¹³ But it happened because of the sins of her prophets
    and the iniquities of her priests,^(A)
who shed within her
    the blood^(B) of the righteous.

¹⁴ Now they grope through the streets
    as if they were blind.^(C)
They are so defiled with blood^(D)
    that no one dares to touch their garments.

¹⁵ “Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them.
    “Away! Away! Don’t touch us!”
When they flee and wander^(E) about,
    people among the nations say,
    “They can stay here no longer.”^(F)

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

¹⁷ Moreover, our eyes failed,
    looking in vain^(J) for help;^(K)
from our towers we watched
    for a nation^(L) 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.^(M)

¹⁹ Our pursuers were swifter
    than eagles^(N) in the sky;
they chased us^(O) over the mountains
    and lay in wait for us in the desert.^(P)

²⁰ The Lord’s anointed,^(Q) our very life breath,
    was caught in their traps.^(R)
We thought that under his shadow^(S)
    we would live among the nations.