Klagesangene 4
1 Hvor Guldet blev sort, og skæmmet det ædle metal, de hellige Stene slængt hen paa Gadernes Hjørner!
How dark has the gold become! how changed the best gold! the stones of the holy place are dropping out at the top of every street.
2 Zions de dyre Sønner, der opvejed Guld, kun regnet for Lerkar, Pottemagerhænders Værk!
The valued sons of Zion, whose price was the best gold, are looked on as vessels of earth, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 Selv Sjakaler byder Brystet til, giver Ungerne Die, men mit Folks Datter blev grum som Ørkenens Strudse.
Even the beasts of the waste land have full breasts, they give milk to their young ones: the daughter of my people has become cruel like the ostriches in the waste land.
4 Den spædes Tunge hang fast ved Ganen af Tørst, Børnene tigged om Brød, og ingen gav dem.
The tongue of the child at the breast is fixed to the roof of his mouth for need of drink: the young children are crying out for bread, and no man gives it to them.
5 Folk, som levede lækkert, omkom paa Gaden; Folk, som var baaret paa Purpur, favnede Skarnet.
Those who were used to feasting on delicate food are wasted in the streets: those who as children were dressed in purple are stretched out on the dust.
6 Mit Folks Datters Brøde var større end Synden i Sodom, som brat blev styrtet, saa Hænder ej rørtes derinde.
For the punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overturned suddenly without any hand falling on her.
7 Hendes Fyrster var renere end Sne, mer hvide end Mælk, deres Legeme rødere end Koral, som Safir deres Aarer;
Her holy ones were cleaner than snow, they were whiter than milk, their bodies were redder than corals, their form was as the sapphire:
8 mer sorte end Sod ser de ud, kan ej kendes paa Gaden, Huden hænger ved Knoglerne, tør som Træ.
Their face is blacker than night; in the streets no one has knowledge of them: their skin is hanging on their bones, they are dry, they have become like wood.
9 Sværdets Ofre var bedre farne end Sultens, som svandt hen, dødsramte, af Mangel paa Markens Grøde.
Those who have been put to the sword are better off than those whose death is caused by need of food; for these come to death slowly, burned up like the fruit of the field.
10 Blide Kvinders Hænder kogte deres Børn; da mit Folks Datter brød sammen, blev de dem til Føde.
The hands of kind-hearted women have been boiling their children; they were 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 given full effect to his passion, he has let loose his burning wrath; he has made a fire in Zion, causing the destruction of its bases.
12 Ej troede Jordens Konger, ja ingen i Verden, at Uven og Fjende skulde staa i Jerusalems Porte.
To the kings of the earth and to all the people of the world it did not seem possible that the attackers and the haters would go into the doors of Jerusalem.
13 Det var for Profeternes Synd, for Præsternes Brøde, som i dets Midte udgød retfærdiges Blod.
It is because of the sins of her prophets and the evil-doing of her priests, by whom the blood of the upright has been drained out in her.
14 De vanked som blinde paa Gaderne, tilsølet af Blod, rørte med Klæderne Ting, som ikke maa røres.
They are wandering like blind men in the streets, they are made unclean with blood, so that their robes may not be touched by men.
15 »Var jer! En uren!« raabte man; »Var jer dog for dem!« Naar de flyr og vanker, raaber man: »Bliv ikke her!«
Away! unclean! they were crying out to them, Away! away! let there be no touching: when they went away in flight and wandering, men said among the nations, There is no further resting-place for them.
16 HERREN spredte dem selv, han saa dem ej mer, Præster regned man ej eller ynked Profeter.
The face of the Lord has sent them in all directions; he will no longer take care of them: they had no respect for the priests, they gave no honour to the old men.
17 End smægted vort Blik efter Hjælp, men kun for at skuffes, paa Varden spejded vi efter det Folk, der ej hjælper.
Our eyes are still wasting away in looking for our false help: we have been watching for a nation unable to give salvation.
18 De lured paa vort Fjed, fra Torvene holdt vi os borte; Enden var nær, vore Dage var omme, ja, Enden var kommet.
They go after our steps so that we may not go in our streets: our end is near, our days are numbered; for our end has come.
19 Mer snare end Himlens Ørne var de, som jog os, paa Bjergene satte de efter os, lured i Ørkenen,
Those who went after us were quicker than the eagles of the heaven, driving us before them on the mountains, waiting secretly for us in the waste land.
20 vor Livsaande, HERRENS Salvede, blev fanget i deres Grave, han, i hvis Skygge vi tænkte at leve blandt Folkene.
Our breath of life, he on whom the holy oil was put, was taken in their holes; of whom we said, Under his shade we will be living among the nations.
21 Glæd dig og fryd dig, Edom, som bor i Uz! Ogsaa dig skal Bægeret naa, du skal blotte dig drukken.
Have joy and be glad, O daughter of Edom, living in the land of Uz: the cup will be given to you in your turn, and you will be overcome with wine and your shame will be seen.
22 Din Skyld er til Ende, Zion, du forvises ej mer; han hjemsøger, Edom, din Skyld, afslører dine Synder.
The punishment of your evil-doing is complete, O daughter of Zion; never again will he take you away as a prisoner: he will give you the reward of your evil-doing, O daughter of Edom; he will let your sin be uncovered.
