The Punishment of Jerusalem
The Prophet Speaks:
1 The purest gold is ruined
and has lost its shine;
jewels from the temple
lie scattered in the streets.
2 These are Zion's people,
worth more than purest gold;
yet they are counted worthless
like dishes of clay.
3 Even jackals nurse their young,
but my people are like ostriches
that abandon their own.
4 Babies are so thirsty
that their tongues are stuck
to the roof of the mouth.
Children go begging for food,
but no one gives them any.
5 All who ate expensive foods
lie starving in the streets;
those who grew up in luxury
now sit on trash heaps.
6 My nation was punished worse
than the people of Sodom,
whose city was destroyed
in a flash without the help
of human hands.
7 The leaders of Jerusalem
were purer than snow
and whiter than milk;
their bodies were healthy
and glowed like jewels.
8 Now they are blacker than tar,
and no one recognizes them;
their skin clings to their bones
and is drier than firewood.
9 Being killed with a sword
is better than slowly
starving to death.
10 Life in the city is so bad
that loving mothers have boiled
and eaten their own children.
11 The Lord was so fiercely angry
that he burned the city of Zion
to the ground.
12 Not a king on this earth
or the people of any nation
believed enemies could break
through her gates.
13 Jerusalem was punished because
her prophets and her priests
had sinned and caused the death
of innocent victims.
14 Yes, her prophets and priests
were covered with blood;
no one would come near them,
as they wandered
from street to street.
15 Instead, everyone shouted,
“Go away! Don't touch us!
You're filthy and unfit
to belong to God's people!”
So they had to leave
and become refugees.
But foreign nations told them,
“You can't stay here!”
16 The Lord is the one
who sent them scattering,
and he has forgotten them.
No respect or kindness
will be shown
to the priests or leaders.
17 Our eyes became weary,
hopelessly looking
for help from a nation
that could not save us.
18 Enemies hunted us down
on every public street.
Our time was up;
our doom was near.
19 They swooped down faster
than eagles from the sky.
They hunted for us in the hills
and set traps to catch us
out in the desert.
20 The Lord's chosen leader
was our hope for survival!
We thought he would keep us safe
somewhere among the nations,
but even he was caught
in one of their traps.
21 You people of Edom
can celebrate now!
But your time will come
to suffer and stagger
around naked.
22 The people of Zion
have paid for their sins,
and the Lord will soon
let them return home.
But, people of Edom,
you will be punished,
and your sins exposed.
Dieva dusmas pār Jeruzālemi
1 Kādēļ!?
Aptumsis zelts, pārvērties tīrzelts,
izgāzti svētie akmeņi katrā ielgalā.
2 Kādēļ cēlos Ciānas dēlus, kas sverami zeltā,
līdzina māla traukiem – podnieka roku darbam?
3 Pat šakāļu māte dod pupu, mazuļus zīda,
mana tautmeita cietsirdīga – kā strausi tuksnesī.
4 Zīdaiņiem līp mēle pie aukslējām sāpēs,
bērni lūdz maizi, devēja nav.
5 Kas kārumus ēdis – nīkst ielās,
kas purpurā audzis – rakā mēslus.
6 Lielāka manas tautmeitas vaina par Sodomas grēku,
kas mirklī apgāzta bez pieliktas rokas.
7 Viņas izredzētie par sniegu tīrāki, par pienu baltāki,
miesa par koraļļiem sārtāka un augums kā safīrs.
8 Nu tumšs kā kvēpi to vaigs, tos nepazīst ielās,
tiem saraucas āda uz kauliem, tie izkalst kā koks.
9 Labāk lai zobens kauj, nekā kauj bads,
kas caururbjot nobeidz bez lauka augļiem.
10 Žēlīgu sievu rokas vāra bērnus,
redzi, viņu maize manas tautmeitas postā.
11 Kungs piepilda savu bardzību, lej savu dusmu kvēli
un sakur uguni Ciānā, lai aprij tās pamatus.
12 Neticēja zemes ķēniņi un visi, kas pasaulē dzīvo,
ka naidnieks un pretinieks ienāks Jeruzālemes vārtos
13 viņas praviešu grēku, priesteru noziegumu dēļ,
kad tie pilsētā izlēja taisno asinis.
14 Viņi akli grīļojas ielās, tā apšļākti asinīm,
ka neviens pat neskaras pie viņu drēbēm!
15 Nost, nešķīsts! – sauca viņiem.
Nost, nost, nepieskarieties!
Kad viņi bēga un klīda, runāja tautās: tiem nepalikt!
16 Kungs viņus iztrenkājis – vairs tos neuzlūko!
Priesterus tie nav godājuši, vecos nav žēlojuši.
17 Acis izskatījušās pēc palīga – velti,
gaidot gaidījām kādu no tautām – nenāca palīgā.
18 Tie dzen mums pēdas, ka ne ielās iziet,
gals mums tuvu – skaitītas dienas, jo nāk mūsu gals!
19 Ātrāki mūsu vajātāji par ērgļiem debesīs,
mums seko pār kalniem, tuksnesī glūn.
20 Kunga svaidītais – mūsu elpa! –
viņu lamatās notverts,
par kuru teicām: tā ēnā starp tautām dzīvosim.
21 Priecājies, līksmo, Edoma meita, kas dzīvo Ūczemē,
arī pār tevi nāks kauss – tu piedzersies, izģērbsies kaila.
22 Beidzies tavs sods, Ciānas meita,
tevi nedzīs vairs trimdā,
viņš sodīs tavu vainu, Edoma meita, atklās tavu grēku.
