Lamentations 4
4
The people’s suffering
1Oh, no!
Gold is tarnished;#4.1 Heb uncertain even the purest gold is changed.
Sacred jewels are scattered on every street corner.
2Zion’s precious children, once valued as pure gold—
oh no!—now they are worth no more than clay pots made by a potter.
3Even jackals offer the breast; they nurse their young.
But the daughter of my people has become cruel, like desert ostriches.
4The baby’s tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth, thirsty.
Children ask for bread, beg for it—but there is no bread.
5Those who once ate gourmet food now tremble in the streets.
Those who wore the finest purple clothes now cling to piles of garbage.
6Greater was the punishment#4.6 Or iniquity of the daughter of my people than Sodom’s penalty,#4.6 Or sin
which was quickly overthrown without any hand-wringing.#4.6 Heb uncertain
7Her nazirites were purer than snow; they were more dazzling than milk.
Their limbs were redder than coral; their bodies were sapphire.
8But their appearance grew darker than soot; they weren’t recognized in the streets.
Their skin shriveled on their bones; it became dry like wood.
9Things were better for those stabbed by the sword than for those stabbed by famine—
those who bled away, pierced, lacking food from the field.
10The hands of loving women boiled their own children
to become their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11The LORD let loose his fury; he poured out his fierce anger.
He started a fire in Zion; it licked up its foundations.
12The earth’s rulers didn’t believe it—neither did any who inhabit the world—
that either enemy or adversary could enter Jerusalem’s gates.
13It was because of her prophets’ sins, her priests’ iniquities,
those who shed righteous blood in the middle of the city.
14People wandered blindly in the streets, polluted with blood.
No one would even touch their clothing.
15“Go away! Unclean!” was shouted at them, “Go away! Away! Don’t touch!”
So they fled and wandered around. The nations said, “They can’t stay here anymore.”
16It was the LORD’s presence that scattered them;#4.16 Heb uncertain he no longer notices them.
They didn’t honor the priests’ presence; they didn’t favor the elders.
17Our eyes continually failed, looking for some help, but for nothing.
From our watchtower we watched for a nation that doesn’t save.
18Our steps were tracked; we could no longer walk in our streets.
Our end had drawn near; our days were done—our end had definitely come.
19Our hunters were faster than airborne eagles.
They chased us up the mountains; they ambushed us in the wilderness.
20The LORD’s chosen one, the very breath in our lungs, was caught in their traps—
the one we used to talk about, saying, “Under his protection we will live among the nations.”
21Rejoice and be happy, Daughter Edom, you who live in the land of Uz.
But this cup will pass over to you too. You will get drunk on it. You will be stripped naked.
22Your punishment#4.22 Or iniquity is over, Daughter Zion; God won’t expose you anymore.
But he will attend to your punishment, Daughter Edom; he will expose your sins.
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Lamentations 4
4
The people’s suffering
1Oh, no!
Gold is tarnished;#4.1 Heb uncertain even the purest gold is changed.
Sacred jewels are scattered on every street corner.
2Zion’s precious children, once valued as pure gold—
oh no!—now they are worth no more than clay pots made by a potter.
3Even jackals offer the breast; they nurse their young.
But the daughter of my people has become cruel, like desert ostriches.
4The baby’s tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth, thirsty.
Children ask for bread, beg for it—but there is no bread.
5Those who once ate gourmet food now tremble in the streets.
Those who wore the finest purple clothes now cling to piles of garbage.
6Greater was the punishment#4.6 Or iniquity of the daughter of my people than Sodom’s penalty,#4.6 Or sin
which was quickly overthrown without any hand-wringing.#4.6 Heb uncertain
7Her nazirites were purer than snow; they were more dazzling than milk.
Their limbs were redder than coral; their bodies were sapphire.
8But their appearance grew darker than soot; they weren’t recognized in the streets.
Their skin shriveled on their bones; it became dry like wood.
9Things were better for those stabbed by the sword than for those stabbed by famine—
those who bled away, pierced, lacking food from the field.
10The hands of loving women boiled their own children
to become their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11The LORD let loose his fury; he poured out his fierce anger.
He started a fire in Zion; it licked up its foundations.
12The earth’s rulers didn’t believe it—neither did any who inhabit the world—
that either enemy or adversary could enter Jerusalem’s gates.
13It was because of her prophets’ sins, her priests’ iniquities,
those who shed righteous blood in the middle of the city.
14People wandered blindly in the streets, polluted with blood.
No one would even touch their clothing.
15“Go away! Unclean!” was shouted at them, “Go away! Away! Don’t touch!”
So they fled and wandered around. The nations said, “They can’t stay here anymore.”
16It was the LORD’s presence that scattered them;#4.16 Heb uncertain he no longer notices them.
They didn’t honor the priests’ presence; they didn’t favor the elders.
17Our eyes continually failed, looking for some help, but for nothing.
From our watchtower we watched for a nation that doesn’t save.
18Our steps were tracked; we could no longer walk in our streets.
Our end had drawn near; our days were done—our end had definitely come.
19Our hunters were faster than airborne eagles.
They chased us up the mountains; they ambushed us in the wilderness.
20The LORD’s chosen one, the very breath in our lungs, was caught in their traps—
the one we used to talk about, saying, “Under his protection we will live among the nations.”
21Rejoice and be happy, Daughter Edom, you who live in the land of Uz.
But this cup will pass over to you too. You will get drunk on it. You will be stripped naked.
22Your punishment#4.22 Or iniquity is over, Daughter Zion; God won’t expose you anymore.
But he will attend to your punishment, Daughter Edom; he will expose your sins.
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