^{1 Ref} How dark has the gold become! how changed the best gold! the stones of the holy place are dropping out at the top of every street.

^{2 Ref} The valued sons of Zion, whose price was the best gold, are looked on as vessels of earth, the work of the hands of the potter!

^{3 Ref} Even the beasts of the waste land have full breasts, they give milk to their young ones: the daughter of my people has become cruel like the ostriches in the waste land.

^{4 Ref} The tongue of the child at the breast is fixed to the roof of his mouth for need of drink: the young children are crying out for bread, and no man gives it to them.

^{5 Ref} Those who were used to feasting on delicate food are wasted in the streets: those who as children were dressed in purple are stretched out on the dust.

^{6 Ref} For the punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overturned suddenly without any hand falling on her.

^{7 Ref} Her holy ones were cleaner than snow, they were whiter than milk, their bodies were redder than corals, their form was as the sapphire:

^{8 Ref} Their face is blacker than night; in the streets no one has knowledge of them: their skin is hanging on their bones, they are dry, they have become like wood.

^{9 Ref} Those who have been put to the sword are better off than those whose death is caused by need of food; for these come to death slowly, burned up like the fruit of the field.

^{10 Ref} The hands of kind-hearted women have been boiling their children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

^{11 Ref} The Lord has given full effect to his passion, he has let loose his burning wrath; he has made a fire in Zion, causing the destruction of its bases.

^{12 Ref} To the kings of the earth and to all the people of the world it did not seem possible that the attackers and the haters would go into the doors of Jerusalem.

^{13 Ref} It is because of the sins of her prophets and the evil-doing of her priests, by whom the blood of the upright has been drained out in her.

^{14 Ref} They are wandering like blind men in the streets, they are made unclean with blood, so that their robes may not be touched by men.

^{15 Ref} Away! unclean! they were crying out to them, Away! away! let there be no touching: when they went away in flight and wandering, men said among the nations, There is no further resting-place for them.

^{16 Ref} The face of the Lord has sent them in all directions; he will no longer take care of them: they had no respect for the priests, they gave no honour to the old men.

^{17 Ref} Our eyes are still wasting away in looking for our false help: we have been watching for a nation unable to give salvation.

^{18 Ref} They go after our steps so that we may not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are numbered; for our end has come.

^{19 Ref} Those who went after us were quicker than the eagles of the heaven, driving us before them on the mountains, waiting secretly for us in the waste land.

^{20 Ref} Our breath of life, he on whom the holy oil was put, was taken in their holes; of whom we said, Under his shade we will be living among the nations.

^{21 Ref} Have joy and be glad, O daughter of Edom, living in the land of Uz: the cup will be given to you in your turn, and you will be overcome with wine and your shame will be seen.

^{22 Ref} The punishment of your evil-doing is complete, O daughter of Zion; never again will he take you away as a prisoner: he will give you the reward of your evil-doing, O daughter of Edom; he will let your sin be uncovered.

^{1 Ref} How is the gold become dim, Changed the best -- the pure gold? Poured out are stones of the sanctuary At the head of all out-places.

^{2 Ref} The precious sons of Zion, Who are comparable with fine gold, How have they been reckoned earthen bottles, Work of the hands of a potter.

^{3 Ref} Even dragons have drawn out the breast, They have suckled their young ones, The daughter of my people is become cruel, Like the ostriches in a wilderness.

^{4 Ref} Cleaved hath the tongue of a suckling unto his palate with thirst, Infants asked bread, a dealer out they have none.

^{5 Ref} Those eating of dainties have been desolate in out-places, Those supported on scarlet have embraced dunghills.

^{6 Ref} And greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people, Than the sin of Sodom, That was overturned as `in' a moment, And no hands were stayed on her.

^{7 Ref} Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.

^{8 Ref} Darker than blackness hath been their visage, They have not been known in out-places, Cleaved hath their skin unto their bone, It hath withered -- it hath been as wood.

^{9 Ref} Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field.

^{10 Ref} The hands of merciful women have boiled their own children, They have been for food to them, In the destruction of the daughter of my people.

^{11 Ref} Completed hath Jehovah His fury, He hath poured out the fierceness of His anger, And he kindleth a fire in Zion, And it devoureth her foundations.

^{12 Ref} Believe not did the kings of earth, And any of the inhabitants of the world, That come would an adversary and enemy Into the gates of Jerusalem.

^{13 Ref} Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous,

^{14 Ref} They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been polluted with blood, Without `any' being able to touch their clothing,

^{15 Ref} `Turn aside -- unclean,' they called to them, `Turn aside, turn aside, touch not,' For they fled -- yea, they have wandered, They have said among nations: `They do not add to sojourn.'

^{16 Ref} The face of Jehovah hath divided them, He doth not add to behold them, The face of priests they have not lifted up, Elders they have not favoured.

^{17 Ref} While we exist -- consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation `that' saveth not.

^{18 Ref} They have hunted our steps from going in our broad-places, Near hath been our end, fulfilled our days, For come hath our end.

^{19 Ref} Swifter have been our pursuers, Than the eagles of the heavens, On the mountains they have burned `after' us, In the wilderness they have laid wait for us.

^{20 Ref} The breath of our nostrils -- the anointed of Jehovah, Hath been captured in their pits, of whom we said: `In his shadow we do live among nations.'

^{21 Ref} Joy and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, Dwelling in the land of Uz, Even unto thee pass over doth a cup, Thou art drunk, and makest thyself naked.

^{22 Ref} Completed `is' thy iniquity, daughter of Zion, He doth not add to remove thee, He hath inspected thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He hath removed `thee' because of thy sins!

^{1 Ref} How is the gold become dim! [how] is the most pure gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.

^{2 Ref} 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 Ref} Even the jackals 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 Ref} 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 to them.

^{5 Ref} Those who did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: Those who were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

^{6 Ref} For 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 on her.

^{7 Ref} Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire.

^{8 Ref} 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.

^{9 Ref} Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

^{10 Ref} The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

^{11 Ref} Yahweh has accomplished his wrath, he has poured out his fierce anger; He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured the foundations of it.

^{12 Ref} The kings of the earth didn't believe, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.

^{13 Ref} [It is] because of 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 Ref} They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men can't touch their garments.

^{15 Ref} Depart you, they cried to them, Unclean! depart, depart, don't touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn [here].

^{16 Ref} The anger of Yahweh has scattered them; he will no more regard them: They didn't respect the persons of the priests, they didn't favor the elders.

^{17 Ref} Our eyes do yet fail [in looking] for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

^{18 Ref} They hunt our steps, so that we can't go in our streets: Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.

^{19 Ref} Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky: They chased us on the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

^{20 Ref} The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Yahweh, was taken in their pits; Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.

^{21 Ref} Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, that dwell in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass through to you also; you shall be drunken, and shall make yourself naked.

^{22 Ref} The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion; he will no more carry you away into captivity: He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom; he will uncover your sins.