Lamentations 4:1-5 - Compare All Versions

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How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold become dull! The sacred gems are scattered at every street corner. How the precious children of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter’s hands! Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert. Because of thirst the infant’s tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth; the children beg for bread, but no one gives it to them. Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps.

How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street. The precious sons of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold, how they are regarded as earthen pots, the work of a potter’s hands! Even jackals offer the breast; they nurse their young; but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. The tongue of the nursing infant sticks to the roof of its mouth for thirst; the children beg for food, but no one gives to them. Those who once feasted on delicacies perish in the streets; those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps.

How the gold has lost its luster! Even the finest gold has become dull. The sacred gemstones lie scattered in the streets! See how the precious children of Jerusalem, worth their weight in fine gold, are now treated like pots of clay made by a common potter. Even the jackals feed their young, but not my people Israel. They ignore their children’s cries, like ostriches in the desert. The parched tongues of their little ones stick to the roofs of their mouths in thirst. The children cry for bread, but no one has any to give them. The people who once ate the richest foods now beg in the streets for anything they can get. Those who once wore the finest clothes now search the garbage dumps for food.

How the gold has become tarnished, the fine gold become dull! The stones of the temple  lie scattered at the head of every street.  Zion’s precious children — once worth their weight in pure gold   — how they are regarded as clay jars, the work of a potter’s hands! Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my dear people have become cruel like ostriches  in the wilderness. The nursing baby’s tongue clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst.  Infants beg for food, but no one gives them any. Those who used to eat delicacies are destitute in the streets; those who were reared in purple garments  huddle in trash heaps.

How is the gold become dim! How is the most fine gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out In the top of every street. The precious sons of Zion, Comparable to fine gold, How are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, The work of the hands of the potter! Even the sea monsters 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. 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. They that did feed delicately Are desolate in the streets: They that were brought up In scarlet embrace dunghills.

How the gold has become dim! How changed the fine gold! The stones of the sanctuary are scattered At the head of every street. The precious sons of Zion, Valuable as fine gold, How they are regarded as clay pots, The work of the hands of the potter! Even the jackals present their breasts To nurse their young; But the daughter of my people is cruel, Like ostriches in the wilderness. The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth for thirst; The young children ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them. Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those who were brought up in scarlet Embrace ash heaps.

Oh, oh, oh . . .  How gold is treated like dirt, the finest gold thrown out with the garbage, Priceless jewels scattered all over, jewels loose in the gutters. And the people of Zion, once prized, far surpassing their weight in gold, Are now treated like cheap pottery, like everyday pots and bowls mass-produced by a potter. Even wild jackals nurture their babies, give them their breasts to suckle. But my people have turned cruel to their babies, like an ostrich in the wilderness. Babies have nothing to drink. Their tongues stick to the roofs of their mouths. Little children ask for bread but no one gives them so much as a crust. People used to the finest cuisine forage for food in the streets. People used to the latest in fashions pick through the trash for something to wear.

How dark the gold has become, How the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones are spilled out At the corner of every street. The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against pure gold, How they are regarded as earthenware jars, The work of a potter’s hands! Even jackals offer the breast, They nurse their young; But the daughter of my people has proved herself cruel, Like ostriches in the wilderness. The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth because of thirst; The children ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them. Those who used to eat delicacies Are made to tremble in the streets; Those who were raised in crimson clothing Embrace garbage heaps.

How dark and dim the gold has become, How the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones [of the temple] are poured out and scattered At the head of every street. The [noble and] precious sons of Zion, [Once] worth their weight in fine gold, How they are regarded [merely] as earthen jars, The work of a potter’s hands! [Is 30:14; Jer 19:11; 2 Cor 4:7] Even the jackals offer the breast, They nurse their young; But the daughter of my people has become cruel Like ostriches in the wilderness [that desert their young]. The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth because of thirst; The little ones ask for food, But no one gives it to them. Those who feasted on delicacies Are perishing in the streets; Those reared in purple [as nobles] Embrace ash heaps.

Alas! Gold has lost its luster; pure gold loses value. Jewels are scattered on every street corner. ב (Bet) The precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in gold – Alas! – but now they are treated like broken clay pots, made by a potter. ג (Gimel) Even the jackals nurse their young at their breast, but my people are cruel, like ostriches in the desert. ד (Dalet) The infant’s tongue sticks to the roof of its mouth due to thirst; little children beg for bread, but no one gives them even a morsel. ה (He) Those who once feasted on delicacies are now starving to death in the streets. Those who grew up wearing expensive clothes are now dying amid garbage. ו (Vav)