Lamentations 4:8-9
Lamentations 4:8-9 The Message (MSG)
But now they are smeared with soot, unrecognizable in the street, Their bones sticking out, their skin dried out like old leather. Better to have been killed in battle than killed by starvation. Better to have died of battle wounds than to slowly starve to death.
Lamentations 4:8-9 King James Version (KJV)
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. They that be slain with the sword Are better than they that be slain with hunger: For these pine away, stricken Through for want of the fruits of the field.
Lamentations 4:8-9 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
Their appearance is blacker than soot, They are not recognized in the streets; Their skin is shriveled on their bones, It is withered, it has become like wood. Better are those slain with the sword Than those slain with hunger; For they pine away, being stricken For lack of the fruits of the field.
Lamentations 4:8-9 New Century Version (NCV)
But now they are blacker than coal, and no one recognizes them in the streets. Their skin hangs on their bones; it is as dry as wood. Those who were killed in the war were better off than those killed by hunger. They starve in pain and die, because there is no food from the field.
Lamentations 4:8-9 American Standard Version (ASV)
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. 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.
Lamentations 4:8-9 New International Version (NIV)
But now they are blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as a stick. Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of famine; racked with hunger, they waste away for lack of food from the field.
Lamentations 4:8-9 New King James Version (NKJV)
Now their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets; Their skin clings to their bones, It has become as dry as wood. Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.
Lamentations 4:8-9 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Their appearance is [now] blacker than soot [because of the prolonged famine]; They are not recognized in the streets; Their skin clings to their bones; It is withered, and it has become [dry] like wood. Those killed with the sword Are more fortunate than those killed with hunger; For the hungry pine and ebb away, For the lack of the fruits of the field.
Lamentations 4:8-9 New Living Translation (NLT)
But now their faces are blacker than soot. No one recognizes them in the streets. Their skin sticks to their bones; it is as dry and hard as wood. Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger. Starving, they waste away for lack of food from the fields.
Lamentations 4:8-9 The Passion Translation (TPT)
Now their faces are emaciated; they are not even recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones, as dry as a stick. Better are those killed by the sword than those killed by famine. They slowly starve to death for lack of food.
Lamentations 4:8-9 English Standard Version Revision 2016 (ESV)
Now their face is blacker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets; their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become as dry as wood. Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field.