10 The hands of compassionate womenhave cooked their own children; they became their foodduring the destruction of my dear people.
11 The Lord has exhausted His wrath,poured out His burning anger;He has ignited a fire in Zion,and it has consumed her foundations.
12 The kings of the earthand all the world’s inhabitants did not believethat an enemy or adversarycould enter Jerusalem’s gates.
13 Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophetsand the guilt of her priests,who shed the blood of the righteouswithin her.
14 Blind, they stumbled in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one daredto 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 regards them no more.The priests are not respected;the elders find no favor.