Klagesangene 4
1 Hvor Guldet blev sort, og skæmmet det ædle metal, de hellige Stene slængt hen paa Gadernes Hjørner!
How the gold has become tarnished, the pure gold has become dull! The gems of the temple lie scattered on every street corner.
2 Zions de dyre Sønner, der opvejed Guld, kun regnet for Lerkar, Pottemagerhænders Værk!
How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in pure gold, are now esteemed as jars of clay, the work of a potter’s hands!
3 Selv Sjakaler byder Brystet til, giver Ungerne Die, men mit Folks Datter blev grum som Ørkenens Strudse.
Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like an ostrich in the wilderness.
4 Den spædes Tunge hang fast ved Ganen af Tørst, Børnene tigged om Brød, og ingen gav dem.
The nursing infant’s tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.
5 Folk, som levede lækkert, omkom paa Gaden; Folk, som var baaret paa Purpur, favnede Skarnet.
Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps.
6 Mit Folks Datters Brøde var større end Synden i Sodom, som brat blev styrtet, saa Hænder ej rørtes derinde.
The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand turned to help her.
7 Hendes Fyrster var renere end Sne, mer hvide end Mælk, deres Legeme rødere end Koral, som Safir deres Aarer;
Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
8 mer sorte end Sod ser de ud, kan ej kendes paa Gaden, Huden hænger ved Knoglerne, tør som Træ.
But now their appearance is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as a stick.
9 Sværdets Ofre var bedre farne end Sultens, som svandt hen, dødsramte, af Mangel paa Markens Grøde.
Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
10 Blide Kvinders Hænder kogte deres Børn; da mit Folks Datter brød sammen, blev de dem til Føde.
The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 HERREN køled sin Vrede, udøste sin Harmglød, han tændte i Zion en Ild, dets Grundvolde aad den.
The LORD has exhausted His wrath; He has poured out His fierce anger; He has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations.
12 Ej troede Jordens Konger, ja ingen i Verden, at Uven og Fjende skulde staa i Jerusalems Porte.
The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any people of the world, that an enemy or a foe could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Det var for Profeternes Synd, for Præsternes Brøde, som i dets Midte udgød retfærdiges Blod.
But this was for the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.
14 De vanked som blinde paa Gaderne, tilsølet af Blod, rørte med Klæderne Ting, som ikke maa røres.
They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.
15 »Var jer! En uren!« raabte man; »Var jer dog for dem!« Naar de flyr og vanker, raaber man: »Bliv ikke her!«
“Go away! Unclean!” men shouted at them. “Away, away! Do not touch us!” So they fled and wandered. Among the nations it was said, “They can stay here no longer.”
16 HERREN spredte dem selv, han saa dem ej mer, Præster regned man ej eller ynked Profeter.
The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are shown no honor; the elders find no favor.
17 End smægted vort Blik efter Hjælp, men kun for at skuffes, paa Varden spejded vi efter det Folk, der ej hjælper.
All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us.
18 De lured paa vort Fjed, fra Torvene holdt vi os borte; Enden var nær, vore Dage var omme, ja, Enden var kommet.
They stalked our every step, so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near, our time ran out, for our end had come!
19 Mer snare end Himlens Ørne var de, som jog os, paa Bjergene satte de efter os, lured i Ørkenen,
Those who chased us were swifter than the eagles in the sky; they pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.
20 vor Livsaande, HERRENS Salvede, blev fanget i deres Grave, han, i hvis Skygge vi tænkte at leve blandt Folkene.
The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. We had said of him, “Under his shadow we will live among the nations.”
21 Glæd dig og fryd dig, Edom, som bor i Uz! Ogsaa dig skal Bægeret naa, du skal blotte dig drukken.
So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself.
22 Din Skyld er til Ende, Zion, du forvises ej mer; han hjemsøger, Edom, din Skyld, afslører dine Synder.
O Daughter of Zion, your punishment is complete; He will not prolong your exile. But He will punish your iniquity, O Daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins.
