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.

Lamentations 4:3 Or, sea calves
Lamentations 4:6 Or, iniquity
Lamentations 4:9 Heb. flow out
Lamentations 4:14 Or, in that they could not but touch
Lamentations 4:15 Or, ye polluted
Lamentations 4:16 Or, face
Lamentations 4:22a Or, thine iniquity
Lamentations 4:22b Or, carry thee captive for thy sins

Scripture quotations from The Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible, using the standardized text of 1769. It is in the public domain.

Greek Bible (LXX/BYZ)

Lamentations 4 (BYZ)

[1] Πῶς () ἀμαυρωθήσεται χρυσίον, () ἀλλοιωθήσεται τὸ () ἀργύριον () τὸ () ἀγαθόν; () Ἐξεχύθησαν () λίθοι () ἅγιοι () ἐπ’ () ἀρχῆς () πασῶν () ἐξόδων. ()
[2] Υἱοὶ () Σιων () οἱ () τίμιοι () οἱ () ἐπηρμένοι () ἐν () χρυσίῳ () πῶς () ἐλογίσθησαν () εἰς () ἀγγεῖα () ὀστράκινα () ἔργα () χειρῶν () κεραμέως; ()
[3] Καί () γε () δράκοντες () ἐξέδυσαν () μαστούς, () ἐθήλασαν () σκύμνοι αὐτῶν· () θυγατέρες () λαοῦ () μου () εἰς () ἀνίατον ὡς () στρουθίον () ἐν () ἐρήμῳ. ()
[4] Ἐκολλήθη () ἡ () γλῶσσα () θηλάζοντος () πρὸς () τὸν () φάρυγγα αὐτοῦ () ἐν () δίψει· () νήπια () ᾔτησαν () ἄρτον, () ὁ () διακλῶν οὐκ () ἔστιν () αὐτοῖς. ()
[5] Οἱ () ἔσθοντες τὰς () τρυφὰς () ἠφανίσθησαν () ἐν () ταῖς () ἐξόδοις, () οἱ () τιθηνούμενοι ἐπὶ () κόκκων () περιεβάλοντο () κοπρίας. ()
[6] Καὶ () ἐμεγαλύνθη () ἀνομία () θυγατρὸς () λαοῦ () μου () ὑπὲρ () ἀνομίας () Σοδομων τῆς () κατεστραμμένης () ὥσπερ () σπουδῇ, () καὶ () οὐκ () ἐπόνεσαν ἐν () αὐτῇ () χεῖρας. ()
[7] Ἐκαθαριώθησαν () ναζιραῖοι αὐτῆς () ὑπὲρ () χιόνα, () ἔλαμψαν () ὑπὲρ () γάλα, () ἐπυρρώθησαν ὑπὲρ () λίθους () σαπφείρου () τὸ () ἀπόσπασμα αὐτῶν. ()
[8] Ἐσκότασεν ὑπὲρ () ἀσβόλην τὸ () εἶδος () αὐτῶν, () οὐκ () ἐπεγνώσθησαν () ἐν () ταῖς () ἐξόδοις· () ἐπάγη () δέρμα () αὐτῶν () ἐπὶ () τὰ () ὀστέα αὐτῶν, () ἐξηράνθησαν, () ἐγενήθησαν () ὥσπερ () ξύλον. ()
[9] Καλοὶ () ἦσαν () οἱ () τραυματίαι ῥομφαίας () ἢ () οἱ () τραυματίαι λιμοῦ· () ἐπορεύθησαν () ἐκκεκεντημένοι ἀπὸ () γενημάτων () ἀγρῶν. ()
[10] Χεῖρες () γυναικῶν () οἰκτιρμόνων () ἥψησαν τὰ () παιδία () αὐτῶν, () ἐγενήθησαν () εἰς () βρῶσιν () αὐταῖς () ἐν () τῷ () συντρίμματι () τῆς () θυγατρὸς () λαοῦ () μου. ()
[11] Συνετέλεσεν () κύριος () θυμὸν () αὐτοῦ, () ἐξέχεεν () θυμὸν () ὀργῆς () αὐτοῦ () καὶ () ἀνῆψεν () πῦρ () ἐν () Σιων, () καὶ () κατέφαγεν () τὰ () θεμέλια () αὐτῆς. ()
