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The tongue of the infant cleaves
    to the roof of its mouth in thirst;
Children beg for bread,
    but no one gives them a piece.

Those who feasted on delicacies
    are abandoned in the streets;
Those who reclined on crimson[a]
    now embrace dung heaps.(A)

The punishment of the daughter of my people
    surpassed the penalty of Sodom,
Which was overthrown in an instant
    with no hand laid on it.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 4:5 Crimson: a sign of luxury. Tyrian purple, a red-purple or blue-purple dye produced from shellfish, was very expensive and the only colorfast dye in the ancient Near East. Thus purple or crimson cloth was available only to the wealthy.