Lamentations 4

The prophet laments the radical, tragic change in Jerusalem. The pure gold of the Temple has become dim, and the glorious people of Zion are now scattered like broken vessels. He contrasts the gentle care wild animals show their young with the brutality of the famine, where formerly compassionate women have used their own children for food. The prophet concludes by stating that this horror is the punishment for the sins of the false prophets and wicked priests who shed innocent blood in the city. The guilt of Zion is now fully paid.