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Lamentations (continued)
4:1 How 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.
4:2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how
are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands
of the potter!
4:3 Even 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.
4:4 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.
4:5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the
streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace
dunghills.
4:6 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.
4:7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter
than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their
polishing was of sapphire:
4:8 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.
4:9 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.
4:10 The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own
children: they were their meat in the destruction of the
daughter of my people.
4:11 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.
4:12 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.
4:13 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,
4:14 They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they
have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not
touch their garments.
4:15 They 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.
4:16 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.
4:17 As 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.
4:18 They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets:
our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is
come.
4:19 Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the
heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait
for us in the wilderness.
4:20 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.
4:21 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.
4:22 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. |
Cults 
Why Did God Permit Sin?
