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.

How is the gold become dim! [how] is the most pure gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head 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, comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

3 Also (jackals *QK) they draw out a breast they suckle young their [the] daughter of people my [has become] cruel (like ostriches *QK) in the wilderness.

Even the jackals draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: The daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

4 It has cleaved [the] tongue of a sucking child to palate its by thirst children they have asked for bread [one who] breaks [it] not [belonged] to them.

The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: The young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.

5 The [ones] eating delicacies they are desolate in the streets the [ones] brought up on crimson they have embraced ash heaps.

They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

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.

For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon 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 nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as of 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 visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: Their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a 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.

They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of 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 the pitiful women have boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

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.

Jehovah hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger; And he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof.

12 Not they believed [the] kings of [the] earth (all *QK) [the] inhabitants of [the] world that he will go opponent and enemy in [the] gates of Jerusalem.

The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into 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].

[It is] because of the sins of her prophets, [and] the iniquities of her priests, That have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her.

14 They wandered blind [people] in the streets they were defiled by the blood in not people were able people touched clothes their.

They wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men cannot touch their garments.

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.

Depart ye, they cried unto them, Unclean! depart, depart, touch not! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn [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 *QK) not they showed favor to.

The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; he will no more regard them: They respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders.

17 (Yet we *QK) they failed eyes our to help our futility in watchtower our we watched to a nation [which] not it will save.

Our eyes do yet fail [in looking] for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

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 hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets: Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is 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 of the heavens: They chased us upon the mountains, they laid 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 of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.

21 Exult and rejoice O daughter of Edom ([who] dwells *Qk) 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, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass through unto thee also; thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself 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.

The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: He will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover thy sins.