Lamentations 4 – read and compare multiple versions of the Bible

World English Bible

Lamentations 4 (WEBP)

[1] How the gold has become dim! The most pure gold has changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head of every street.
[2] The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how they are esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
[3] Even the jackals offer their breast. They nurse their young ones. But the daughter of my people has become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
[4] The tongue of the nursing child clings to the roof of his mouth for thirst. The young children ask for bread, and no one breaks it for them.
[5] Those who ate delicacies are desolate in the streets. Those who were brought up in purple embrace dunghills.
[6] For the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, which was overthrown as in a moment. No hands were laid on her.
[7] Her nobles were purer than snow. They were whiter than milk. They were more ruddy in body than rubies. Their polishing was like sapphire.
[8] Their appearance is blacker than a coal. They are not known in the streets. Their skin clings to their bones. It is withered. It has become like wood.
[9] Those who are killed with the sword are better than those who are killed with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through, for lack of the fruits of the field.
[10] The hands of the pitiful women have boiled their own children. They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
[11] Yahweh has accomplished his wrath. He has poured out his fierce anger. He has kindled a fire in Zion, which has devoured its foundations.
[12] The kings of the earth didn’t believe, neither did all the inhabitants of the world, that the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.
[13] It is because of the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the middle of her.
[14] They wander as blind men in the streets. They are polluted with blood, So that men can’t touch their garments.
[15] “Go away!” they cried to them. “Unclean! Go away! Go away! Don’t touch! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, “They can’t live here any more.”
[16] Yahweh’s anger has scattered them. He will not pay attention to them any more. They didn’t respect the persons of the priests. They didn’t favor the elders.
[17] Our eyes still fail, looking in vain for our help. In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.
[18] They hunt our steps, so that we can’t go in our streets. Our end is near. Our days are fulfilled, for our end has come.
[19] Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the sky. They chased us on the mountains. They set an ambush for us in the wilderness.
[20] The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Yahweh, was taken in their pits; of whom we said, under his shadow we will live among the nations.
[21] Rejoice and be glad, daughter of Edom, who dwells in the land of Uz. The cup will pass through to you also. You will be drunken, and will make yourself naked.
[22] The punishment of your iniquity is accomplished, daughter of Zion. He will no more carry you away into captivity. He will visit your iniquity, daughter of Edom. He will uncover your sins.

Scripture quotations are taken from The World English Bible™ of eBible.org, 2020 stable text edition. It is in the public domain.

King James w/Strong’s #s

Lamentations 4 (KJVS)

[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 .
[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 ()!
[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 .
[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.
[5] They that did feed () delicately are desolate () in the streets : they that were brought up () in scarlet embrace () dunghills .
[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.
[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 :
[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 .
[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 .
[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 .
[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.
[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 .
[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,
[14] They have wandered () [as] blind [men] in the streets , they have polluted () themselves with blood , so that men could () not touch () their garments .
[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].
[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 .
[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].
[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 ().
[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 .
[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 .
[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 ().
[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 .

Young’s Literal Translation

Lamentations 4 (YLT)

[1] How is the gold become dim, Changed the best-the pure gold? Poured out are stones of the sanctuary At the head of all out-places.
[2] The precious sons of Zion, Who are comparable with fine gold, How have they been reckoned earthen bottles, Work of the hands of a potter.
[3] Even dragons have drawn out the breast, They have suckled their young ones, The daughter of my people is become cruel, Like the ostriches in a wilderness.
[4] Cleaved hath the tongue of a suckling unto his palate with thirst, Infants asked bread, a dealer out they have none.
[5] Those eating of dainties have been desolate in out-places, Those supported on scarlet have embraced dunghills.
[6] And greater is the iniquity of the daughter of my people, Than the sin of Sodom, That was overturned as in a moment, And no hands were stayed on her.
[7] Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form.
[8] Darker than blackness hath been their visage, They have not been known in out-places, Cleaved hath their skin unto their bone, It hath withered-it hath been as wood.
[9] 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.
[10] The hands of merciful women have boiled their own children, They have been for food to them, In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
[11] Completed hath Jehovah His fury, He hath poured out the fierceness of His anger, And he kindleth a fire in Zion, And it devoureth her foundations.
[12] Believe not did the kings of earth, And any of the inhabitants of the world, That come would an adversary and enemy Into the gates of Jerusalem.
[13] Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous,
[14] They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been polluted with blood, Without any being able to touch their clothing,
[15] ‘Turn aside-unclean,’ they called to them, ‘Turn aside, turn aside, touch not,’ For they fled-yea, they have wandered, They have said among nations: ‘They do not add to sojourn.’
[16] The face of Jehovah hath divided them, He doth not add to behold them, The face of priests they have not lifted up, Elders they have not favoured.
[17] While we exist-consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation that saveth not.
[18] They have hunted our steps from going in our broad-places, Near hath been our end, fulfilled our days, For come hath our end.
[19] Swifter have been our pursuers, Than the eagles of the heavens, On the mountains they have burned after us, In the wilderness they have laid wait for us.
[20] The breath of our nostrils-the anointed of Jehovah, Hath been captured in their pits, of whom we said: ‘In his shadow we do live among nations.’
[21] Joy and rejoice, O daughter of Edom, Dwelling in the land of Uz, Even unto thee pass over doth a cup, Thou art drunk, and makest thyself naked.
[22] Completed is thy iniquity, daughter of Zion, He doth not add to remove thee, He hath inspected thy iniquity, O daughter of Edom, He hath removed thee because of thy sins!