Lamentations 4:12-16

New King James Version

¹² The kings of the earth,
And all inhabitants of the world,
Would not have believed
That the adversary and the enemy
Could ^(A)enter the gates of Jerusalem—

^13 (B)Because of the sins of her prophets
And the iniquities of her priests,
^(C)Who shed in her midst
The blood of the just.

¹⁴ They wandered blind in the streets;
^(D)They have defiled themselves with blood,
^(E)So that no one would touch their garments.

¹⁵ They cried out to them,
“Go away, ^(F)unclean!
Go away, go away,
Do not touch us!”
When they fled and wandered,
Those among the nations said,
“They shall no longer dwell here.”

¹⁶ The ^[a]face of the Lord scattered them;
He no longer regards them.
^(G)The people do not respect the priests
Nor show favor to the elders.