had come.

19 Our pursuers were *Deut. 28:49swifter

Than the eagles of the heavens.

They pursued us on the mountains

And lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

20 The *Gen. 2:7breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord,

*Jer. 52:9; Ezek. 12:13Was caught in their pits,

Of whom we said, "Under his shadow

We shall live among the nations."

21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of *Ps. 83:3–6Edom,

You who dwell in the land of Uz!

*Jer. 25:15; Obad. 10The cup shall also pass over to you

And you shall become drunk and make yourself naked.

22 *(Is. 40:2; Jer. 33:7, 8)Thepunishmentof your iniquity is accomplished,

O daughter of Zion;

He will no longer send you into captivity.

*Ps. 137:7He will punish your iniquity,

O daughter of Edom;

He will uncover your sins!