Lamentations 4 Parallel Bible Translations

Lamentations 4 ▼
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GENEVA
Geneva Bible of 1587
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
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1 How is the golde become so dimme? the most fine golde is changed, and the stones of the Sanctuarie are scattered in the corner of euery streete. How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The holy stones lie scattered at the head 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 The noble men of Zion coparable to fine golde, howe are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, euen the worke of the handes of the potter! 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! 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 Euen the dragons draw out the breastes, and giue sucke to their yong, but the daughter of my people is become cruell like the ostriches in the wildernesse. 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 jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert.
4 The tongue of the sucking childe cleaueth to the roofe of his mouth for thirst: the yong children aske bread, but no man breaketh it vnto them. 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. 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 They that did feede delicately, perish in the streetes: they that were brought vp in skarlet, embrace the dongue. Those who once feasted on delicacies perish in the streets; those who were brought up in purple embrace ash heaps. Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those brought up in royal purple now lie on ash heaps.
6 For the iniquitie of the daughter of my people is become greater then the sinne of Sodom, that was destroyed as in a moment, & none pitched campes against 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. 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 Nazarites were purer then the snowe, & whiter then ye milke: they were more ruddie in bodie, then the redde precious stones; they were like polished saphir. Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire. Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like lapis lazuli.
8 Nowe their visage is blacker then a cole: they can not knowe them in the streetes: their skinne cleaueth to their bones: it is withered like a stocke. 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. 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 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. Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who wasted away, pierced by lack of the fruits 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 the pitifull women haue sodden their owne children, which were their meate 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. With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed.
11 The Lord hath accomplished his indignation: he hath powred out his fierce wrath, he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath deuoured the foundations thereof. 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 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, and all the inhabitants of the world would not haue beleeued that the aduersarie and the enemie should haue entred into the gates of Ierusalem: 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 did not believe, nor did any of the peoples of the world, that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
13 For the sinnes of her Prophets, and the iniquities of her Priests, that haue shed the blood of the iust in the middes of her. 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. 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 haue wandred as blinde men in the streetes, and they were polluted with blood, so that they would not touch their garments. They wandered, blind, through the streets; they were so defiled with blood that no one was able to 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 But they cried vnto them, Depart, ye polluted, depart, depart, touch not: therefore they fled away, and wandered: they haue sayd among the heathen, They shal no more dwell there. “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.” “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 anger of the Lorde hath scattered them, he will no more regard them: they reuerenced not the face of the Priestes, nor had compassion of the Elders. 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 LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.
17 Whiles we waited for our vaine helpe, our eyes failed: for in our waiting we looked for a nation that could not saue vs. Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which 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 hunt our steppes that we cannot goe in our streetes: our ende is neere, our dayes are fulfilled, for our ende is 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. 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 Our persecuters are swifter then the egles of the heauen: they pursued vs vpon the mountaines, and layed waite for vs in the wildernes. 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 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 breath of our nostrels, the Anoynted of the Lord was taken in their nets, of whome we sayde, Vnder his shadowe we shalbe preserued aliue among the heathen. 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 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 Reioyce and be glad, O daughter Edom, that dwellest in the lande of Vz, the cuppe also shal passe through vnto thee: thou shalt be drunken and vomit. 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, 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 Thy punishment is accomplished, O daughter Zion: he will no more carie thee away into captiuitie, but he will visite thine iniquitie, O daughter Edom, he wil discouer thy sinnes. 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. 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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