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Aleph. How is the gold become dim, the finest colour is changed, the stones of the sanctuary are scattered in the top of every street?

Beth. The noble sons of Sion, and they that were clothed with the best gold: how are they esteemed as earthen vessels, the work of the potter's hands?

Ghimel. Even the sea monsters have drawn out the breast, they have given suck to their young: the daughter of my people is cruel, like the ostrich in the desert.

Daleth. The tongue of the sucking child hath stuck to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the little ones have asked for bread, and there was none to break it unto them.

He. They that were fed delicately have died in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet have embraced the dung.

Vau. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people is made greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and hands took nothing in her.

Zain. Her Nazarites were whiter than snow, purer than milk, more ruddy than the old ivory, fairer than the sapphire.

Heth. Their face is now made blacker than coals, and they are not known in the streets: their skin hath stuck to their bones, it is withered, and is become like wood.

Teth. It was better with them that were slain by the sword, than with them that died with hunger: for these pined away being consumed for want of the fruits of the earth.

10 Jod. 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 Caph. The Lord hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger: and he hath kindled a fire in Sion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.

12 Lamed. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world would not have believed, that the adversary and the enemy should enter in by the gates of Jerusalem.

13 Mem. 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 Nun. They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they were defiled with blood: and when they could not help walking in it, they held up their skirts.

15 Samech. Depart you that are defiled, they cried out to them: Depart, get ye hence, touch not: for they quarrelled, and being removed, they said among the Gentiles: He will no more dwell among them.

16 Phe. The face of the Lord hath divided them, he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, neither had they pity on the ancient.

17 Ain. While we were yet standing, our eyes failed, expecting help for us in vain, when we looked attentively towards a nation that was not able to save.

18 Sade. Our steps have slipped in the way of our streets, our end draweth near: our days are fulfilled, for our end is come.

19 Coph. Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the air: they pursued us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

20 Res. The breath of our mouth, Christ the Lord, is taken in our sins: to whom we said: Under thy shadow we shall live among the Gentiles.

21 Sin. Rejoice, and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Hus: to thee also shall the cup come, thou shalt be made drunk, and naked.

22 Thau. Thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Sion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he visited thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he hath discovered thy sins.

[a]How the gold has lost its luster,
    the fine gold become dull!
The sacred gems are scattered
    at every street corner.(A)

How the precious children of Zion,(B)
    once worth their weight in gold,
are now considered as pots of clay,
    the work of a potter’s hands!

Even jackals offer their breasts
    to nurse their young,
but my people have become heartless
    like ostriches in the desert.(C)

Because of thirst(D) the infant’s tongue
    sticks to the roof of its mouth;(E)
the children beg for bread,
    but no one gives it to them.(F)

Those who once ate delicacies
    are destitute in the streets.
Those brought up in royal purple(G)
    now lie on ash heaps.(H)

The punishment of my people
    is greater than that of Sodom,(I)
which was overthrown in a moment
    without a hand turned to help her.

Their princes were brighter than snow
    and whiter than milk,
their bodies more ruddy than rubies,
    their appearance like lapis lazuli.

But now they are blacker(J) than soot;
    they are not recognized in the streets.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones;(K)
    it has become as dry as a stick.

Those killed by the sword are better off
    than those who die of famine;(L)
racked with hunger, they waste away
    for lack of food from the field.(M)

10 With their own hands compassionate women
    have cooked their own children,(N)
who became their food
    when my people were destroyed.

11 The Lord has given full vent to his wrath;(O)
    he has poured out(P) his fierce anger.(Q)
He kindled a fire(R) in Zion
    that consumed her foundations.(S)

12 The kings of the earth did not believe,
    nor did any of the peoples of the world,
that enemies and foes could enter
    the gates of Jerusalem.(T)

13 But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
    and the iniquities of her priests,(U)
who shed within her
    the blood(V) of the righteous.

14 Now they grope through the streets
    as if they were blind.(W)
They are so defiled with blood(X)
    that no one dares to touch their garments.

15 “Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them.
    “Away! Away! Don’t touch us!”
When they flee and wander(Y) about,
    people among the nations say,
    “They can stay here no longer.”(Z)

16 The Lord himself has scattered them;
    he no longer watches over them.(AA)
The priests are shown no honor,
    the elders(AB) no favor.(AC)

17 Moreover, our eyes failed,
    looking in vain(AD) for help;(AE)
from our towers we watched
    for a nation(AF) that could not save us.

18 People stalked us at every step,
    so we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near, our days were numbered,
    for our end had come.(AG)

19 Our pursuers were swifter
    than eagles(AH) in the sky;
they chased us(AI) over the mountains
    and lay in wait for us in the desert.(AJ)

20 The Lord’s anointed,(AK) our very life breath,
    was caught in their traps.(AL)
We thought that under his shadow(AM)
    we would live among the nations.

21 Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom,
    you who live in the land of Uz.(AN)
But to you also the cup(AO) will be passed;
    you will be drunk and stripped naked.(AP)

22 Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion;(AQ)
    he will not prolong your exile.
But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom,
    and expose your wickedness.(AR)

Footnotes

  1. Lamentations 4:1 This chapter is an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.