Lamentations 4
Expanded Bible
The Attack on Jerusalem
4 See how the gold has ·lost its shine [lost its luster; L become dim/dark],
how the pure gold has ·dulled [changed]!
The stones of the ·Temple [L Holy Place] are scattered
at ·every street corner [L the top of every street].
2 The precious ·people [children; sons] of ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]
were ·more valuable than [worth their weight in] gold,
but now they are thought of as clay jars
·made by [L the work of] the hands of a potter.
3 Even ·wild dogs [jackals] ·give their milk [L prepare the breast]
to ·feed [suckle; nurse] their young,
but [L the daughter of] my people are ·cruel [violent]
like ostriches in the ·desert [wilderness; Job 39:14–16].
4 The ·babies [L nurslings] are so thirsty
their tongues stick to ·the roofs of their mouths [L their palates].
Children ·beg [ask] for bread,
but no one ·gives [offers] them any.
5 Those who once ate ·fine foods [delicacies; C the food of the rich; Prov. 23:3, 6]
are ·now starving [L desolate] in the streets.
People who ·grew up [were nurtured] ·wearing nice clothes [L in purple/or crimson; C expensive clothes often associated with royalty]
now ·pick through [cling to] ·trash piles [ash heaps; 1 Sam. 2:8; Job 2:8; Ps. 113:7].
6 ·My people have been punished
more than Sodom was [L The iniquity/or punishment of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin/or punishment of Sodom].
·Sodom [L …which] was ·destroyed [L overturned] suddenly,
and no hands ·reached out to help her [or were wrung; Gen. 19; Deut. 29:23; Is. 1:9–10; Jer. 23:14; Ezek. 16:46–56; Matt. 10:15; Jude 7; Rev. 11:8].
7 ·Our [or Her] princes were purer than snow,
and whiter than milk.
Their bodies were redder than ·rubies [or coral];
they looked like ·sapphires [lapis lazuli].
8 But now ·they [L their faces] are blacker than coal,
and no one recognizes them in the streets.
Their skin ·hangs [or shrivels] on their bones;
it is as dry as wood.
9 Those who were ·killed [L pierced] ·in the war [L by the sword] were better off
than those ·killed [L pierced] by ·hunger [famine].
They ·starve in pain and die [drain/waste away],
·because there is no food from the field [L deprived of the produce of the field; Jer. 11:22; 14:12–18].
10 With their own hands ·kind [compassionate] women
·cook [boil] their own children.
They became food
when ·my [L the daughter of my] people were ·destroyed [fractured; broken; Deut. 28:56–57].
11 The Lord turned loose all of his anger;
he poured out his ·strong [L hot] anger.
He set fire to ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple; Ps. 74:4–7],
·burning it down to the [L consuming its] foundations.
12 Kings of the earth and ·people [L the inhabitants] of the world
could not believe
that enemies and foes
could enter the gates of Jerusalem [C since God had made his presence known there; Ps. 48:1–2].
13 It happened because her prophets sinned
and her priests did evil [Jer. 1:17–19; 2:7–8, 26; 4:9; 13:12–14].
They ·killed [L poured out blood] in ·the city [L its midst]
·those who did what was right [the righteous].
14 They wandered in the streets
as if they were blind.
They were ·dirty [defiled; C in a ritual sense] with blood [C as if covered with menstrual blood; Lev. 15],
so no one ·would [was able to] touch their clothes.
15 “·Go away [Turn aside]! ·You are unclean [L Unclean!; C in a ritual sense],” people shouted at them.
“·Get away [Turn aside]! ·Get away [Turn aside]! Don’t touch us!”
So they ran away and wandered.
Even the other nations said, “Don’t stay here.”
16 The Lord himself ·scattered [dispersed] them
and did not ·look after [regard] them anymore.
No one respects the priests
or ·honors [has favor for] the elders.
17 Also, our eyes ·grew tired [failed],
looking for help ·that never came [in vain; without purpose; 2:11; Ps. 69:3; 119:82, 123].
We kept watch ·from our towers [or eagerly]
for a nation ·to save us [L that could not save us/give us victory; C Judah had hoped that Egypt would rescue them from Babylon; Jer. 2:18, 36].
