1How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. 2The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! 3Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.4.3 sea…: or, sea calves 4The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them. 5They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. 6For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.4.6 punishment of the iniquity: or, iniquity 7Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire: 8Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.4.8 blacker…: Heb. darker than blackness 9They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.4.9 pine…: Heb. flow out 10The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. 11The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. 12The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.
13¶ For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, 14They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.4.14 so…: or, in that they could not but touch 15They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there.4.15 it…: or, ye polluted 16The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders.4.16 anger: or, face 17As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us. 18They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. 19Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. 20The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.
21¶ Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
22¶ The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.4.22 The…: or, Thine iniquity4.22 discover…: or, carry thee captive for thy sins
Hungersnødens gru
1Ak, Jerusalems guldklumper har mistet deres herlighed.
Hendes hellige øjestene ligger og vansmægter på hvert gadehjørne.
2Byens befolkning var deres vægt værd i guld,
men nu ligger de som værdiløse lerkar, en pottemagers værk.
3De vilde sjakaler giver deres unger die,
men mit folks mødre er følelseskolde som ørkenens strudse.
4Ethvert spædbarn skriger af tørst med tungen klæbende til ganen.
Småbørn tigger om mad, men ingen har noget at give.
5Folk, som var vant til festmiddage, er nu ved at forgå af sult.
De, som levede i luksus, roder nu efter føde i rendestenen.
6Går det ikke mit folk værre end Sodomas indbyggere?
De døde dog på et øjeblik ved Herrens direkte indgreb.
7Hendes fyrster havde hud som silke og struttede af sundhed,
deres ansigter var rødmossede og håret skinnede så smukt.
8Ingen ville kunne genkende dem nu, hvis de mødte dem på gaden,
for de er det rene skind og ben med ansigter sorte som sod.
9Ja, hellere dræbes af sværdet, end at dø langsomt af sult,
fordi madforsyninger ikke kan komme ind i byen.
10Kan man forestille sig, hvad der sker med en kærlig mor,
som tvinges til at koge og spise sine børn for at overleve?
11Landet er lamslået over Herrens forfærdelige vrede.
Jerusalem er ødelagt og brændt ned til grunden.
12Man mente ikke, det kunne lade sig gøre at indtage Jerusalem.
Ingen af jordens konger troede, det var muligt.
13Nedsablingen skete, fordi profeter og præster havde syndet.
De havde myrdet uskyldige folk midt i Herrens hellige by.
14Overalt i byen raver folk rundt i blinde.
De kan ikke undgå at røre ved blod, og derfor er de urene.
15„Pas på!” advarer folk hinanden, „der kommer en uren!”
Flygter de, siger de fremmede folkeslag: „Her kan I ikke bo!”
16Respekt for præsterne og landets ledere hører fortiden til,
for Herren har slået hånden af dem og spredt dem for alle vinde.
17Skildvagterne stod og spejdede efter hjælp, men forgæves.
Ingen af vores allierede havde magt til at redde os.
18Tidspunktet nærmede sig, hvor alt var forbi.
Vi kunne ikke gå ud på gaden af frygt for at blive dræbt.
19Uden at vise nåde kastede fjenderne sig over os som gribbe.
De forfulgte os i bjergene og lå på lur efter os i ørkenen.
20Vores egen konge, Herrens udvalgte, gik lige i deres fælde,
han, som vi troede kunne beskytte os fra enhver fjende.
21Østpå glæder I jer, Edoms folk, for denne gang var det ikke jer, der blev ramt.
Men en dag skal også I drikke Herrens vredes vin, så I mister besindelsen.
22Åh, Jerusalem, din straf var hård, men en dag bliver du genoprettet.
Edoms folk, derimod, vil blive straffet, fordi de svigtede os.
