Lamentations 4
4
The Attack on Jerusalem
1See how the gold has lost its shine!
See how the good gold has changed!
The stones of the Temple are scattered
at every street corner.
2The precious people of Jerusalem
were more valuable than gold.
But now they are thought of as clay jars
made by the hands of a potter.
3Even wild dogs give their milk
to feed their young.
But my people are cruel
like ostriches in the desert.
4The baby is so thirsty
that his tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth.
Children beg for bread.
But no one breaks off a piece to share with them.
5Those who once ate fine foods
are now starving in the streets.
The people who grew up wearing nice clothes
now pick through trash piles.
6My people have been punished
more than Sodom was.
Sodom was destroyed suddenly.
No hands reached out to help her.
7Our princes were purer than snow.
They were whiter than milk.
Their bodies were redder than rubies.
Their faces shined like sapphires.
8But now they are blacker than coal.
No one even recognizes them in the streets.
Their skin is stretched over their bones.
It is as dry as wood.
9Those people who were killed by the sword had it better
than those killed by hunger.
They starved in pain and died
because there was no food from the field.
10With their own hands kind women
cooked their own children.
The children became food for their parents.
This happened when my people were destroyed.
11The Lord turned loose all of his anger.
He poured out his strong anger.
He set fire to Jerusalem.
It burned down to the foundations.
12Kings of the earth and people of the world
could not believe it.
They could not believe that enemies
could come through the gates of Jerusalem.
13But it happened because her prophets had sinned.
And her priests had done evil.
They killed in the city
the people who did what was right.
14They wandered in the streets
like blind men.
They became dirty with blood.
So no one could touch their clothes.
15“Go away! You are unclean,” people shouted at them.
“Get away! Get away! Do not touch us!”
So they left and wandered around.
The other nations said, “Don’t stay here.”
16The Lord himself scattered them.
He did not look after them anymore.
He did not respect the priests.
He showed no mercy to the elders.
17Also, our eyes grew tired
looking for help that never came.
We kept watch from our towers
for a nation to save us.
18Our enemies hunted us
so we could not even walk in the streets.
Our end came near. Our time was up.
Our end came.
19The men who chased us
were faster than eagles in the sky.
They ran us into the mountains.
They ambushed us in the desert.
20The Lord’s appointed king, who was our very breath,
was caught in their traps.
We had said about him, “We will be protected by him
among the nations.”
21Be happy and glad, people of Edom,
you who live in the land of Uz.
But the Lord’s anger is like a cup of wine that you also will have to drink.
Then you will get drunk on it and make yourselves naked.
22Your punishment is complete, Jerusalem.
He will not keep you in captivity any longer.
But the Lord will punish your wrongs, people of Edom.
He will uncover your sins.
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Lamentations 4: ICB
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