Lamentations 4:3-20

Lamentations 4:3-20

[3] 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] The 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. [5] They that did feed  delicately  are desolate  in the streets:  they that were brought up  in scarlet  embrace  dunghills.  [6] For 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. [7] Her Nazarites  were purer  than snow,  they were whiter  than milk,  they were more ruddy  in body  than rubies,  their polishing  was of sapphire:  [8] Their 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.  [9] They 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.  [10] The hands  of the pitiful  women  have sodden  their own children:  they were their meat  in the destruction  of the daughter  of my people.  [11] The 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. [12] The 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, [14] They have wandered  as blind  men in the streets,  they have polluted  themselves with blood,  so that men could  not  touch  their garments.  [15] They cried  unto them, Depart  ye; it is unclean;  depart,  touch  not: when they fled away  and wandered,  they said  among the heathen,  They shall no more  sojourn  there. [16] The 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.  [17] As for us, our eyes  as yet failed  for our vain  help:  we have watched  for a nation  that could not save  us. [18] They hunt  our steps,  in our streets:  our end  is near,  our days  are fulfilled;  for our end  is come.  [19] Our persecutors  are swifter  than the eagles  of the heaven:  they pursued  us upon the mountains,  they laid wait  for us in the wilderness.  [20] The 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.