BET

¹ ALEPH How the gold has become dim! How the most pure gold has changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.

GIMEL

² The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How they are regarded as clay jars, the work of the hands of the potter!

DALET

³ Even the jackals offer the breast, they nurse their young ones, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

HEY

⁴ The nursing infant's tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread, but no one gives to them.

VAV

⁵ Those who ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps.

ZAYIN

⁶ For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant, and no hands were laid on her.

HET

⁷ Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance was like lapis lazuli.¹

1. Or, sapphire

TET

⁸ They appear darker than soot; they are not known in the streets. Their skin cleaves to their bones; it is withered and has become as dry as a stick.

YOD

⁹ Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; those who waste away, pierced through, for lack of the fruits of the field.

KAPH

¹⁰ The hands of the compassionate women have cooked their own children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

LAMED

¹¹ Jehovah has accomplished his wrath, he has poured out his fierce anger; he has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.

MEM

¹² The kings of the earth did not believe, neither all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary or the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.

NUN

¹³ It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

SAMEKH

¹⁴ They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, so that men can't touch their garments.

PEY

¹⁵ "Turn away!" they cried to them, "Unclean! depart, depart, do not touch!" When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, "They shall not live here anymore."

AYIN

¹⁶ Jehovah himself has scattered them; he will no more regard them. They did not respect the priests, they did not favor the elders.

TZADE

¹⁷ Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

QOPH

¹⁸ They hunt our steps, so that we can't go in our streets. Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end has come.

RESH

¹⁹ Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky. They chased us on the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

SHIN

²⁰ The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, "Under his shadow we can live among the nations."

TAV

²¹ Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, that dwell in the land of Uz. The cup shall pass through to you also; you will get drunk, and shall make yourself naked.

²² The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion; he will no more carry you away into captivity. He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom; he will uncover your sins.