Lamentations 4:9
Modern Translations
New International Version
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.

New Living Translation
Those killed by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger. Starving, they waste away for lack of food from the fields.

English Standard Version
Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits of the field.

Berean Study Bible
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.

New American Standard Bible
Better off 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.

NASB 1995
Better 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.

NASB 1977
Better 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.

Amplified Bible
Those killed with the sword Are more fortunate than those killed with hunger; For the hungry pine and ebb away, For the lack of the fruits of the field.

Christian Standard Bible
Those slain by the sword are better off than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Those slain by the sword are better off than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.

Contemporary English Version
Being killed with a sword is better than slowly starving to death.

Good News Translation
Those who died in the war were better off than those who died later, who starved slowly to death, with no food to keep them alive.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Those who were killed with swords are better off than those who are dying from starvation. Those who were stabbed bled to death. The others are dying because there is nothing in the fields to eat.

International Standard Version
Those 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.

NET Bible
Those who died by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, those who waste away, struck down from lack of food.
Classic Translations
King James Bible
They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

New King James Version
Those slain by the sword are better off Than those who die of hunger; For these pine away, Stricken for lack of the fruits of the field.

King James 2000 Bible
They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for lack of the fruits of the field.

New Heart English Bible
Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; those who waste away, pierced through, for lack of the fruits of the field.

World English Bible
Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

American King James Version
They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

American Standard Version
They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

A Faithful Version
Better are the ones slain by the sword than the ones slain by hunger; for these pine away, stricken for want of the fruits of the field.

Darby Bible Translation
The slain with the sword are happier than the slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

English Revised Version
They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for want of the fruits of the field.

Webster's Bible Translation
They that are slain with the sword are better than they that are slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

Early Modern
Geneva Bible of 1587
They that be slaine with the sword are better, then they that are killed with hunger: for they fade away as they were striken through for the fruites of the fielde.

Bishops' Bible of 1568
They that be slayne with the sworde, are happier then such as dye of hunger, and perishe away famishing for the fruites of the fielde.

Coverdale Bible of 1535
They that be slayne with the swearde, are happier, then soch as dye of honger, and perishe awaye famishinge for the frutes of the felde.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
Better have been the pierced of a sword "" Than the pierced of famine, "" For these flow away, pierced through, "" Without the increase of the field.

Young's Literal Translation
Better have been the pierced of a sword Than the pierced of famine, For these flow away, pierced through, Without the increase of the field.

Smith's Literal Translation
Those wounded by the sword were good above those wounded by famine: these will flow away, being thrust through from the produce of the field.

Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Teth. It was better with them that were slain by the sword, than with them that died with hunger: for these pined away being consumed for want of the fruits of the earth.

Catholic Public Domain Version
TETH. It was better for those slain by the sword, than for those put to death by famine. For these waste away, being consumed by the sterility of the land.

Translations from Aramaic
Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Teth The slain of the sword are better than those killed by famine, for they waste away like those who are wounded and are thrown out in a field

Lamsa Bible
Those who were slain by the sword are better than those who are slain with hunger; for these pine away, like those who are wounded and thrown in the field.

OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
They that are slain with the sword are better Than they that are slain with hunger; For these pine away, stricken through, For want of the fruits of the field.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
TETH. The slain with the sword were better than they that were slain with hunger: they have departed, pierced through from want of the fruits of the field.
















Lamentations 4:8
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