[12] Οὐκ () ἐπίστευσαν () βασιλεῖς () γῆς, () πάντες () οἱ () κατοικοῦντες () τὴν () οἰκουμένην, () ὅτι () εἰσελεύσεται () ἐχθρὸς () καὶ () ἐκθλίβων διὰ () τῶν () πυλῶν () Ιερουσαλημ. ()
[13] Ἐξ () ἁμαρτιῶν () προφητῶν () αὐτῆς, () ἀδικιῶν () ἱερέων () αὐτῆς () τῶν () ἐκχεόντων () αἷμα () δίκαιον () ἐν () μέσῳ () αὐτῆς. ()
[14] Ἐσαλεύθησαν () ἐγρήγοροι () αὐτῆς () ἐν () ταῖς () ἐξόδοις, () ἐμολύνθησαν () ἐν () αἵματι· () ἐν () τῷ () μὴ () δύνασθαι () αὐτοὺς () ἥψαντο () ἐνδυμάτων () αὐτῶν. ()
[15] Ἀπόστητε () ἀκαθάρτων ()—καλέσατε () αὐτούς ()—ἀπόστητε () ἀπόστητε, () μὴ () ἅπτεσθε, () ὅτι () ἀνήφθησαν () καί () γε () ἐσαλεύθησαν· () εἴπατε ἐν () τοῖς () ἔθνεσιν () Οὐ () μὴ () προσθῶσιν τοῦ () παροικεῖν. ()
[16] Πρόσωπον () κυρίου () μερὶς () αὐτῶν, () οὐ () προσθήσει () ἐπιβλέψαι () αὐτοῖς· () πρόσωπον () ἱερέων () οὐκ () ἔλαβον, () πρεσβύτας () οὐκ () ἠλέησαν. ()
[17] Ἔτι () ὄντων () ἡμῶν () ἐξέλιπον () οἱ () ὀφθαλμοὶ () ἡμῶν () εἰς () τὴν () βοήθειαν () ἡμῶν () μάταια· () ἀποσκοπευόντων ἡμῶν () ἀπεσκοπεύσαμεν εἰς () ἔθνος () οὐ () σῷζον. ()
[18] Ἐθηρεύσαμεν () μικροὺς () ἡμῶν () τοῦ () μὴ () πορεύεσθαι () ἐν () ταῖς () πλατείαις () ἡμῶν· () ἤγγικεν () ὁ () καιρὸς () ἡμῶν, () ἐπληρώθησαν () αἱ () ἡμέραι () ἡμῶν, () πάρεστιν () ὁ () καιρὸς () ἡμῶν. ()
[19] Κοῦφοι ἐγένοντο () οἱ () διώκοντες () ἡμᾶς () ὑπὲρ () ἀετοὺς () οὐρανοῦ, () ἐπὶ () τῶν () ὀρέων () ἐξήφθησαν, ἐν () ἐρήμῳ () ἐνήδρευσαν () ἡμᾶς. ()
[20] Πνεῦμα () προσώπου () ἡμῶν () χριστὸς () κυρίου () συνελήμφθη () ἐν () ταῖς () διαφθοραῖς () αὐτῶν, () οὗ () εἴπαμεν Ἐν () τῇ () σκιᾷ () αὐτοῦ () ζησόμεθα () ἐν () τοῖς () ἔθνεσιν. ()
[21] Χαῖρε () καὶ () εὐφραίνου, () θύγατερ () Ιδουμαίας () ἡ () κατοικοῦσα () ἐπὶ () γῆς· () καί () γε () ἐπὶ () σὲ () διελεύσεται () τὸ () ποτήριον () κυρίου, () καὶ () μεθυσθήσῃ () καὶ () ἀποχεεῖς.
[22] Ἐξέλιπεν () ἡ () ἀνομία () σου, () θύγατερ () Σιων· () οὐ () προσθήσει () ἔτι () ἀποικίσαι σε. () Ἐπεσκέψατο () ἀνομίας () σου, () θύγατερ () Εδωμ· ἀπεκάλυψεν () ἐπὶ () τὰ () ἀσεβήματά σου. ()

Old Testament scripture quotations and versification from Septuaginta, edited by Alfred Rahlfs (Stuttgart: Württembergische Bibelanstalt, 1935). New Testament quotations are from the Byzantine Text (Guardian Press, Inc., Robinson-Pierpont Byzantine Textform, 2026). Both are in the public domain.