מ (Mem)
4:13 But it happened 1 due to the sins of her prophets 2
and the iniquities of her priests,
who poured out in her midst
the blood of the righteous.
נ (Nun)
4:14 They 3 wander blindly 4 through the streets,
defiled by the blood they shed, 5
while no one dares 6
to touch their garments.
ס (Samek)
4:15 People cry to them, “Turn away! You are unclean!
Turn away! Turn away! Don’t touch us!”
So they have fled and wander about;
but the nations say, 7 “They may not stay here any longer.”
פ (Pe)
4:16 The Lord himself 8 has scattered them;
he no longer watches over them.
They did not honor the priests; 9
they did not show favor to the elders. 10
ע (Ayin)
4:17 Our eyes continually failed us
as we looked in vain for help. 11
From our watchtowers we watched
for a nation that could not rescue us.
צ (Tsade)
4:18 Our enemies 12 hunted us down at every step 13
so that we could not walk about in our streets.
Our end drew near, our days were numbered, 14
for our end had come!
ק (Qof)
4:19 Those who pursued us were swifter
than eagles 15 in the sky. 16
They chased us over the mountains;
they ambushed us in the wilderness.
ר (Resh)
4:20 Our very life breath – the Lord’s anointed king 17 –
was caught in their traps, 18
of whom we thought, 19
“Under his protection 20 we will survive among the nations.”