Lam.4.1
How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
Lam.4.1
Oh, oh, oh... How gold is treated like dirt, the finest gold thrown out with the garbage, Priceless jewels scattered all over, jewels loose in the gutters.
Lam.4.1
How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold become dull! The sacred gems are scattered at the head of every street.
Lam.4.1
How the gold has become dim! How changed the fine gold! The stones of the sanctuary are scattered At the head of every street.
Lam.4.1
How the gold has lost its luster! Even the finest gold has become dull. The sacred gemstones lie scattered in the streets!
Lam.4.2
The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
Lam.4.2
And the people of Zion, once prized, far surpassing their weight in gold, Are now treated like cheap pottery, like everyday pots and bowls mass-produced by a potter.
Lam.4.2
How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter's hands!
Lam.4.2
The precious sons of Zion, Valuable as fine gold, How they are regarded as clay pots, The work of the hands of the potter!
Lam.4.2
See how the precious children of Jerusalem, worth their weight in gold, are now treated like pots of clay.
Lam.4.3
Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
Lam.4.3
Even wild jackals nurture their babies, give them their breasts to suckle. But my people have turned cruel to their babies, like an ostrich in the wilderness.
Lam.4.3
Even jackals offer their breasts to nurse their young, but my people have become heartless like ostriches in the desert.
Lam.4.3
Even the jackals present their breasts To nurse their young; But the daughter of my people is cruel, Like ostriches in the wilderness.
Lam.4.3
Even the jackals feed their young, but not my people Israel. They ignore their children's cries, like the ostriches of the desert.
Lam.4.4
The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.
Lam.4.4
Babies have nothing to drink. Their tongues stick to the roofs of their mouths. Little children ask for bread but no one gives them so much as a crust.
Lam.4.4
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.
Lam.4.4
The tongue of the infant clings To the roof of its mouth for thirst; The young children ask for bread, But no one breaks it for them.
Lam.4.4
The parched tongues of their little ones stick with thirst to the roofs of their mouths. The children cry for bread, but no one has any to give them.
Lam.4.5
They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
Lam.4.5
People used to the finest cuisine forage for food in the streets. People used to the latest in fashions pick through the trash for something to wear.
Lam.4.5
Those who once ate delicacies are destitute in the streets. Those nurtured in purple now lie on ash heaps.
Lam.4.5
Those who ate delicacies Are desolate in the streets; Those who were brought up in scarlet Embrace ash heaps.
Lam.4.5
The people who once ate only the richest foods now beg in the streets for anything they can get. Those who once lived in palaces now search the garbage pits for food.
Lam.4.6
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.
Lam.4.6
The evil guilt of my dear people was worse than the sin of Sodom--The city was destroyed in a flash, and no one around to help.
Lam.4.6
The punishment of my people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment without a hand turned to help her.
Lam.4.6
The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people Is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, Which was overthrown in a moment, With no hand to help her!
Lam.4.6
The guilt of my people is greater than that of Sodom, where utter disaster struck in a moment with no one to help them.
Lam.4.7
Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:
Lam.4.7
The splendid and sacred nobles once glowed with health. Their bodies were robust and ruddy, their beards like carved stone.
Lam.4.7
Their princes were brighter than snow and whiter than milk, their bodies more ruddy than rubies, their appearance like sapphires.
Lam.4.7
Her Nazirites were brighter than snow And whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, Like sapphire in their appearance.
Lam.4.7
Our princes were once glowing with health; they were as clean as snow and as elegant as jewels.
Lam.4.8
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.
Lam.4.8
But now they are smeared with soot, unrecognizable in the street, Their bones sticking out, their skin dried out like old leather.
Lam.4.8
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.
Lam.4.8
Now their appearance is blacker than soot; They go unrecognized in the streets; Their skin clings to their bones, It has become as dry as wood.
Lam.4.8
But now their faces are blacker than soot. No one even recognizes them. Their skin sticks to their bones; it is as dry and hard as wood.
Lam.4.9
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.
Lam.4.9
Better to have been killed in battle than killed by starvation. Better to have died of battle wounds than to slowly starve to death.
Lam.4.9
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.
Lam.4.9
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.
Lam.4.9
Those killed by the sword are far better off than those who die of hunger, wasting away for want of food.
Lam.4.10
The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Lam.4.10
Nice and kindly women boiled their own children for supper. This was the only food in town when my dear people were broken.
Lam.4.10
With their own hands compassionate women have cooked their own children, who became their food when my people were destroyed.
Lam.4.10
The hands of the compassionate women Have cooked their own children; They became food for them In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Lam.4.10
Tenderhearted women have cooked their own children and eaten them in order to survive the siege.
Lam.4.11
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.
Lam.4.11
GOD let all his anger loose, held nothing back. He poured out his raging wrath. He set a fire in Zion that burned it to the ground.
Lam.4.11
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.
Lam.4.11
The LORD has fulfilled His fury, He has poured out His fierce anger. He kindled a fire in Zion, And it has devoured its foundations.
Lam.4.11
But now the anger of the LORD is satisfied. His fiercest anger has now been poured out. He started a fire in Jerusalem that burned the city to its foundations.
Lam.4.12
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.
Lam.4.12
The kings of the earth couldn't believe it. World rulers were in shock, Watching old enemies march in big as you please, right through Jerusalem's gates.
