Howאֵיכָהthe goldזָהָבgrows dark,יוּעַםthe pure goldהַכֶּתֶםchanges,יִשְׁנֶאthe good gold!הַטּוֹבThe sacredקֹדֶשׁstonesאַבְנֵיare poured outתִּשְׁתַּפֵּכְנָהat the headבְּרֹאשׁof everyכָּלstreet.חוּצוֹת
The sonsבְּנֵיof Zion,צִיּוֹןthe precious ones,הַיְקָרִיםwho were valuedהַמְסֻלָּאִיםin refined gold,בַּפָּזhowאֵיכָהthey are reckonedנֶחְשְׁבוּas jarsלְנִבְלֵיof clay,חֶרֶשׂthe workמַעֲשֵׂהof the handsיְדֵיof a potter!יוֹצֵר
Even jackalsגַּם תַּנִּיםofferחָלְצוּthe breast;שַׁדthey nurseהֵינִיקוּtheir cubs;גּוּרֵיהֶןthe daughterבַּתof my peopleעַמִּיhas turned cruel,לְאַכְזָרlike the ostrichesכַּיְעֵנִיםin the wilderness.בַּמִּדְבָּר
The tongueלְשׁוֹןof the nursing infantיוֹנֵקclingsדָּבַקto its palateאֶל חכּוֹfrom thirst;בַּצָּמָאlittle childrenעוֹלָלִיםask forשָׁאֲלוּbread;לֶחֶםthere is no oneאֵיןto break itפֹּרֵשׂfor them.לָהֶם
Those who ateהָאֹכְלִיםdelicaciesלְמַעֲדַנִּיםare desolateנָשַׁמּוּin the streets;בַּחוּצוֹתthose who were brought upהָאֱמֻנִיםonעֲלֵיcrimsonתוֹלָעembraceחִבְּקוּdung heaps.אַשְׁפַּתּוֹת
And greater wasוַיִּגְדַּלthe iniquityעֲוֺןof the daughterבַּתof my peopleעַמִּיthan the sinמֵחַטַּאתof Sodom,סְדֹםwhich was overthrownהַהֲפוּכָהas inכְמוֹa moment,רָגַעand noוְלֹאhandsיָדָיִםwere turnedחָלוּagainst her.בָהּ
Purerזַכּוּthan snowמִשֶּׁלֶגwere her Nazirites,נְזִירֶיהָwhiterצַחוּthan milk;מֵחָלָבruddierאָדְמוּin bodyעֶצֶםthan pearls,מִפְּנִינִיםlike sapphireסַפִּירtheir form.גִּזְרָתָם
Darkerחָשַׁךְthan sootמִשְּׁחוֹרhas their appearance become;תָּאֳרָםthey are notלֹאrecognizedנִכְּרוּin the streets;בַּחוּצוֹתtheir skinעוֹרָםhas shriveledצָפַדon their bones;עַל עַצְמָםit has dried up,יָבֵשׁit has becomeהָיָהlike wood.כָעֵץ
Better offטוֹבִיםwereהָיוּthose slainחַלְלֵיby the swordחֶרֶבthan those slainמֵחַלְלֵיby hunger,רָעָבfor theyשֶׁהֵםwaste away,יָזוּבוּpierced throughמְדֻקָּרִיםfor want ofמִthe produceתְּנוּבֹתof the field.שָׂדָי
The handsיְדֵיof compassionateרַחֲמָנִיּוֹתwomenנָשִׁיםhave boiledבִּשְּׁלוּtheir own children;יַלְדֵיהֶןthey becameהָיוּfoodלְבָרוֹתfor themלָמוֹin the shatteringבְּשֶׁבֶרof the daughterבַּתof my people.עַמִּי
YHWHיְהוָהhas spentכִּלָּהhis fury;חֲמָתוֹhe has poured outשָׁפַךְhis burningחֲרוֹןanger;אַפּוֹand he has kindledוַיַּצֶּתa fireאֵשׁin Zion,בְּצִיּוֹןand it has devouredוַתֹּאכַלher foundations.יְסוֹדֹתֶיהָ
