Lamentations 4

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 How the gold has tarnished, how the fine gold has changed! The sacred stones lie scattered at thecorner of every street.	1 How tarnished is the gold, how changed the noble metal; How the sacred stones lie strewn at every street corner!
2 The children of Zion, as precious as finest gold -- to think that they should now be reckoned likecrockery made by a potter!	2 Zion's precious sons, fine gold their counterpart, Now worth no more than earthen jars made by the hands of a potter!
3 The very jackals give the breast, and suckle their young: but the daughter of my people is as cruel asthe ostriches of the desert.	3 Even the jackals bare their breasts and suckle their young; The daughter of my people has become as cruel as the ostrich in the desert.
4 The tongue of the baby at the breast sticks to its palate for thirst; little children ask for bread, no onegives them any.	4 The tongue of the suckling cleaves to the roof of its mouth in thirst; The babes cry for food, but there is no one to give it to them.
5 Those who used to eat only the best, now lie dying in the streets; those who were reared in the purpleclaw at the rubbish heaps,	5 Those accustomed to dainty food perish in the streets; Those brought up in purple now cling to the ash heaps.
6 for the wickedness of the daughter of my people exceeded the sins of Sodom, which was overthrown ina moment without a hand being laid on it.	6 The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the penalty of Sodom, Which was overthrown in an instant without the turning of a hand.
7 Once her young people were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; rosier than coral their bodies, theirhue like sapphire.	7 Brighter than snow were her princes, whiter than milk, More ruddy than coral, more precious than sapphire.
8 Now their faces are blacker than soot, they are not recognised in the streets, the skin has shrunk overtheir bones, as dry as a stick.	8 Now their appearance is blacker than soot, they are unrecognized on the streets; Their skin shrinks on their bones, as dry as wood.
9 Happier those killed by the sword than those kil ed by famine: they waste away, sunken for lack of thefruits of the earth.	9 Better for those who perish by the sword than for those who die of hunger, Who waste away, as though pierced through, lacking the fruits of the field!
10 With their own hands, kindly women cooked their children; this was their food when the daughter ofmy people was ruined.	10 The hands of compassionate women boiled their own children, To serve them as mourners' food in the downfall of the daughter of my people.
11 Yahweh indulged his fury, he vented his fierce anger, he lit a fire in Zion which devoured herfoundations.	11 The LORD has spent his anger, poured out his blazing wrath; He has kindled a fire in Zion that has consumed her foundations.
12 The kings of the earth never believed, nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemywould ever penetrate the gates of Jerusalem.	12 The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the world's inhabitants, That enemy or foe could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Owing to the sins of her prophets and the crimes of her priests, who had shed the blood of the upright,in the heart of the city,	13 Because of the sins of her prophets and the crimes of her priests, Who shed in her midst the blood of the just!--
14 they wandered blindly through the streets, polluted with blood, so that no one dared to touch theirclothes.	14 They staggered blindly in the streets, soiled with blood, So that people could not touch even their garments:
15 'Keep away! Unclean!' people shouted, 'Keep away! Keep away! Don't touch!' If they left and fled tothe nations, they were not al owed to stay there either.	15 "Away you unclean!" they cried to them, "Away, away, do not draw near!" If they left and wandered among the nations, nowhere could they remain.
16 The face of Yahweh destroyed them, he wil look on them no more. There was no respect for thepriests, no deference for the elders.	16 The LORD himself has dispersed them, he regards them no more; He does not receive the priests with favor, nor show kindness to the elders.
17 Continual y we were wearing out our eyes, watching for help -- in vain. From our towers we watchedfor a nation which could not save us anyway.	17 Our eyes ever wasted away, looking in vain for aid; From our watchtower we watched for a nation that could not save us.
18 Men dogged our steps, to keep us out of our streets. Our end was near, our days were done, our endhad come.	18 Men dogged our steps so that we could not walk in our streets; Our end drew near, and came; our time had expired.
19 Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they hounded our steps through the mountains, theylay in ambush for us in the wilds.	19 Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the air, They harassed us on the mountains and waylaid us in the desert.
20 The breath of our nostrils, Yahweh's anointed, was caught in their traps, he of whom we said, 'In hisshadow we shall live among the nations.'	20 The anointed one of the LORD, our breath of life, was caught in their snares, He in whose shadow we thought we could live on among the nations.
21 Rejoice, exult, daughter of Edom, you who reside in Uz! To you in turn the cup wil pass; you wil getdrunk and strip yourself naked!	21 Though you rejoice and are glad, O daughter Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz, To you also shall the cup be passed; you shall become drunk and naked.
22 Your wickedness is atoned for, daughter of Zion, he will never banish you again. But your wickedness,daughter of Edom, wil he punish, your sins he will lay bare!	22 Your chastisement is completed, O daughter Zion, he will not prolong your exile; But your wickedness, O daughter Edom, he will punish, he will lay bare your sins.