Lamentations 4

1 How the gold has become dim. How the most pure gold has changed. The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.

The gold has become tarnished; how the purest gold has changed! The holy stones are scattered at the corner of every street.

2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, How they are regarded as clay jars, the work of the hands of the 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 Even the jackals offer the breast, they nurse their young ones, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches 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 The nursing infant's tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread, but no one gives 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 Those who ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple embrace 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 For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant, and no hands were laid on her.

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 Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance was like lapis lazuli.

Her leaders were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their form was like sapphire.

8 They appear darker than soot; they are not known in the streets. Their skin cleaves to their bones; it is withered and has become as dry as a stick.

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 Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; those who waste away, pierced through, for lack of the fruits 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 the compassionate women have cooked their own children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

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 The LORD has accomplished his wrath, he has poured out his fierce anger; he has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.

Yahweh showed all his wrath; he poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her foundations.

12 The kings of the earth did not believe, neither all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary or the enemy would enter into 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 It is because of the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her cohanim, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

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 wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, so that men can't touch their garments.

They wandered, blind, through the streets. They were so defiled by that blood that no one was allowed to touch their clothes.

15 "Go away." they cried to them, "Unclean. Away, away. Do not touch." When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, "They shall not live here anymore."

“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 LORD himself has scattered them; he will no more regard them. They did not respect the cohanim, they did not favor the elders.

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 Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

Our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our watchtowers we watched for a nation that could not rescue us.

18 They hunt our steps, so that we can't go in our streets. Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end has come.

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 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky. They chased us on the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

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 our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, "Under his shadow we can 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 Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, that dwell in the land of Uz. The cup shall pass through to you also; you will get drunk, and shall make 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 The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion; he will no more carry you away into captivity. He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom; he will uncover your sins.

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.