Lam.4.12
The kings of the earth did not believe, nor did any of the world's people, that enemies and foes could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
Lam.4.12
The kings of the earth, And all inhabitants of the world, Would not have believed That the adversary and the enemy Could enter the gates of Jerusalem--
Lam.4.12
Not a king in all the earth--no one in all the world--would have believed an enemy could march through the gates of Jerusalem.
Lam.4.13
For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her,
Lam.4.13
Because of the sins of her prophets and the evil of her priests, Who exploited good and trusting people, robbing them of their lives,
Lam.4.13
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.
Lam.4.13
Because of the sins of her prophets And the iniquities of her priests, Who shed in her midst The blood of the just.
Lam.4.13
Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets and priests, who defiled the city by shedding innocent blood.
Lam.4.14
They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.
Lam.4.14
These prophets and priests blindly grope their way through the streets, grimy and stained from their dirty lives, Wasted by their wasted lives, shuffling from fatigue, dressed in rags.
Lam.4.14
Now they grope through the streets like men who are blind. They are so defiled with blood that no one dares to touch their garments.
Lam.4.14
They wandered blind in the streets; They have defiled themselves with blood, So that no one would touch their garments.
Lam.4.14
They wandered blindly through the streets, so defiled by blood that no one dared to touch them.
Lam.4.15
They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there.
Lam.4.15
People yell at them, "Get out of here, dirty old men! Get lost, don't touch us, don't infect us!" They have to leave town. They wander off. Nobody wants them to stay here. Everyone knows, wherever they wander, that they've been kicked out of their own hometown.
Lam.4.15
"Go away! You are unclean!" men 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."
Lam.4.15
They cried out to them, "Go away, unclean! Go away, go away, Do not touch us!" When they fled and wandered, Those among the nations said, "They shall no longer dwell here."
Lam.4.15
"Get away!" the people shouted at them. "You are defiled! Don't touch us!" So they fled to distant lands and wandered there among foreign nations, but none would let them stay.
Lam.4.16
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.
Lam.4.16
GOD himself scattered them. No longer does he look out for them. He has nothing to do with the priests; he cares nothing for the elders.
Lam.4.16
The LORD himself has scattered them; he no longer watches over them. The priests are shown no honor, the elders no favor.
Lam.4.16
The face of the LORD scattered them; He no longer regards them. The people do not respect the priests Nor show favor to the elders.
Lam.4.16
The LORD himself has scattered them, and he no longer helps them. The priests and leaders are no longer honored and respected.
Lam.4.17
As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.
Lam.4.17
We watched and watched, wore our eyes out looking for help. And nothing. We mounted our lookouts and looked for the help that never showed up.
Lam.4.17
Moreover, our eyes failed, looking in vain for help; from our towers we watched for a nation that could not save us.
Lam.4.17
Still our eyes failed us, Watching vainly for our help; In our watching we watched For a nation that could not save us.
Lam.4.17
We looked in vain for our allies to come and save us, but we were looking to nations that could offer no help at all.
Lam.4.18
They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
Lam.4.18
They tracked us down, those hunters. It wasn't safe to go out in the street. Our end was near, our days numbered. We were doomed.
Lam.4.18
Men 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.
Lam.4.18
They tracked our steps So that we could not walk in our streets. Our end was near; Our days were over, For our end had come.
Lam.4.18
We couldn't go into the streets without danger to our lives. Our end was near; our days were numbered. We were doomed!
Lam.4.19
Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
Lam.4.19
They came after us faster than eagles in flight, pressed us hard in the mountains, ambushed us in the desert.
Lam.4.19
Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they chased us over the mountains and lay in wait for us in the desert.
Lam.4.19
Our pursuers were swifter Than the eagles of the heavens. They pursued us on the mountains And lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
Lam.4.19
Our enemies were swifter than the eagles. If we fled to the mountains, they found us. If we hid in the wilderness, they were waiting for us there.
Lam.4.20
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.
Lam.4.20
Our king, our life's breath, the anointed of GOD, was caught in their traps--Our king under whose protection we always said we'd live.
Lam.4.20
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.
Lam.4.20
The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, Was caught in their pits, Of whom we said, "Under his shadow We shall live among the nations."
Lam.4.20
Our king, the LORD's anointed, the very life of our nation, was caught in their snares. We had foolishly boasted that under his protection we could hold our own against any nation on earth!
Lam.4.21
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.
Lam.4.21
Celebrate while you can, O Edom! Live it up in Uz! For it won't be long before you drink this cup, too. You'll find out what it's like to drink God's wrath, Get drunk on God's wrath and wake up with nothing, stripped naked.
Lam.4.21
Rejoice and be glad, O Daughter of 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.
Lam.4.21
Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, You who dwell in the land of Uz! The cup shall also pass over to you And you shall become drunk and make yourself naked.
Lam.4.21
Are you rejoicing in the land of Uz, O people of Edom? But you, too, must drink from the cup of the LORD's anger. You, too, will be stripped naked in your drunkenness.
Lam.4.22
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.
Lam.4.22
And that's it for you, Zion. The punishment's complete. You won't have to go through this exile again. But Edom, your time is coming: He'll punish your evil life, put all your sins on display.
Lam.4.22
O Daughter of Zion, your punishment will end; he will not prolong your exile. But, O Daughter of Edom, he will punish your sin and expose your wickedness.
Lam.4.22
The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; He will no longer send you into captivity. He will punish your iniquity, O daughter of Edom; He will uncover your sins!
Lam.4.22
O Jerusalem, your punishment will end; you will soon return from exile. But Edom, your punishment is just beginning; soon your many sins will be revealed.
