Lamentations 4
1 How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! The hallowed stones are cast forth at the head of every street.
How the gold has become tarnished, the pure gold has become dull! The gems of the temple lie scattered on every street corner.
2 The noble sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
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 The very jackals reach forth the breast; they suckle their young; But the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches of the desert.
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 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst; Young children ask for bread, and no man breaketh it for them.
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 Those that fed on dainties are desolate in the streets; Those that have been brought up in scarlet embrace the dunghill.
Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps.
6 The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, though no hands came against her.
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 Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; More ruddy than coral was their body; Their visage was of sapphire.
Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
8 Now darker than a coal is their countenance; they are not known in the streets. Their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is become dry, like wood.
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 More fortunate are the slain by the sword than the slain by famine; For these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
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 The hands of tender-hearted women cooked their own children; They were their food, in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 Jehovah hath spent upon them his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger; He hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured its foundations.
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 The kings of the earth believed not, nor all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary would enter, and the enemy, within the gates of Jerusalem.
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 It was on account of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, Who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous.
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 They stumbled like blind men through the streets, polluted with blood, So that men could not touch their garments.
They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.
15 “Depart! unclean!” men cried to them. “Depart, depart, touch not!” As they fled, they stumbled; men said among the nations, “They shall dwell there no more.”
“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 The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; he will no more care for them; They paid no regard to the priests, they had no compassion for the elders.
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 Still did our eyes fail, looking for help in vain; On our watch-tower did we watch for a nation that could not save us.
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 They laid snares for our steps, so that we could not go in our streets; Our end is near; our days are accomplished, yea, our end is come!
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 Swifter were our pursuers than the eagles of heaven; They chased us upon the mountains; they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
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 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits, Under whose shadow we said that we should live among the nations.
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 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz! Yet to thee also shall the cup come! thou shalt be drunken, and shalt expose thy nakedness.
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 Thy punishment is at an end, O daughter of Zion! no more will he carry thee into captivity; But thine iniquity will he punish, O daughter of Edom! he will uncover thy sins.
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.
