Lamentations, 4
1. How the gold has tarnished, how the fine gold has changed! The sacred stones lie scattered at the corner of every street.
1. How the gold has grown dim, how the pure gold is changed! The holy stones lie scattered at the head of every street.
2. The children of Zion, as precious as finest gold -- to think that they should now be reckoned like crockery made by a potter!
2. The precious sons of Zion, worth their weight in fine gold, how they are reckoned as earthen pots, the work of a potter's hands!
3. The very jackals give the breast, and suckle their young: but the daughter of my people is as cruel as the ostriches of the desert.
3. Even the jackals give the breast and suckle their young, but the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4. The tongue of the baby at the breast sticks to its palate for thirst; little children ask for bread, no one gives them any.
4. The tongue of the nursling cleaves to the roof of its mouth for thirst; the children beg for food, but no one gives to them.
5. Those who used to eat only the best, now lie dying in the streets; those who were reared in the purple claw at the rubbish heaps,
5. Those who feasted on dainties perish in the streets; those who were brought up in purple lie on ash heaps.
6. for the wickedness of the daughter of my people exceeded the sins of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment without a hand being laid on it.
6. For the chastisement of the daughter of my people has been greater than the punishment of Sodom, which was overthrown in a moment, no hand being laid on it.
7. Once her young people were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; rosier than coral their bodies, their hue like sapphire.
7. Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; their bodies were more ruddy than coral, the beauty of their form was like sapphire.
8. Now their faces are blacker than soot, they are not recognised in the streets, the skin has shrunk over their bones, as dry as a stick.
8. Now their visage is blacker than soot, they are not recognized in the streets; their skin has shriveled upon their bones, it has become as dry as wood.
9. Happier those killed by the sword than those killed by famine: they waste away, sunken for lack of the fruits of the earth.
9. Happier were the victims of the sword than the victims of hunger, who pined away, stricken by want of the fruits of the field.
10. With their own hands, kindly women cooked their children; this was their food when the daughter of my people was ruined.
10. The hands of compassionate women have boiled their own children; they became their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11. Yahweh indulged his fury, he vented his fierce anger, he lit a fire in Zion which devoured her foundations.
11. The LORD gave full vent to his wrath, he poured out his hot anger; and he kindled a fire in Zion, which consumed its foundations.
12. The kings of the earth never believed, nor did any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy would ever penetrate the gates of Jerusalem.
12. The kings of the earth did not believe, or any of the inhabitants of the world, that foe or enemy could enter the gates of Jerusalem.
13. Owing to the sins of her prophets and the crimes of her priests, who had shed the blood of the upright, in the heart of the city,
13. 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.
14. they wandered blindly through the streets, polluted with blood, so that no one dared to touch their clothes.
14. They wandered, blind, through the streets, so defiled with blood that none could touch their garments.
15. 'Keep away! Unclean!' people shouted, 'Keep away! Keep away! Don't touch!' If they left and fled to the nations, they were not allowed to stay there either.
15. "Away! Unclean!" men cried at them; "Away! Away! Touch not!" So they became fugitives and wanderers; men said among the nations, "They shall stay with us no longer."
16. The face of Yahweh destroyed them, he will look on them no more. There was no respect for the priests, no deference for the elders.
16. The LORD himself has scattered them, he will regard them no more; no honor was shown to the priests, no favor to the elders.
17. Continually we were wearing out our eyes, watching for help -- in vain. From our towers we watched for a nation which could not save us anyway.
17. Our eyes failed, ever watching vainly for help; in our watching we watched for a nation which could not save.
18. Men dogged our steps, to keep us out of our streets. Our end was near, our days were done, our end had come.
18. Men 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.
19. Our pursuers were swifter than eagles in the sky; they hounded our steps through the mountains, they lay in ambush for us in the wilds.
19. Our pursuers were swifter than the vultures in the heavens; they chased us on the mountains, they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20. The breath of our nostrils, Yahweh's anointed, was caught in their traps, he of whom we said, 'In his shadow we shall live among the nations.'
20. The breath of our nostrils, the LORD's anointed, was taken in their pits, he of whom we said, "Under his shadow we shall live among the nations."
21. Rejoice, exult, daughter of Edom, you who reside in Uz! To you in turn the cup will pass; you will get drunk and strip yourself naked!
21. Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, dweller in the land of Uz; but to you also the cup shall pass; you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.
22. Your wickedness is atoned for, daughter of Zion, he will never banish you again. But your wickedness, daughter of Edom, will he punish, your sins he will lay bare!
22. 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.
