¹⁶ The Lord himself has scattered them;
    he no longer watches over them.^(A)
The priests are shown no honor,
    the elders^(B) no favor.^(C)

¹⁷ Moreover, our eyes failed,
    looking in vain^(D) for help;^(E)
from our towers we watched
    for a nation^(F) that could not save us.

¹⁸ People stalked us at every step,
    so we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near, our days were numbered,
    for our end had come.^(G)