Lamentations 4
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Christian Standard BibleNew American Standard Bible 1995
1How the gold has become tarnished, the fine gold become dull! The stones of the temple lie scattered at the head of every street.1How dark the gold has become, How the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones are poured out At the corner of every street.
2Zion’s precious children --once worth their weight in pure gold --how they are regarded as clay jars, the work of a potter’s hands!2The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against fine gold, How they are regarded as earthen jars, The work of a potter's hands!
3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my dear people have become cruel like ostriches in the wilderness.3Even jackals offer the breast, They nurse their young; But the daughter of my people has become cruel Like ostriches in the wilderness.
4The nursing baby’s tongue clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst. Infants beg for food, but no one gives them any.4The tongue of the infant cleaves To the roof of its mouth because of thirst; The little ones ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them.
5Those who used to eat delicacies are destitute in the streets; those who were reared in purple garments huddle in trash heaps.5Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those reared in purple Embrace ash pits.
6The punishment of my dear people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand laid on it.6For the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown as in a moment, And no hands were turned toward her.
7Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their appearance like lapis lazuli.7Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, They were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than corals, Their polishing was like lapis lazuli.
8Now they appear darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become dry like wood.8Their 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.
9Those slain by the sword are better off than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.9Better 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.
10The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children; they became their food during the destruction of my dear people.10The hands of compassionate women Boiled their own children; They became food for them Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11The LORD has exhausted his wrath, poured out his burning anger; he has ignited a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations.11The LORD has accomplished His wrath, He has poured out His fierce anger; And He has kindled a fire in Zion Which has consumed its foundations.
12The kings of the earth and all the world’s inhabitants did not believe that an enemy or adversary could enter Jerusalem’s gates.12The kings of the earth did not believe, Nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
13Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous within her.13Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous;
14Blind, they stumbled in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.14They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.
15“Stay away! Unclean! ” people shouted at them. “Away, away! Don’t touch us! ” So they wandered aimlessly. It was said among the nations, “They can stay here no longer.”15"Depart! Unclean!" they cried of themselves. "Depart, depart, do not touch!" So they fled and wandered; Men among the nations said, "They shall not continue to dwell with us."
16The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are not respected; the elders find no favor.16The presence of the LORD has scattered them, He will not continue to regard them; They did not honor the priests, They did not favor the elders.
17All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help; we watched from our towers for a nation that would not save us.17Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.
18Our steps were closely followed so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end approached; our time ran out. Our end had come!18They hunted our steps So that we could not walk in our streets; Our end drew near, Our days were finished For our end had come.
19Those who chased us were swifter than eagles in the sky; they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.19Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the sky; They chased us on the mountains, They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness.
20The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their traps. We had said about him, “We will live under his protection among the nations.”20The breath of our nostrils, the LORD'S anointed, Was captured in their pits, Of whom we had said, "Under his shadow We shall live among the nations."
21So rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom, you resident of the land of Uz! Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself.21Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, Who dwells in the land of Uz; But the cup will come around to you as well, You will become drunk and make yourself naked.
22Daughter Zion, your punishment is complete; he will not lengthen your exile. But he will punish your iniquity, Daughter Edom, and will expose your sins.22The punishment of your iniquity has been completed, O daughter of Zion; He will exile you no longer. But He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins!
The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org
Lamentations 3
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