# Lamentations 4 (New King James Version)
The Degradation of Zion

##### Chapter 4
###### 1 How the gold has become dim!  
_How_ changed the fine gold!  
The stones of the sanctuary are scattered  
At the head of every street.

###### 2 The precious sons of Zion,  
Valuable as fine gold,  
How they are regarded as clay pots,  
The work of the hands of the potter!

###### 3 Even the jackals present their breasts  
To nurse their young;  
_But_ the daughter of my people _is_ cruel,  
Like ostriches in the wilderness.

###### 4 The tongue of the infant clings  
To the roof of its mouth for thirst;  
The young children ask for bread,  
_But_ no one breaks _it_ for them.

###### 5 Those who ate delicacies  
Are desolate in the streets;  
Those who were brought up in scarlet  
Embrace ash heaps.

###### 6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people  
Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom,  
Which was overthrown in a moment,  
With no hand to help her!

###### 7 Her Nazirites were brighter than snow  
And whiter than milk;  
They were more ruddy in body than rubies,  
_Like_ sapphire in their appearance.

###### 8 _Now_ their appearance is blacker than soot;  
They go unrecognized in the streets;  
Their skin clings to their bones,  
It has become as dry as wood.

###### 9 _Those_ slain by the sword are better off  
Than _those_ who die of hunger;  
For these pine away,  
Stricken _for lack_ of the fruits of the field.

###### 10 The hands of the compassionate women  
Have cooked their own children;  
They became food for them  
In the destruction of the daughter of my people.

###### 11 The Lord has fulfilled His fury,  
He has poured out His fierce anger.  
He kindled a fire in Zion,  
And it has devoured its foundations.

###### 12 The kings of the earth,  
And all inhabitants of the world,  
Would not have believed  
That the adversary and the enemy  
Could enter the gates of Jerusalem--

###### 13 Because of the sins of her prophets  
_And_ the iniquities of her priests,  
Who shed in her midst  
The blood of the just.

###### 14 They wandered blind in the streets;  
They have defiled themselves with blood,  
So that no one would touch their garments.

###### 15 They cried out to them,  
"Go away, unclean!  
Go away, go away,  
Do not touch us!"  
When they fled and wandered,  
_Those_ among the nations said,  
"They shall no longer dwell _here._"

###### 16 The face of the Lord scattered them;  
He no longer regards them.  
_The people_ do not respect the priests  
Nor show favor to the elders.

###### 17 Still our eyes failed us,  
_Watching_ vainly for our help;  
In our watching we watched  
For a nation _that_ could not save _us._

###### 18 They tracked our steps  
So that we could not walk in our streets.  
Our end was near;  
Our days were over,  
For our end had come.

###### 19 Our pursuers were swifter  
Than the eagles of the heavens.  
They pursued us on the mountains  
And lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

###### 20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord,  
Was caught in their pits,  
Of whom we said, "Under his shadow  
We shall live among the nations."

###### 21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom,  
_You_ who dwell in the land of Uz!  
The cup shall also pass over to you  
And you shall become drunk and make yourself naked.

###### 22 _The punishment of_ your iniquity is accomplished,  
O daughter of Zion;  
He will no longer send you into captivity.  
He will punish your iniquity,  
O daughter of Edom;  
He will uncover your sins!