The Distress of Zion

א

1How is the gold become dim, Changed the best — the pure gold? Poured out are stones of the sanctuary At the head of all out-places.

ב

2The precious sons of Zion, Who are comparable with fine gold, How have they been reckoned earthen bottles, Work of the hands of a potter.

ג

3Even dragons have drawn out the breast, They have suckled their young ones, The daughter of my people is become cruel, Like the ostriches in a wilderness.

ד

4Cleaved hath the tongue of a suckling unto his palate with thirst, Infants asked bread, a dealer out they have none.

ה

5Those eating of dainties have been desolate in out-places, Those supported on scarlet have embraced dunghills.

ו

6And greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people, Than the sin of Sodom, That was overturned as [in] a moment, And no hands were stayed on her.

ז

7Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.

ח

8Darker than blackness hath been their visage, They have not been known in out-places, Cleaved hath their skin unto their bone, It hath withered — it hath been as wood.

ט

9Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field.

י

10The hands of merciful women have boiled their own children, They have been for food to them, In the destruction of the daughter of my people.

כ

11Completed hath Jehovah His fury, He hath poured out the fierceness of His anger, And he kindleth a fire in Zion, And it devoureth her foundations.

ל

12Believe not did the kings of earth, And any of the inhabitants of the world, That come would an adversary and enemy Into the gates of Jerusalem.

מ

13Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous,

נ

14They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been polluted with blood, Without [any] being able to touch their clothing,

ס

15‘Turn aside — unclean,’ they called to them, ‘Turn aside, turn aside, touch not,’ For they fled — yea, they have wandered, They have said among nations: ‘They do not add to sojourn.’

פ

16The face of Jehovah hath divided them, He doth not add to behold them, The face of priests they have not lifted up, Elders they have not favoured.

ע

17While we exist — consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation [that] saveth not.

צ

18They have hunted our steps from going in our broad-places, Near hath been our end, fulfilled our days, For come hath our end.

ק

19Swifter have been our pursuers, Than the eagles of the heavens, On the mountains they have burned [after] us, In the wilderness they have laid wait for us.

ר

20The breath of our nostrils — the anointed of Jehovah, Hath been captured in their pits, of whom we said: ‘In his shadow we do live among nations.’

ש

21Joy and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, Dwelling in the land of Uz, Even unto thee pass over doth a cup, Thou art drunk, and makest thyself naked.

ת

22Completed [is] thy iniquity, daughter of Zion, He doth not add to remove thee, He hath inspected thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He hath removed [thee] because of thy sins!