[[Lamentations 3|<< Lamentations 3]] | [[Lamentations|Lamentations]] | [[Lamentations 5|Lamentations 5 >>]] ### Lamentations 4 1 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. ^1 2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! ^2 3 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. ^3 4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaves to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, _and_ no man breaks _it_ unto them. ^4 5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. ^5 6 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. ^6 7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing _was_ of sapphire: ^7 8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaves to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. ^8 9 _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. ^9 10 The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. ^10 11 The LORD has accomplished his fury; he has poured out his fierce anger, and has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has devoured the foundations thereof. ^11 12 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. ^12 13 ¶ 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, ^13 14 They have wandered _as_ blind _men_ in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments. ^14 15 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_. ^15 16 The anger of the LORD has divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders. ^16 17 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_. ^17 18 They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. ^18 19 Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. ^19 20 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. ^20 21 ¶ 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. ^21 22 ¶ 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. ^22