ירושלים - בין עלבון לתפארת

How is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed! The hallowed stones are poured out At the head of every street. The precious sons of Zion, Comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, The work of the hands of the potter! Even the jackals 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. The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth To the roof of his mouth for thirst; The young children ask bread, And none breaketh it unto them. They that did feed on dainties Are desolate in the streets; They that were brought up in scarlet Embrace dunghills. For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater Than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, And no hands fell upon her. Her princes were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk, They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Their polishing was as of sapphire; Their visage is blacker than a coal; They are not known in the streets; Their skin is shrivelled upon their bones; It is withered, it is become like a stick. They that are slain with the sword are better Than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, For want of the fruits of the field. The hands of women full of compassion Have sodden their own children; They were their food In the destruction of the daughter of my people. The LORD hath accomplished His fury, He hath poured out His fierce anger; And He hath kindled a fire in Zion, Which hath devoured the foundations thereof. The kings of the earth believed not, Neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter Into the gates of Jerusalem. 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.

A Song of Ascents; of David. I rejoiced when they said unto me: 'Let us go unto the house of the LORD.' Our feet are standing within thy gates, O Jerusalem; Jerusalem, that art builded as a city that is compact together; Whither the tribes went up, even the tribes of the LORD, as a testimony unto Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD. For there were set thrones for judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; May they prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say: 'Peace be within thee.' For the sake of the house of the LORD our God I will seek thy good.