1How is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed! The hallowed stones are poured out at the head of every street. 2The precious sons of Tzion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! 3Even the jackals draw out the breast, they nurse their young ones; the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. 4The tongue of the nursing child cleaves to the roof of his mouth for thirst; the young children ask bread, and none breaks it unto them. 5They that did feed on dainties are desolate in the streets; they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. 6For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of S’dom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands fell upon her. 7Her princes were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of sapphire; 8their visage is blacker than coal; they are not known in the streets; their skin is shrivelled upon their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick. 9They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field. 10The hands of women full of mercy have sodden their own children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11 יהוה has accomplished His fury, He has poured out His fierce anger; and He has kindled a fire in Tzion, which has devoured the foundations thereof. 12The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Yerushalayim. 13It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the Tzadikim in the midst of her. 14They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, so that men cannot touch their garments. 15“Depart! Unclean!” Men cried unto them, ‘Depart, depart, touch not’; yes, they fled away and wandered; men said among the nations, “They shall no more sojourn here.” 16The anger of יהוה has divided them; He will no more regard them; they respected not the persons of the kohanim, they were not gracious unto the Z’kenim. 17As for us, our eyes do yet fail for our vain help; in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save. 18They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our broad places; our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. 19Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heaven; they chased us upon the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness. 20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of יהוה , 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, that dwells in the land of Uz: the cup shall pass over unto you also; you shall be drunk, and shall make yourself naked. 22The punishment of Your iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Tzion, He will no more carry you away into captivity; He will punish Your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He will uncover your sins.
אאֵיכָה יוּעַם זָהָב יִשְׁנֶא הַכֶּתֶם הַטּוֹב; תִּשְׁתַּפֵּכְנָה אַבְנֵי קֹדֶשׁ בְּרֹאשׁ כָּל חוּצוֹת. בבְּנֵי צִיּוֹן הַיְקָרִים הַמְסֻלָּאִים בַּפָּז אֵיכָה נֶחְשְׁבוּ לְנִבְלֵי חֶרֶשׂ מַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵי יוֹצֵר. גגַּם תנין (תַּנִּים) חָלְצוּ שַׁד הֵינִיקוּ גּוּרֵיהֶן; בַּת עַמִּי לְאַכְזָר כי ענים (כַּיְעֵנִים) בַּמִּדְבָּר. דדָּבַק לְשׁוֹן יוֹנֵק אֶל חִכּוֹ בַּצָּמָא; עוֹלָלִים שָׁאֲלוּ לֶחֶם פֹּרֵשׂ אֵין לָהֶם. ההָאֹכְלִים לְמַעֲדַנִּים נָשַׁמּוּ בַּחוּצוֹת; הָאֱמֻנִים עֲלֵי תוֹלָע חִבְּקוּ אַשְׁפַּתּוֹת. ווַיִּגְדַּל עֲוֹן בַּת עַמִּי מֵחַטַּאת סְדֹם: הַהֲפוּכָה כְמוֹ רָגַע וְלֹא חָלוּ בָהּ יָדָיִם. זזַכּוּ נְזִירֶיהָ מִשֶּׁלֶג צַחוּ מֵחָלָב; אָדְמוּ עֶצֶם מִפְּנִינִים סַפִּיר גִּזְרָתָם. חחָשַׁךְ מִשְּׁחוֹר תָּאֳרָם לֹא נִכְּרוּ בַּחוּצוֹת; צָפַד עוֹרָם עַל עַצְמָם יָבֵשׁ הָיָה כָעֵץ. טטוֹבִים הָיוּ חַלְלֵי חֶרֶב מֵחַלְלֵי רָעָב: שֶׁהֵם יָזֻבוּ מְדֻקָּרִים מִתְּנוּבֹת שָׂדָי. ייְדֵי נָשִׁים רַחֲמָנִיּוֹת בִּשְּׁלוּ יַלְדֵיהֶן; הָיוּ לְבָרוֹת לָמוֹ בְּשֶׁבֶר בַּת עַמִּי. יאכִּלָּה יהוה אֶת חֲמָתוֹ שָׁפַךְ חֲרוֹן אַפּוֹ; וַיַּצֶּת אֵשׁ בְּצִיּוֹן וַתֹּאכַל יְסֹדֹתֶיהָ. יבלֹא הֶאֱמִינוּ מַלְכֵי אֶרֶץ וכל (כֹּל) יֹשְׁבֵי תֵבֵל: כִּי יָבֹא צַר וְאוֹיֵב בְּשַׁעֲרֵי יְרוּשָׁלִָם. יגמֵחַטֹּאות נְבִיאֶיהָ עֲוֹנֹת כֹּהֲנֶיהָ: הַשֹּׁפְכִים בְּקִרְבָּהּ דַּם צַדִּיקִים. ידנָעוּ עִוְרִים בַּחוּצוֹת נְגֹאֲלוּ בַּדָּם; בְּלֹא יוּכְלוּ יִגְּעוּ בִּלְבֻשֵׁיהֶם. טוסוּרוּ טָמֵא קָרְאוּ לָמוֹ סוּרוּ סוּרוּ אַל תִּגָּעוּ כִּי נָצוּ גַּם נָעוּ; אָמְרוּ בַּגּוֹיִם לֹא יוֹסִפוּ לָגוּר. טזפְּנֵי יהוה חִלְּקָם לֹא יוֹסִיף לְהַבִּיטָם; פְּנֵי כֹהֲנִים לֹא נָשָׂאוּ זקנים (וּזְקֵנִים) לֹא חָנָנוּ. יזעודינה (עוֹדֵינוּ) תִּכְלֶינָה עֵינֵינוּ אֶל עֶזְרָתֵנוּ הָבֶל; בְּצִפִּיָּתֵנוּ צִפִּינוּ אֶל גּוֹי לֹא יוֹשִׁעַ. יחצָדוּ צְעָדֵינוּ מִלֶּכֶת בִּרְחֹבֹתֵינוּ; קָרַב קִצֵּנוּ מָלְאוּ יָמֵינוּ כִּי בָא קִצֵּנוּ. יטקַלִּים הָיוּ רֹדְפֵינוּ מִנִּשְׁרֵי שָׁמָיִם; עַל הֶהָרִים דְּלָקֻנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר אָרְבוּ לָנוּ. כרוּחַ אַפֵּינוּ מְשִׁיחַ יהוה נִלְכַּד בִּשְׁחִיתוֹתָם: אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְנוּ בְּצִלּוֹ נִחְיֶה בַגּוֹיִם. כאשִׂישִׂי וְשִׂמְחִי בַּת אֱדוֹם יושבתי (יוֹשֶׁבֶת) בְּאֶרֶץ עוּץ; גַּם עָלַיִךְ תַּעֲבָר כּוֹס תִּשְׁכְּרִי וְתִתְעָרִי. כבתַּם עֲוֹנֵךְ בַּת צִיּוֹן לֹא יוֹסִיף לְהַגְלוֹתֵךְ; פָּקַד עֲוֹנֵךְ בַּת אֱדוֹם גִּלָּה עַל חַטֹּאתָיִךְ.
D'var יהוה , The Word of יהוה 