Sep 1 - Lamentations 4-5
Lamentations
1How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street.2The precious sons of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold, how they are regarded as earthen pots, the work of a potter's hands!3Even jackals offer the breast; they nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.4The tongue of the nursing infant sticks to the roof of its mouth for thirst; the children beg for food, but no one gives to them.5Those who once feasted on delicacies perish in the streets; those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps.6For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands were wrung for her.7Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire.8Now their face is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets; their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as wood.9Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field.10The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people.11The LORD gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and he kindled a fire in Zion that consumed its foundations.12The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.13This was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.14They wandered, blind, through the streets; they were so defiled with blood that no one was able to touch their garments.15"Away! Unclean!" people cried at them. "Away! Away! Do not touch!" So they became fugitives and wanderers; people said among the nations, "They shall stay with us no longer."16The LORD himself has scattered them; he will regard them no more; no honor was shown to the priests, no favor to the elders.17Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save.18They dogged our steps so that we could not walk in our streets; our end drew near; our days were numbered, for our end had come.19Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles in the heavens; they chased us on the mountains; they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.20The breath of our nostrils, the LORD's anointed, was captured in their pits, of whom we said, "Under his shadow we shall live among the nations."21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz; but to you also the cup shall pass; you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.22The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished; he will keep you in exile no longer; but your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will punish; he will uncover your sins.
1Remember, O LORD, what has befallen us; look, and see our disgrace!2Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers, our homes to foreigners.3We have become orphans, fatherless; our mothers are like widows.4We must pay for the water we drink; the wood we get must be bought.5Our pursuers are at our necks; we are weary; we are given no rest.6We have given the hand to Egypt, and to Assyria, to get bread enough.7Our fathers sinned, and are no more; and we bear their iniquities.8Slaves rule over us; there is none to deliver us from their hand.9We get our bread at the peril of our lives, because of the sword in the wilderness.10Our skin is hot as an oven with the burning heat of famine.11Women are raped in Zion, young women in the towns of Judah.12Princes are hung up by their hands; no respect is shown to the elders.13Young men are compelled to grind at the mill, and boys stagger under loads of wood.14The old men have left the city gate, the young men their music.15The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned to mourning.16The crown has fallen from our head; woe to us, for we have sinned!17For this our heart has become sick, for these things our eyes have grown dim,18for Mount Zion which lies desolate; jackals prowl over it.19But you, O LORD, reign forever; your throne endures to all generations.20Why do you forget us forever, why do you forsake us for so many days?21Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored! Renew our days as of old--22unless you have utterly rejected us, and you remain exceedingly angry with us.