Lam 4 | EngLXX | STEP | ALEPH. How will the gold be tarnished, and the fine silver changed! the sacred stones have been poured forth at the top of all thestreets.

Lamentations 4

1 ALEPH. How will the gold be tarnished,and the fine silver changed! the sacred stones have been poured forth at the top of all thestreets. 2 BETH. The precious sons of Zion, who were equalled in value with gold, how are they countedas earthen vessels, the works of the hands of the potter! 3 GIMEL. Nay, serpents have drawn out the breasts, they give suck to their young, the daughtersof my people are incurably cruel, as an ostrich in a desert. 4 DALETH. The tongue of the sucking child cleaves to the roof of its mouth for thirst: thelittle children ask for bread,and there is none to breakit to them. 5 HE. They that feed on dainties are desolate in the streets: they that used to be nursedin scarlet have clothed themselves with dung. 6 VAU. And the iniquity of the daughter of my people has been increased beyond the iniquitiesof Sodoma,the city that was overthrown very suddenly, and none laboured against herwith their hands. 7 ZAIN. Her Nazarites were made purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were purifiedas with fire, their polishing was superior to sapphire stone. 8 HETH. Their countenance is become blacker than smoke; they are not known in the streets:their skin has cleaved to their bones; they are withered, they are become as a stick. 9 TETH. The slain with the sword were better than they that were slain with hunger: theyhave departed, pierced through fromlack of the fruits of the field. 10 JOD. The hands of tender-hearted women have sodden their own children: they became meatfor them in the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11 CHAPH. The Lord has accomplished his wrath; he has poured out fierce anger, and has kindleda fire in Sion, and it has devoured her foundations. 12 LAMED. The kings of the earth,even all that dwell in the world, believed not that an enemy and oppressor would enter throughthe gates of Jerusalem. 13 MEM. For the sins of her prophets,and iniquities of her priests, who shed righteous blood in the midst of her, 14 NUN. her watchmen staggered in the streets, they were defiled with blood in their weakness,they touched their raimentwith it. 15 SAMECH. Depart you⌃ from the unclean ones: call you⌃ them: depart, depart, touchthem not: for they are on fire, yes, they stagger: say you⌃ among the nations, They shall nomore sojournthere. 16 AIN. The presence of the Lordwas their portion;but he will not again look upon them: they regarded not the person of the priests, they pitiednot the prophets. 17 PHE. While we yet lived our eyes failed, while we looked in vain for our help. TSADE.We looked to a nation that could not save. 18 We have huntedfor our little ones, that they should not walk in our streets. KOPH. Our time has drawn near,our days are fulfilled, our time is come. 19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky, they flew on the mountains, inthe wilderness they laid wait for us. 20 RECHS. The breath of our nostrils,our anointed Lord, was taken in their destructive snares, of whom we said, In his shadow weshall live among the Gentiles. 21 CHSEN. Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Idumea, that dwell in the land: yet the cupof the Lord shall pass through to you: you shall be drunken, and pour forth. 22 THAU. O daughter of Sion, your iniquity has come to an end; he shall no more carry youcaptive: he has visited your iniquities, O daughter of Edom; he has discovered your sins.