耶利米哀歌 4
1 黃金何其失光！ 純金何其變色！ 聖所的石頭倒在各市口上。
The gold has become tarnished; how the purest gold has changed! The holy stones are scattered at the corner of every street.
2 錫安寶貴的眾子好比精金， 現在何竟算為窯匠手所做的瓦瓶？
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 野狗尚且把奶乳哺其子， 我民的婦人倒成為殘忍， 好像曠野的鴕鳥一般。
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 吃奶孩子的舌頭因乾渴貼住上膛； 孩童求餅，無人擘給他們。
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 素來吃美好食物的， 現今在街上變為孤寒； 素來臥朱紅褥子的， 現今躺臥糞堆。
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 都因我眾民的罪孽比所多瑪的罪還大； 所多瑪雖然無人加手於她， 還是轉眼之間被傾覆。
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 錫安的貴冑素來比雪純淨， 比奶更白； 他們的身體比紅寶玉更紅， 像光潤的藍寶石一樣。
Her leaders were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their form was like sapphire.
8 現在他們的面貌比煤炭更黑， 以致在街上無人認識； 他們的皮膚緊貼骨頭， 枯乾如同槁木。
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 餓死的不如被刀殺的， 因為這是缺了田間的土產， 就身體衰弱，漸漸消滅。
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 慈心的婦人，當我眾民被毀滅的時候， 親手煮自己的兒女作為食物。
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 耶和華發怒成就他所定的， 倒出他的烈怒； 在錫安使火着起， 燒毀錫安的根基。
Yahweh showed all his wrath; he poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her foundations.
12 地上的君王和世上的居民都不信 敵人和仇敵能進耶路撒冷的城門。
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 這都因她先知的罪惡和祭司的罪孽； 他們在城中流了義人的血。
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 他們在街上如瞎子亂走， 又被血玷污， 以致人不能摸他們的衣服。
They wandered, blind, through the streets. They were so defiled by that blood that no one was allowed to touch their clothes.
15 人向他們喊着說： 不潔淨的，躲開，躲開！ 不要挨近我！ 他們逃走飄流的時候， 列國中有人說： 他們不可仍在這裏寄居。
“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 耶和華發怒，將他們分散， 不再眷顧他們； 人不重看祭司，也不厚待長老。
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 我們仰望人來幫助， 以致眼目失明，還是枉然； 我們所盼望的，竟盼望一個不能救人的國！
Our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue us.
18 仇敵追趕我們的腳步像打獵的， 以致我們不敢在自己的街上行走。 我們的結局臨近； 我們的日子滿足； 我們的結局來到了。
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 追趕我們的比空中的鷹更快； 他們在山上追逼我們， 在曠野埋伏，等候我們。
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 耶和華的受膏者好比我們鼻中的氣， 在他們的坑中被捉住； 我們曾論到他說： 我們必在他蔭下， 在列國中存活。
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 住烏斯地的以東民哪，只管歡喜快樂； 苦杯也必傳到你那裏； 你必喝醉，以致露體。
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 錫安的民哪，你罪孽的刑罰受足了， 耶和華必不使你再被擄去。 以東的民哪，他必追討你的罪孽， 顯露你的罪惡。
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.
