Lamentations 4

1 [ALEPH-BET] How the gold has become dim, Changed the best—the pure gold! Stones of the sanctuary are poured out At the head of all out-places.

How is the gold become dim, Changed the best — the pure gold? Poured out are stones of the sanctuary At the head of all out-places.

2 The precious sons of Zion, Who are comparable with fine gold, How they have been reckoned earthen bottles, Work of the hands of a potter.

The precious sons of Zion, Who are comparable with fine gold, How have they been reckoned earthen bottles, Work of the hands of a potter.

3 Even dragons have drawn out the breast, They have suckled their young ones, The daughter of my people has become cruel, Like the ostriches in a wilderness.

Even dragons have drawn out the breast, They have suckled their young ones, The daughter of my people is become cruel, Like the ostriches in a wilderness.

4 The tongue of a suckling has cleaved to his palate with thirst, Infants asked for bread, they have no dealer [of it] out.

Cleaved hath the tongue of a suckling unto his palate with thirst, Infants asked bread, a dealer out they have none.

5 Those eating of delicacies have been desolate in out-places, Those supported on scarlet have embraced dunghills.

Those eating of dainties have been desolate in out-places, Those supported on scarlet have embraced dunghills.

6 And greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people, Than the sin of Sodom, That was overturned as [in] a moment, And no hands were stayed on her.

And greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people, Than the sin of Sodom, That was overturned as [in] a moment, And no hands were stayed on her.

7 Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.

Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.

8 Their face has been darker than blackness, They have not been known in out-places, Their skin has cleaved to their bone, It has withered—it has been as wood.

Darker than blackness hath been their visage, They have not been known in out-places, Cleaved hath their skin unto their bone, It hath withered — it hath been as wood.

9 Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field.

Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field.

10 The hands of merciful women have boiled their own children, They have been for food to them, In the destruction of the daughter of my people.

The hands of merciful women have boiled their own children, They have been for food to them, In the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11 YHWH has completed His fury, He has poured out the fierceness of His anger, And He kindles a fire in Zion, And it devours her foundations.

Completed hath Jehovah His fury, He hath poured out the fierceness of His anger, And he kindleth a fire in Zion, And it devoureth her foundations.

12 The kings of earth did not believe, And any of the inhabitants of the world, That an adversary and enemy would come Into the gates of Jerusalem.

Believe not did the kings of earth, And any of the inhabitants of the world, That come would an adversary and enemy Into the gates of Jerusalem.

13 Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous,

Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous,

14 They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been defiled with blood, Without [any] being able to touch their clothing,

They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been polluted with blood, Without [any] being able to touch their clothing,

15 “Turn aside—unclean,” they called to them, “Turn aside, turn aside, do not touch,” For they fled—indeed, they have wandered, They have said among nations: “They do not add to sojourn.”

'Turn aside — unclean,' they called to them, 'Turn aside, turn aside, touch not,' For they fled — yea, they have wandered, They have said among nations: 'They do not add to sojourn.'

16 The face of YHWH has divided them, He does not add to behold them, They have not lifted up the face of priests, They have not favored [the] old and elderly.

The face of Jehovah hath divided them, He doth not add to behold them, The face of priests they have not lifted up, Elders they have not favoured.

17 While we exist—consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watchtower we have watched for a nation [that] does not save.

While we exist — consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation [that] saveth not.

18 They have hunted our steps from going in our broad-places, Near has been our end, fulfilled our days, For our end has come.

They have hunted our steps from going in our broad-places, Near hath been our end, fulfilled our days, For come hath our end.

19 Swifter have been our pursuers, Than the eagles of the heavens, On the mountains they have burned [after] us, In the wilderness they have laid wait for us.

Swifter have been our pursuers, Than the eagles of the heavens, On the mountains they have burned [after] us, In the wilderness they have laid wait for us.

20 The breath of our nostrils—the anointed of YHWH, Has been captured in their pits, of whom we said: “We live among nations in his shadow.”

The breath of our nostrils — the anointed of Jehovah, Hath been captured in their pits, of whom we said: 'In his shadow we do live among nations.'

21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, Dwelling in the land of Uz, Even to you a cup passes over, You are drunk, and make yourself naked.

Joy and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, Dwelling in the land of Uz, Even unto thee pass over doth a cup, Thou art drunk, and makest thyself naked.

22 Completed [is] your iniquity, daughter of Zion, He does not add to remove you, He has inspected your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He has removed [you] because of your sins!

Completed [is] thy iniquity, daughter of Zion, He doth not add to remove thee, He hath inspected thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He hath removed [thee] because of thy sins!