Lamentations 4
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International Standard VersionNew American Standard Bible 1995
1How tarnished the gold has become, the finest gold debased! Sacred stones have been scattered at every street corner.1How dark the gold has become, How the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones are poured out At the corner of every street.
2Though the precious people of Zion were like fine gold, how they are valued like clay vessels, the handiwork of a potter!2The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against fine gold, How they are regarded as earthen jars, The work of a potter's hands!
3Even wild animals nurse, suckling their young; but the women of my people are 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 child's tongue cleaves to its palate from thirst. Young children beg for bread, 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 enjoyed delicacies lie desolate in the streets. Those who were reared wearing purple scavenge in piles of trash.5Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those reared in purple Embrace ash pits.
6The guilt of my cherished people surpasses the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, without a hand to help her.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 princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk. Their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their beards like the color of precious stones.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 their faces are blacker than coal; they are unrecognized in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones; it has become dry like a stick.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 who die by the sword are better off than those who die from starvation, who slowly waste away like those pierced through for lack of food from the fields.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.
10With their own hands, compassionate women boil their own children— they become their food— when my beloved people were destroyed.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, pouring out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, consuming its 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.
12None of the kings of the earth would have believed, nor the world's inhabitants, that the adversary and the enemy could have breached the gates of Jerusalem.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.
13Due to the sins committed by her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests who shed in her midst, the blood of the righteous,13Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous;
14people stagger around in the streets like the blind, defiled by blood unclean so that no one is able to touch their clothing.14They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.
15"Go away! Unclean!" they shouted at them. "Go away! Go away! Don't touch!" When they fled away and wandered, those among the nations decreed, "They cannot live here!"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 separated them; he will do nothing more for them. They did not respect their own priests; they did not honor their elders.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.
17Our eyes failed, searching in vain for hope; we kept watching and looking for a nation that would not help.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 stalked, so we couldn't travel on our own streets. Our end is near, our days are over; indeed, our end has 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.
19Our pursuers were swifter than soaring eagles; they pursued us over the mountains, lying in wait for 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 pits. About him we had said, "Under his protection we will survive 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."
21Celebrate and rejoice, you women of Edom, who live in the land of Uz. But to you the cup also will pass— you will become drunk and stripped naked.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.
22The punishment for your sin is complete, you women of Zion, and God will no longer exile you. He will punish your iniquity, you women of Edom, and he 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!
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Lamentations 3
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