4:1 How is the gold become dim! [how] is the most fine gold
changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head
of every street.
4:2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are
they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the
potter!
4:3 Even the sea-monsters draw out the breast, they nurse their
young ones: the daughter of my people [is become] cruel, like
the ostriches in the wilderness.
4:4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his
mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, [and] no man
breaketh [it] to them.
4:5 They that fed delicately are desolate in the streets: they
that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
4:6 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.
4:7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than
milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing
[was] of sapphire:
4:8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in
the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is
withered, it is become like a stick.
4:9 [They that are] slain with the sword are better than [they
that are] slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken
through for [want of] the fruits of the field.
4:10 The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own
children: they were their food in the destruction of the
daughter of my people.
4:11 The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his
fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath
devoured her foundations.
4:12 The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the
world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy
would have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.
4:13 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.
4:14 They have wandered [as] blind [men] in the streets, they
have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not
touch their garments.
4:15 They cried to 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].
4:16 The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more
regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests,
they favored not the elders.
4:17 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].
4:18 They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our
end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
4:19 Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of heaven: they
pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the
wilderness.
4:20 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.
4:21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in
the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through to thee: thou
shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
4:22 The punishment of thy iniquity is accomplished, O daughter
of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he
will visit thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will disclose
thy sins.
|