Lamentations 4

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 How the gold has tarnished, how the fine gold has changed! The sacred stones lie scattered at thecorner of every street.	1 ALEPH. O how the gold has become dulled, the finest color has been altered, the stones of the sanctuary have been scattered at the head of every street.
2 The children of Zion, as precious as finest gold -- to think that they should now be reckoned likecrockery made by a potter!	2 BETH. The famous sons of Zion, and those clothed with the foremost gold: how they have become like earthen vessels, the work of 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 GHIMEL. Yet even savages expose their breast and give milk to their young. But the daughter of my people is cruel, like 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 DALETH. The tongue of the infant adheres to his palate out of thirst. The little ones have asked for bread, and there was no one to break it for 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 HE. Those who were fed indulgently have passed away in the roads. Those who were nourished with saffron have welcomed filth.
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 VAU. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people has been made greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and yet hands did not take captives in her.
7 Once her young people were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; rosier than coral their bodies, theirhue like sapphire.	7 ZAIN. Her Nazirites were whiter than snow, shinier than milk, more ruddy than ancient ivory, more beautiful 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 HETH. Their face has been blacked more than coals, and they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has adhered to their bones; it dried out and became like 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 TETH. It was better for those slain by the sword, than for those put to death by famine. For these waste away, being consumed by the sterility of the land.
10 With their own hands, kindly women cooked their children; this was their food when the daughter ofmy people was ruined.	10 JOD. The hands of pitiable women have boiled their sons. They became their food in the grief 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 CAPH. The Lord has completed his fury; he has poured out the wrath of his indignation. And he has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has devoured its 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 LAMED. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, did not believe that the adversary and the enemy would enter through 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 MEM. It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, who have shed the blood of the just in her midst.
14 they wandered blindly through the streets, polluted with blood, so that no one dared to touch theirclothes.	14 NUN. They have wandered in the streets like the blind; they have been defiled with blood. And when they were not able, they held 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 SAMECH. “Go back, you polluted ones!” they cried out to them. “Go back, go away, do not touch!” Of course, they argued, and being removed, they said among the Gentiles, “He will no longer dwell among them.”
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 PHE. The face of the Lord has divided them. He will no longer respect them. They were not ashamed before the faces of the priests, nor did they take pity on the elderly.
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 AIN. While we were still standing, our eyes failed, expecting help for us in vain, when we looked attentively toward a nation that was not able to save.
18 Men dogged our steps, to keep us out of our streets. Our end was near, our days were done, our endhad come.	18 SADE. Our footsteps have slipped on the paths of our own streets. Our end draws near. Our days have been completed, for our end has arrived.
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 COPH. Our persecutors have been swifter than the eagles of the sky. They have been pursuing us above the mountains; they have lain in wait for 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 RES. The spirit of our mouth, Christ the Lord, has been captured by our sins; to him, we said, “In your shadow, we will live among the Gentiles.”
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 SIN. Be glad and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, who dwells in the Land of Uz. The cup will also pass to you; you will be inebriated as well as 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 THAU. Your iniquity has been completed, O daughter of Zion. He will no longer send you away to captivity. He has visited your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he has uncovered your sins.