Lamentations 4 Parallel Bible Translations

Lamentations 4 ▼
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1 How the gold has become tarnished, the pure gold has become dull! The gems of the temple lie scattered on every street corner. How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street. How is the gold become dim! <i>how</i> is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street. How dark the gold has become, <i>How</i> the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones are spilled out At the corner of every street. How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold become dull! The sacred gems are scattered at every street corner.
2 How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in pure gold, are now esteemed as jars of clay, the work of a potter’s hands! 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! The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter! The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against pure gold, How they are regarded as earthenware jars, The work of a potter’s hands! 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!
3 Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like an ostrich in the wilderness. Even jackals offer the breast; they nurse their young; but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people <i>is become</i> cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness. Even jackals offer the breast, They nurse their young; <i>But</i> the daughter of my people has proved herself cruel, Like ostriches in the wilderness. Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert.
4 The nursing infant’s tongue clings in thirst to the roof of his mouth. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any. 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. The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, <i>and</i> no man breaketh <i>it</i> unto them. The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth because of thirst; The children ask for bread, <i>But</i> no one breaks <i>it</i> for them. 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.
5 Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets; those brought up in crimson huddle in ash heaps. Those who once feasted on delicacies perish in the streets; those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps. They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills. Those who used to eat delicacies Are made to tremble in the streets; Those who were raised in crimson <i>clothing</i> Embrace garbage heaps. Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps.
6 The punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand turned to help her. For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, and no hands were wrung for her. For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her. For the wrongdoing 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. The punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment without a hand turned to help her.
7 Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires. Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire. Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing <i>was</i> of sapphire: Her consecrated ones were purer than snow, They shined more than milk; They were more ruddy <i>in</i> body than pearls of coral, Their form <i>was like</i> lapis lazuli. Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like lapis lazuli.
8 But now their appearance is 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. 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. 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. Their appearance is darker than soot, They are not recognized in the streets; Their skin is shriveled on their bones, It is dry, it has become like wood. 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.
9 Those slain by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce. Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field. <i>They that be</i> slain with the sword are better than <i>they that be</i> slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for <i>want of</i> the fruits of the field. Better <i>off</i> are those killed by the sword Than those killed by hunger; For they waste away, stricken By the lack of the produce of the field. 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.
10 The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people. The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food during the destruction of the daughter of my people. The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people. The hands of compassionate women Boiled their own children; They became food for them Due to the destruction of the daughter of my people. With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed.
11 The LORD has exhausted His wrath; He has poured out His fierce anger; He has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations. The LORD gave full vent to his wrath; he poured out his hot anger, and he kindled a fire in Zion that consumed its foundations. The LORD hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof. The LORD has expended His wrath, He has poured out His fierce anger; And He has kindled a fire in Zion, And it has consumed its foundations. The LORD has given full vent to his wrath; he has poured out his fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion that consumed her foundations.
12 The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any people of the world, that an enemy or a foe could enter the gates of Jerusalem. The kings of the earth did not believe, nor any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem. The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem. The kings of the earth did not believe, Nor <i>did</i> any of the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy Would enter the gates of Jerusalem. The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the peoples of the world, that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
13 But this was for the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst. This was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed in the midst of her the blood of the righteous. For the sins of her prophets, <i>and</i> the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her, Because of the sins of her prophets <i>And</i> the wrongdoings of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous, But it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, who shed within her the blood of the righteous.
14 They wandered blind in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments. They wandered, blind, through the streets; they were so defiled with blood that no one was able to touch their garments. They have wandered <i>as</i> blind <i>men</i> in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments. They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood, Such that no one could touch their garments. Now they grope through the streets as if they were blind. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments.
15 “Go away! Unclean!” men shouted at them. “Away, away! Do not touch us!” So they fled and wandered. Among the nations it was said, “They can stay here no longer.” “Away! Unclean!” people cried at them. “Away! Away! Do not touch!” So they became fugitives and wanderers; people said among the nations, “They shall stay with us no longer.” They cried unto them, Depart ye; <i>it is</i> unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn <i>there</i>. “Keep away! Unclean!” they cried out of themselves. “Keep away, keep away, do not touch!” For they distanced themselves as well as wandered; <i>People</i> among the nations said, “They shall not continue to reside <i>with us.</i>” “Go away! You are unclean!” people cry to them. “Away! Away! Don’t touch us!” When they flee and wander about, people among the nations say, “They can stay here no longer.”
16 The presence of the LORD has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are shown no honor; the elders find no favor. The LORD himself has scattered them; he will regard them no more; no honor was shown to the priests, no favor to the elders. The anger of the LORD hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders. The presence of the LORD has scattered them, He will not continue to look at them; They did not honor the priests, They did not favor the elders. The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.
17 All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for help. We watched from our towers for a nation that could not save us. Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save. As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation <i>that</i> could not save <i>us</i>. Yet our eyes failed, <i>Looking</i> for help was useless; At our observation point we have watched For a nation that could not save. Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us.
18 They stalked our every step, so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near, our time ran out, for our end had come! They dogged our steps so that we could not walk in our streets; our end drew near; our days were numbered, for our end had come. They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come. They 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. People stalked us at every step, so we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near, our days were numbered, for our end had come.
19 Those who chased us were swifter than the eagles in the sky; they pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness. Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles in the heavens; they chased us on the mountains; they lay in wait for us in the wilderness. Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness. Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the sky; They chased us on the mountains, They waited in ambush for us in the wilderness. Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert.
20 The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their pits. We had said of him, “Under his shadow we will live among the nations.” The breath of our nostrils, the LORD’s anointed, was captured in their pits, of whom we said, “Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.” The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen. The breath of our nostrils, the LORD’S anointed, Was captured in their pits, Of whom we had said, “In his shadow We shall live among the nations.” The LORD’s anointed, our very life breath, was caught in their traps. We thought that under his shadow we would live among the nations.
21 So rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz. Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself. Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, you who dwell in the land of Uz; but to you also the cup shall pass; you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare. Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. Rejoice and be joyful, daughter of Edom, Who lives in the land of Uz; <i>But</i> the cup will pass to you as well, You will become drunk and expose yourself. Rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom, you who live in the land of Uz. But to you also the cup will be passed; you will be drunk and stripped naked.
22 O Daughter of Zion, your punishment is complete; He will not prolong your exile. But He will punish your iniquity, O Daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins. The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished; he will keep you in exile no longer; but your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will punish; he will uncover your sins. The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins. <i>The punishment</i> of your wrongdoing has been completed, daughter of Zion; He will no longer exile you. <i>But</i> He will punish your wrongdoing, daughter of Edom; He will expose your sins! Your punishment will end, Daughter Zion; he will not prolong your exile. But he will punish your sin, Daughter Edom, and expose your wickedness.
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