Lamentations 4
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New American Standard Bible 1995Holman Christian Standard Bible
1How dark the gold has become, How the pure gold has changed! The sacred stones are poured out At the corner of every street.1How the gold has become tarnished, the fine gold become dull! The stones of the temple lie scattered at the corner of every street.
2The precious sons of Zion, Weighed against fine gold, How they are regarded as earthen jars, The work of a potter's hands!2Zion's precious people-- once worth their weight in pure gold-- how they are regarded as clay jars, the work of a potter's hands!
3Even jackals offer the breast, They nurse their young; But the daughter of my people has become cruel Like ostriches in the wilderness.3Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my dear people have become cruel like ostriches in the wilderness.
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.4The nursing infant's tongue clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them any.
5Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those reared in purple Embrace ash pits.5Those who used to eat delicacies are destitute in the streets; those who were reared in purple garments huddle in garbage heaps.
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.6The punishment of my dear people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand laid on it.
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.7Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, their appearance like sapphire.
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.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.
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.9Those slain by the sword are better off than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced with pain because the fields lack produce.
10The hands of compassionate women Boiled their own children; They became food for them Because of the destruction of the daughter of my people.10The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children; they became their food during the destruction of my dear people.
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.11The LORD has exhausted His wrath, poured out His burning anger; He has ignited a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations.
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.12The kings of the earth and all the world's inhabitants did not believe that an enemy or adversary could enter Jerusalem's gates.
13Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who have shed in her midst The blood of the righteous;13Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous within her.
14They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.14Blind, they stumbled in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments."
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."15Stay 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."
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.16The LORD Himself has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are not respected; the elders find no favor.
17Yet our eyes failed, Looking for help was useless; In our watching we have watched For a nation that could not save.17All the while our eyes were failing as we looked in vain for assistance; we watched from our towers for a nation that refused to help.
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.18Our steps were closely followed so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near; our time ran out. Our end had come!
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.19Those who chased us were swifter than eagles in the sky; they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.
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."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."
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.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.
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!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.
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.orgHolman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
Lamentations 3
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