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.
The gold has become tarnished; how the purest gold has changed! The holy stones are scattered at the corner of every street.
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 precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in pure gold, but now they are worth no more than clay jars, the work of the potter's hands!
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 jackals offer the breast to nurse their cubs, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the desert.
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.
The tongue of the nursing baby sticks to the roof of his mouth by thirst; the children ask for food, but there is none for them.
5 The [ones] eating delicacies they are desolate in the streets the [ones] brought up on crimson they have embraced ash heaps.
Those who used to feast on the finest food now starve in the streets. Those who were brought up wearing scarlet clothing now lie on piles of ashes.
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 punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment and no hands were wrung for her.
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.
Her leaders were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their form was like sapphire.
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.
Their appearance now is darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as wood.
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.
Those who have been killed by the sword were happier than those killed by hunger, who wasted away, pierced by the lack of any harvest from the field.
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.
The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the time when the daughter of my people was being destroyed.
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 showed all his wrath; he poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her foundations.
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.
The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the inhabitants of the world believe, that enemies or opponents 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].
This happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests who have shed the blood of the righteous in her midst.
14 They wandered blind [people] in the streets they were defiled by the blood in not people were able people touched clothes their.
They wandered, blind, through the streets. They were so defiled by that blood that no one was allowed to touch their clothes.
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.
“Away! Unclean!” people cried at them. “Away! Away! Do not touch!” So they wandered about; people said among the nations, “They can stay here no longer.”
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.
Yahweh himself scattered them; he does not watch over them anymore. They do not honor the priests, and they did not show any favor to the elders.
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.
Our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue 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.
They followed our steps, we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near and our days were numbered, our end had come.
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.
Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles in the sky. They chased us to the mountains and lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
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.
The breath in our nostrils—Yahweh's anointed one—he was the one who was captured in their pits; of whom it was said, “Under his shadow we will live among the nations.”
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.
Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, you who live in the land of Uz. But to you also the cup will be passed; you will be drunk and strip yourself naked.
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.
Daughter of Zion, your punishment will come to an end; he will not extend your exile. But daughter of Edom, he will punish; he will uncover your sins.
