Lamentations 4
1 How! it is dimmed gold it is changed the gold fine they lie scattered stones of holiness at [the] head of all [the] streets.
[Previously our people were like] [MET] pure gold, but now they are worthless. [Like] [MET] the sacred stones in the temple have been scattered, [our young men have been scattered].
2 [the] children of Zion precious who were weighed with pure gold how! they are considered to jars of earthenware [the] work of [the] hands of a potter.
The young men of Jerusalem were as valuable as [MET] large amounts of gold, but now people consider that they are as worthless as [ordinary] clay pots.
3 Also (jackals *Q(K)*) they draw out a breast they suckle young their [the] daughter of people my [has become] cruel (like ostriches *Q(K)*) in the wilderness.
Even the [female] jackals/wolves feed their pups, but my people act cruelly [toward their children]; they are like [SIM] ostriches in the desert [that abandon their eggs].
4 It has cleaved [the] tongue of a suckling-child to (palate its *L(abh)*) by thirst children they have asked for bread [one who] breaks [it] not [belonged] to them.
[My people’s] infants’ tongues cling to the roofs/tops of their mouths because they are [extremely] thirsty; the children plead for some food, but no one gives them [any].
5 The [ones] eating delicacies they are desolate in the streets the [ones] brought up on crimson they have embraced ash heaps.
People who [previously] ate fine food are [now] starving in the streets; those who previously lived luxuriously [MTY] [now] paw/dig through rubbish heaps [to find some food].
6 And it has become great [the] iniquity of [the] daughter of people my more than [the] sin of Sodom which was overthrown like a moment and not they twisted on it hands.
[The people of] Sodom were struck with a disaster very suddenly, and there was no one to rescue them; but my people have been punished more severely than [the people of] Sodom were punished.
7 They were bright ones of high rank its more than snow they were dazzling more than milk they were red bone more than corals [was] sapphire polishing their.
Our leaders’ [behavior] was [previously] very pure, whiter [and brighter] than snow and milk; their bodies were redder than [red] coral/stones; they were very strong and healthy [MET].
8 It is dark more than soot appearance their not they are recognized in the streets it has shriveled skin their on bone their dry it has become like wood.
But now their faces are blacker than soot, and no one recognizes them in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones, and it has become as dry as [SIM] a wooden [stick].
9 Good they are [those] slain of a sword more than [those] slain of hunger who they they flow away pierced through from [the] produce of [the] field.
It is better to die in a battle [MTY] than to die of hunger. There was no food to harvest in the fields, so the people slowly starved until they died.
10 [the] hands of Women compassionate they have boiled own children their they have been for eating for them in [the] brokenness of [the] daughter of people my.
Women who [usually/previously] were very kind have [killed and] cooked their own children; they ate them [when there was no other food], when Jerusalem was surrounded [by enemy soldiers].
11 He has completed Yahweh rage his he has poured out [the] burning of anger his and he has kindled a fire in Zion and it has consumed foundations its.
Yahweh has shown that he was extremely angry; [it is as though] he started/ignited a fire in Jerusalem that burned everything to ashes.
12 Not they believed [the] kings of [the] earth (all *Q(K)*) [the] inhabitants of [the] world that he will go opponent and enemy in [the] gates of Jerusalem.
None of the kings on the earth or anyone else believed that any of our enemies could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
13 From [the] sins of prophets its [the] iniquities of priests its who shed in midst its [the] blood of righteous [people].
[But that is what happened]; it happened because the prophets sinned; and the priests [also] sinned by causing innocent people to be executed [MTY].
14 They wandered blind [people] in the streets they were defiled by the blood in not people were able people touched clothes their.
The prophets and priests wandered through the streets [as though they were] blind. No one would touch them because their clothes were stained with the blood [of people who had been killed].
15 Depart unclean people called out to them depart depart may not you touch for they fled also they wandered people said among the nations not they will increase to sojourn.
The people [who were alive] shouted, “Stay away [from us] [DOU]! You are defiled/untouchable! Do not touch us!” So the prophets and priests fled [from Israel], and they wandered around from one country to another, because people [in each country] kept saying to them, “You cannot stay here!”
16 [the] presence of Yahweh it scattered them not he will repeat to pay attention to them [the] face of priests not they lifted up (and elders *Q(K)*) not they showed favor to.
It is Yahweh himself who has scattered them; he no longer is concerned about them. People do not respect [our] priests or leaders.
17 (Yet we *Q(K)*) they failed eyes our to help our futility in watchtower our we watched to a nation [which] not it will save.
We [SYN] continued to look for someone to help [us], but it was useless. We continued to watch to see if one of our allies would save us, but none of the nations that we were waiting for could help [us].
18 They hunted steps our from walking in open places our it drew near end our they were completed days our for it had come end our.
[Our] enemies were hunting for us, so we could not [even] walk in our streets [lest they seize us]. We were about to be captured; it was time for us to be killed.
19 Swift they were pursuers our more than [the] eagles of heaven on the mountains they hotly pursued us in the wilderness they lay in wait for us.
Those who pursued us were faster than eagles [flying] in the sky. Even if we fled to the mountains or hid in the desert, they [went there ahead of us and] waited [to attack] us.
20 [the] breath of Nostrils our [the] [one] anointed of Yahweh he was captured in pits their whom we had said in shadow his we will live among the nations.
[Our king, ] whom Yahweh appointed, was the one who enabled us to remain alive [MTY]; he was the one whom we trusted to protect us [IDM] from [the armies of] other nations. But he was [captured] [like animals are] [MET] caught in a pit.
21 Exult and rejoice O daughter of Edom ([who] dwells *Q(K)*) in [the] land of Uz also to you it will pass on a cup you will become drunk and you may strip yourself naked.
You people of [IDM] Edom and Uz, [you may] be happy [about what is happening to us now], but [Yahweh] will be punishing [MTY] you [also]. You will become drunk and will be ashamed [because your enemies] will have stripped off your clothes.
22 It will finish iniquity your O daughter of Zion not he will increase to take into exile you he will punish iniquity your O daughter of Edom he will make known on sins your.
You [people of] [APO] Jerusalem, the time of your being punished will end; Yahweh will not allow you to continue to live in (exile/foreign countries). But [you people of] [APO] Edom, Yahweh will punish [you]; he will reveal the wicked things that you have done.
