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 the gold has become dim! The most pure gold has 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 they are 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 offer their breast. They nurse their young ones. But the daughter of my people has 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 nursing child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread, and no one breaks it 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 ate delicacies are desolate in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple 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, which was overthrown as in a moment. No hands were laid on 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 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 is blacker than a coal. They are not known in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones. It is withered. It has become like 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 are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for lack 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.

Yahweh has accomplished his wrath. He has poured out his fierce anger. He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.

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 didn’t believe, neither did 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 middle 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 can’t 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.

“Go away!” they cried to them. “Unclean! Go away! Go away! Don’t touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, “They can’t live here any more.”

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.

Yahweh’s anger has scattered them. He will not pay attention to them any more. They didn’t respect the persons of the priests. They didn’t favor 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 still fail, looking in vain for our 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 can’t go in our streets. Our end is near. Our days are fulfilled, for our end has 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 sky. They chased us on the mountains. They set an ambush 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 Yahweh, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, under his shadow we will 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, daughter of Edom, who dwells in the land of Uz. The cup will pass through to you also. You will be drunken, and will make 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.

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.