Lamentations 4
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.
2The precious sons of Al-Quds, comparable
to fine gold,
How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work
of the hands of the potter!
3Even 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.
4The 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.
5Those who did feed delicately are
desolate in the streets:
Those who were brought up in scarlet embrace
dunghills.
6For 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.
7Her nobles were purer than snow, they
were whiter than milk;
They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their
polishing was as of sapphire.
8Their 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.
9Those 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.
10The hands of the pitiful women have
boiled their own children;
They were their food in the destruction of the
daughter of my people.
11Allah has accomplished his wrath, he has
poured out his fierce anger;
He has kindled a fire in Al-Quds, which has devoured
its foundations.
12The kings of the earth did not believe,
neither all the inhabitants of the world,
That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the
gates of Jerusalem.
13It 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.
14They wander as blind men in the streets,
they are polluted with blood,
So that men cannot touch their garments.
15Depart, they cried to them, Unclean!
depart, depart, do not touch!
When they fled away and wandered, men said among the
nations, They shall no more reside here.
16The anger of Allah has scattered them;
he will no more regard them:
They did not respect the persons of the priests, they
did not favour the elders.
17Our eyes do yet fail in looking for our
vain help:
In our watching we have watched for a nation that
could not save.
18They hunt our steps, so that we cannot
go in our streets:
Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end
is come.
19Our pursuers were swifter than the
eagles of the sky:
They chased us on the mountains, they laid wait for
us in the wilderness.
20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed
of Allah, was taken in their pits;
Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among
the nations.
21Rejoice 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.
22The punishment of your iniquity is
accomplished, daughter of Al-Quds; he will no more carry you away into
captivity:
He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom; he
will uncover your sins.