Lamentaciones 4
1 ¡Cómo se ennegreció el oro! ¡Cómo se alteró el oro puro! ¡En la esquina de toda calle Están tiradas las piedras del Santuario!
[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 Los preciosos hijos de Sion, Que eran comparables al oro fino, Son considerados como vasijas de arcilla, Obra de manos de alfarero.
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 Aun los chacales ofrecen las mamas Para alimentar sus crías, Pero la hija de mi pueblo se volvió cruel Como los avestruces en el desierto.
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 La lengua del mamante se pega A su paladar a causa de la sed. Los niños piden pan. Nadie se lo parte.
[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 Los que comían manjares delicados Están desolados en las calles. Los que fueron criados en púrpura, Abrazan los estercoleros.
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 La iniquidad de la hija de mi pueblo Es mayor que el pecado de Sodoma, La cual fue arrasada en un instante Y no hubo manos que la ayudaran.
[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 Sus magistrados fueron más puros que la nieve, Más blancos que la leche. Más rubios eran sus cuerpos que el coral. Su talle era más hermoso que el zafiro.
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 Hoy su apariencia es más negra que el hollín, No son reconocidos en las calles. Su piel se pegó a sus huesos, Se volvió tan seca como madera.
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 Mejor están los asesinados a espada Que los asesinados por el hambre. Éstos se consumen lentamente Por falta de los frutos del campo.
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 Las manos de mujeres compasivas Cocinaron a sus propios hijos. Se convirtieron en alimento para ellas A causa de la destrucción de la hija de mi pueblo.
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 Yavé completó su furia, Derramó el ardor de su furor, Y encendió un fuego en Sion, Que devora sus cimientos.
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 No creyeron los reyes de la tierra Ni cualquier habitante del mundo Que los adversarios y enemigos entrarían por las puertas de Jerusalén.
None of the kings on the earth or anyone else believed that any of our enemies could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
13 A causa de los pecados de sus profetas Y de las iniquidades de sus sacerdotes, Los cuales derramaron en medio de ella La sangre de los justos.
[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 Ellos vagaban como ciegos por las calles. Se contaminaban con sangre Para que nadie tocara sus ropas.
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 Gritaban: ¡Apártense, estoy impuro! ¡Apártense, no me toquen! Así que huyeron y vagaron. Entre los gentiles les decían: ¡No morarán más aquí!
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 La Presencia de Yavé los dispersó, Ya no se ocupa de cuidarlos. No hay respeto para el sacerdote. No hay favor para los ancianos.
It is Yahweh himself who has scattered them; he no longer is concerned about them. People do not respect [our] priests or leaders.
17 Nuestros ojos nos desfallecieron Al buscar vanamente nuestra ayuda. Desde nuestra torre del vigía miramos Hacia un pueblo que no pudo salvarnos.
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 Acechan nuestros pasos Para que no andemos en nuestras calles. Nuestro fin se acercó. Nuestros días se cumplieron Porque llegó nuestro fin.
[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 Nuestros perseguidores fueron más veloces Que las águilas del cielo. Nos cazaron en las montañas. Nos tendieron emboscadas en la región despoblada.
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 El aliento de nuestras fosas nasales, El Ungido de Yavé, De quien dijimos: Bajo su sombra viviremos entre los gentiles, Fue atrapado en sus fosas.
[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 ¡Regocíjate y alégrate, Oh hija de Edom, Tú que vives en tierra de Uz! La copa te llegará también a ti, Te embriagarás y te desnudarás.
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 ¡Oh hija de Sion, El castigo de tu iniquidad se cumplió! Ya no serás llevada en cautiverio. Pero, oh hija de Edom, Él expondrá tus pecados.
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.