The kingsמַלְכֵיof the earthאֶרֶץdid notלֹאbelieve,הֶאֱמִינוּnor allכֹּלthe inhabitantsיֹשְׁבֵיof the world,תֵבֵלthatכִּיadversaryצַרand enemyוְאוֹיֵבwould enterיָבֹאthe gatesבְּשַׁעֲרֵיof Jerusalem.יְרוּשָׁלִָם
It was for the sinsמֵחַטֹּאתof her prophets,נְבִיאֶיהָthe iniquitiesעֲוֺנוֹתof her priests,כֹּהֲנֶיהָwho shedהַשֹּׁפְכִיםin her midstבְּקִרְבָּהּthe bloodדַּםof the righteous.צַדִּיקִים
They wanderedנָעוּblindעִוְרִיםthrough the streets,בַּחוּצוֹתdefiledנְגֹאֲלוּwith blood,בַּדָּםso that no one couldבְּלֹא יוּכְלוּtouchיִגְּעוּtheir garments.בִּלְבֻשֵׁיהֶם
“Turn away,סוּרוּunclean!”טָמֵאthey calledקָרְאוּto them;לָמוֹ“turn away,סוּרוּturn away,סוּרוּdo notאַלtouch!”תִּגָּעוּWhenכִּיthey fled,נָצוּthey alsoגַּםwandered;נָעוּthey saidאָמְרוּamong the nations,בַּגּוֹיִם“They will notלֹאcontinueיוֹסִיפוּto reside as aliens here.”לָגוּר
The faceפְּנֵיof YHWHיְהוָהhas scattered them;חִלְּקָםhe will notלֹאagainיוֹסִיףlook on them;לְהַבִּיטָםto the priestsפְּנֵי כֹהֲנִיםthey showed noלֹאrespect,נָשָׂאוּthe eldersוּזְקֵנִיםthey did notלֹאfavor.חָנָנוּ
Stillעוֹדֵינוּour eyesעֵינֵינוּare spentתִּכְלֶינָהlooking for our help,אֶל עֶזְרָתֵנוּin vain;הָבֶלfrom our watchtowerבְּצִפִּיָּתֵנוּwe kept watchצִפִּינוּfor a nationאֶל גּוֹיthat does notלֹאsave.יוֹשִׁעַ
They have huntedצָדוּour stepsצְעָדֵינוּso that we cannot walkמִלֶּכֶתin our squares;בִּרְחֹבֹתֵינוּour endקִצֵּינוּhas drawn near,קָרַבour daysיָמֵינוּare fulfilled,מָלְאוּforכִּיour endקִצֵּינוּhas come.בָא
Swifterקַלִּיםwereהָיוּour pursuersרֹדְפֵינוּthan the eaglesמִנִּשְׁרֵיof the heavens;שָׁמָיִםon the mountainsעַל הֶהָרִיםthey chased us;דְּלָקֻנוּin the wildernessבַּמִּדְבָּרthey lay in wait for us.אָרְבוּ לָנוּ
The breathרוּחַof our nostrils,אַפֵּינוּthe anointedמְשִׁיחַof YHWH,יְהוָהwas caughtנִלְכַּדin their pits,בִּשְׁחִיתוֹתָםhe of whomאֲשֶׁרwe said,אָמַרְנוּ“In his shadowבְּצִלּוֹwe will liveנִחְיֶהamong the nations.”בַגּוֹיִם
Rejoiceשִׂישִׂיand be glad,וְשִׂמְחִיdaughterבַּתof Edom,אֱדוֹםyou who dwellיוֹשֶׁבֶתin the landבְּאֶרֶץof Uz;עוּץto you alsoגַּם עָלַיִךְthe cupכּוֹסwill pass;תַּעֲבָרyou will become drunkתִּשְׁכְּרִיand strip yourself bare.וְתִתְעָרִי
Your iniquityעֲוֺנֵךְis ended,תַּםdaughterבַּתof Zion;צִיּוֹןhe will notלֹאagainיוֹסִיףsend you into exile.לְהַגְלוֹתֵךְHe will demand an accountפָּקַדof your iniquity,עֲוֺנֵךְdaughterבַּתof Edom;אֱדוֹםhe will uncoverגִּלָּהyour sins.עַל חַטֹּאתָיִךְ