The Distress of Zion

1How will the gold become dim the good gold will be changed the stones of the holy place shall be poured out in the head of all the streets.

2The precious sons of Zion being lifted up with fine gold, how they were reckoned for earthen vessels, the work of the hands of the potter.

3Also the dragons draw out the breast, they suckled their sucklings: the daughter of my people violent as the ostriches in the desert.

4The tongue of the suckling adhered to his palate in thirst: the young children asked for bread, none breaking bread to them.

5They eating for dainties were desolate in the streets: they trusting upon scarlet embraced dung hills.

6For the iniquity of the daughter of my people will be great above the sin of Sodom being overthrown as in a moment, and no hands waited for her.

7Her consecrated ones were pure above snow, they were white above milk, they were red of body above pearls, their figure sapphire:

8Their form dark above blackness; they were not known in the streets: their skin adhered to their bones; it was dried up, it was as wood.

9Those wounded by the sword were good above those wounded by famine: these will flow away, being thrust through from the produce of the field.

10The hands of compassionate women boiled their children: they were for food to them in the breaking of the daughter of my people.

11Jehovah finished his wrath; he poured out the burning of his anger, and he kindled a fire in Zion, and it will devour her foundations.

12The kings of the earth believed not, and all those dwelling in the habitable globe, that the enemy will come in to the gates of Jerusalem.

13From the sins of her prophets the iniquities of her priests shedding the blood of the just in her midst,

14The blind were shaken in the streets, they were stained with blood, so that they shall not be able to touch upon their garments.

15Remove the unclean one, call to them; remove, remove, ye shall not touch: for they were laid waste; they were shaken, say ye, among the nations: they shall not add to sojourn.

16The face of Jehovah their portion; he will not add to look upon them: they accepted not the face of the priests, they compassionated not the old men.

17Continuing, yet our eyes will fail, for our help in vain: in our watching we watched for a nation it will not save us.

18They hunted our steps from going in our broad places: our end drew near, our days were completed; for our end came.

19They pursuing us were swift above the eagle of the heavens: they burned after us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the desert.

20The spirit of our nostrils, the Messiah of Jehovah was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.

21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, dwelling in the land of Uz; also upon thee shall the cup pass: thou shalt be drunken, and make thyself naked.

22Thine iniquity was finished, O daughter of Zion; he will not add to carry thee into exile: reviewing thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he uncovered upon thy sins.