# General Information: A new poem begins. See [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/writing-poetry]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-parallelism]] and [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]]. # The gold has become tarnished; how the purest gold has changed The people of Jerusalem are spoken of as if they were gold that is no longer shiny, and therefore no longer valuable. Alternate translation: "The people of Jerusalem are like gold that is no longer shiny. They are like pure gold that is no longer beautiful" (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]]) # how the purest gold has changed This is an exclamation that shows the author's sadness that this has happened. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-exclamations]]) # The holy stones are scattered at the corner of every street This may refer to the temple being destroyed and its stones scattered throughout the city. It may also be a metaphor for the people being scattered. (See: [[rc://en/ta/man/jit/figs-metaphor]]) # at the corner of every street "wherever the streets come together" or "by all the roads"