Lamentations 4
Aleph
1 How will the gold be tarnished,
and the fine silver changed!
the sacred stones have been poured forth
at the top [1]of all the streets.
Beth
2 The precious sons of Sion,
who were [2]equalled in value with gold,
how are they counted as earthen vessels,
the works of the hands of the potter!
Gimel
3 Nay, serpents have drawn out the breasts,
they give suck to their young,
the daughters of my people are incurably cruel,
as an ostrich in a desert.
Daleth
4 The tongue of the sucking child
cleaveth to the roof of its mouth for thirst:
the little children ask for bread,
and there is none to break it to them.
He
5 They that feed on dainties
are desolate in the streets:
they that used to be nursed in scarlet
have clothed themselves with dung.
Vau
6 And the iniquity of the daughter of my people hath been increased
beyond the iniquities of Sodom,
the city that was overthrown very suddenly,
and none laboured against her with their hands.
Zain
7 Her Nazarites were made purer than snow,
they were whiter than milk,
they were purified as with fire,
their polishing was superior to sapphire stone.
Heth
8 Their countenance is become blacker than smoke;
they are not known in the streets:
their skin hath cleaved to their bones;
they are withered, they are become as a stick.
Teth
9 The slain with the sword were better
than they that were slain with hunger:
they have departed,
pierced through from want of the fruits of the field.
Jod
10 The hands of tender-hearted women
have seethed their own children:
they became meat for them
in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Chaph
11 The Lord hath accomplished his wrath;
he hath poured out his fierce anger,
and hath kindled a fire in Sion,
and it hath devoured her foundations.
Lamed
12 The kings of the earth,
even all that dwell in the world,
believed not that an enemy and oppressor would enter
through the gates of Jerusalem.
Mem
13 For the sins of her prophets,
and iniquities of her priests,
who shed righteous blood
in the midst of her,
Nun
14 her watchmen staggered in the streets,
they were defiled with blood in their weakness,
they touched their raiment with it.
Samech
15 Depart ye from the unclean ones:
call ye them: depart, depart, touch them not:
for they are on fire, yea, they stagger:
say ye among the nations,
They shall no more sojourn there.
Ain
16 The [3]presence of the Lord was their portion;
but he will not again look upon them:
they [4]regarded not the person of the priests,
they pitied not the [5]elders.
Phe
17 While we yet lived our eyes failed,
while we looked in vain for our help.
Tsade
We looked to a nation that could not save.
18 We have hunted for our little ones,
that they should not walk in our streets.
Koph
Our time hath drawn nigh,
our days are fulfilled,
our time is come.
19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky,
they flew on the mountains,
in the wilderness they laid wait for us.
Rechs
20 The breath of our nostrils, our anointed Lord,
was taken in their destructive snares,
of whom we said,
In his shadow we shall live among the Gentiles.
Chsen
21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Idumea,
that dwellest in the land:
yet the cup of the Lord shall pass through to thee:
thou shalt be drunken, and pour forth.
Thau
22 O daughter of Sion, thine iniquity hath come to an end;
he shall no more carry thee captive:
he hath visited thine iniquities, O daughter of Edom;
he hath discovered thy sins.