Study Desk

How ^(a)dark the gold has become, How the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones are poured out At the ^[a]corner of every street.

The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against fine gold, How they are regarded as ^(b)earthen jars, The work of a potter's hands!

Even ^(c)jackals offer the breast, They nurse their young; But the daughter of my people has become ^(d)cruel Like ^(e)ostriches in the wilderness.

The ^(f)tongue of the infant cleaves To the roof of its mouth because of ^(g)thirst; The little ones ^(h)ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them.

Those who ate ⁽ⁱ⁾delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those ^[b]reared in purple Embrace ash pits.

For the ^[c]iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the ^[d](j)sin of Sodom, Which was ^(k)overthrown as in a moment, And no hands were ^[e]turned toward her.

Her ^[f]consecrated ones were ^(l)purer than snow, They were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in ^[g]body than corals, Their polishing was like ^[h](m)lapis lazuli.

Their appearance is ⁽ⁿ⁾blacker than soot, They are not recognized in the streets; Their ^(o)skin is shriveled on their bones, It is withered, it has become like wood.

Better are those ^[i](p)slain with the sword Than those ^[j]slain with hunger; For they ^[k](q)pine away, being stricken For lack of the fruits of ^[l]the field.

The hands of compassionate women ^(r)Boiled their own children; They became ^(s)food for them Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.

The Lord has ^(t)accomplished His wrath, He has poured out His fierce anger; And He has ^(u)kindled a fire in Zion Which has consumed its foundations.

The kings of the earth did not believe, Nor did any of ^(v)the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy Could ^(w)enter the gates of Jerusalem.

Because of the sins of her ^(x)prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The ^(y)blood of the righteous;

They wandered, ^(z)blind, in the streets; They were defiled with ^(aa)blood So that no one could touch their ^(ab)garments.

"Depart! ^(ac)Unclean!" ^[m]they cried of themselves. "Depart, depart, do not touch!" So they ^(ad)fled and wandered; Men among the nations said, "They shall not continue to dwell with us."

The presence of the Lord has scattered them, He will not continue to regard them; They did not ^[n](ae)honor the priests, They did not favor the elders.