Lamentations 4:13-22 ▼

13 Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous within her.

14 Blind, they stumbled in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.

15 “Stay away! Unclean! ” people shouted at them. “Away, away! Don’t touch us! ” So they wandered aimlessly. It was said among the nations, “They can stay here no longer.”

16 The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are not respected; the elders find no favor.

17 All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help; we watched from our towers for a nation that would not save us.

18 Our steps were closely followed so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end approached; our time ran out. Our end had come!

19 Those who chased us were swifter than eagles in the sky; they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.

20 The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their traps. We had said about him, “We will live under his protection among the nations.”

21 So rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom, you resident of the land of Uz! Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself.

22 Daughter Zion, your punishment is complete; he will not lengthen your exile. But he will punish your iniquity, Daughter Edom, and will expose your sins.