Lamentations 4:1-22 ICB

[1] See how the gold has lost its shine! See how the good gold has changed! The stones of the Temple are scattered at every street corner. [2] The precious people of Jerusalem were more valuable than gold. But now they are thought of as clay jars made by the hands of a potter. [3] Even wild dogs give their milk to feed their young. But my people are cruel like ostriches in the desert. [4] The baby is so thirsty that his tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth. Children beg for bread. But no one breaks off a piece to share with them. [5] Those who once ate fine foods are now starving in the streets. The people who grew up wearing nice clothes now pick through trash piles. [6] My people have been punished more than Sodom was. Sodom was destroyed suddenly. No hands reached out to help her. [7] Our princes were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. Their bodies were redder than rubies. Their faces shined like sapphires. [8] But now they are blacker than coal. No one even recognizes them in the streets. Their skin is stretched over their bones. It is as dry as wood. [9] Those people who were killed by the sword had it better than those killed by hunger. They starved in pain and died because there was no food from the field. [10] With their own hands kind women cooked their own children. The children became food for their parents. This happened when my people were destroyed. [11] The Lord turned loose all of his anger. He poured out his strong anger. He set fire to Jerusalem. It burned down to the foundations. [12] Kings of the earth and people of the world could not believe it. They could not believe that enemies could come through the gates of Jerusalem. [13] But it happened because her prophets had sinned. And her priests had done evil. They killed in the city the people who did what was right. [14] They wandered in the streets like blind men. They became dirty with blood. So no one could touch their clothes. [15] "Go away! You are unclean," people shouted at them. "Get away! Get away! Do not touch us!" So they left and wandered around. The other nations said, "Don't stay here." [16] The Lord himself scattered them. He did not look after them anymore. He did not respect the priests. He showed no mercy to the elders. [17] Also, our eyes grew tired looking for help that never came. We kept watch from our towers for a nation to save us. [18] Our enemies hunted us so we could not even walk in the streets. Our end came near. Our time was up. Our end came. [19] The men who chased us were faster than eagles in the sky. They ran us into the mountains. They ambushed us in the desert. [20] The Lord's appointed king, who was our very breath, was caught in their traps. We had said about him, "We will be protected by him among the nations." [21] Be happy and glad, people of Edom, you who live in the land of Uz. But the Lord's anger is like a cup of wine that you also will have to drink. Then you will get drunk on it and make yourselves naked. [22] Your punishment is complete, Jerusalem. He will not keep you in captivity any longer. But the Lord will punish your wrongs, people of Edom. He will uncover your sins.