18 ·Our enemies [L They] ·hunted [dogged] ·us [L our steps],
so we could not even walk in the ·streets [public areas].
Our end is near. Our ·time [L days] ·is [L fill] up.
Our end has come.
19 Those who ·chased [pursued] us
were faster than eagles in the ·sky [heavens].
They ·ran [chased] us into the mountains
and ambushed us in the ·desert [wilderness].
20 The Lord’s ·appointed king [anointed; C Judah’s king], ·who was our very breath [L the breath of our life/nostrils],
was caught in their traps [2 Kin. 25:5–7].
We had said about him, “We will ·be protected by him [L live in his shadow/shade]
among the nations.”
21 Be happy and ·glad [rejoice], ·people [L daughter] of Edom,
you who live in the land of Uz [C city in Edom; Job 1:1; Jer. 25:20].
The cup [C of God’s judgment] will ·come [pass] to you;
then you will get drunk and go naked [Jer. 25:15–38; 49:12–13].
22 Your ·punishment [or iniquity] is complete, ·Jerusalem [L daughter of Zion; C the location of the Temple].
He will not send you into ·captivity again [exile].
But the Lord will punish the ·sins [iniquity] of Edom;
he will ·uncover [expose] your ·evil [sin].
Lamentations 4
New King James Version
The Degradation of Zion
4 How the gold has become dim!
How changed the fine gold!
The stones of the sanctuary are [a]scattered
At the head of every street.
2 The precious sons of Zion,
[b]Valuable as fine gold,
How they are [c]regarded (A)as clay pots,
The work of the hands of the potter!
3 Even the jackals present their breasts
To nurse their young;
But the daughter of my people is cruel,
(B)Like ostriches in the wilderness.
4 The tongue of the infant clings
To the roof of its mouth for thirst;
(C)The young children ask for bread,
But no one breaks it for them.
5 Those who ate delicacies
Are desolate in the streets;
Those who were brought up in scarlet
(D)Embrace ash heaps.
6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people
Is greater than the punishment of the (E)sin of Sodom,
Which was (F)overthrown in a moment,
With no hand to help her!
7 Her [d]Nazirites were [e]brighter than snow
And whiter than milk;
They were more ruddy in body than rubies,
Like sapphire in their [f]appearance.
8 Now their appearance is blacker than soot;
They go unrecognized in the streets;
(G)Their skin clings to their bones,
It has become as dry as wood.
9 Those slain by the sword are better off
Than those who die of hunger;
For these (H)pine away,
Stricken for lack of the fruits of the (I)field.
10 The hands of the (J)compassionate women
Have [g]cooked their (K)own children;
They became (L)food for them
In the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 The Lord has fulfilled His fury,
(M)He has poured out His fierce anger.
(N)He kindled a fire in Zion,
And it has devoured its foundations.
12 The kings of the earth,
And all inhabitants of the world,
Would not have believed
That the adversary and the enemy
Could (O)enter the gates of Jerusalem—
13 (P)Because of the sins of her prophets
And the iniquities of her priests,
(Q)Who shed in her midst
The blood of the just.
14 They wandered blind in the streets;
(R)They have defiled themselves with blood,
(S)So that no one would touch their garments.
15 They cried out to them,
“Go away, (T)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.”
16 The [h]face of the Lord scattered them;
He no longer regards them.
(U)The people do not respect the priests
Nor show favor to the elders.
17 Still (V)our eyes failed us,
Watching vainly for our help;
In our watching we watched
For a nation that could not save us.
18 (W)They [i]tracked our steps
So that we could not walk in our streets.
(X)Our end was near;
Our days were over,
For our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were (Y)swifter
Than the eagles of the heavens.
They pursued us on the mountains
And lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20 The (Z)breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord,
(AA)Was caught in their pits,
Of whom we said, “Under his shadow
We shall live among the nations.”
21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of (AB)Edom,
You who dwell in the land of Uz!
(AC)The cup shall also pass over to you
And you shall become drunk and make yourself naked.
22 (AD)The punishment of your iniquity [j]is accomplished,
O daughter of Zion;
He will no longer send you into captivity.
(AE)He will punish your iniquity,
O daughter of Edom;
He will uncover your sins!
Footnotes
- Lamentations 4:1 Lit. poured out
- Lamentations 4:2 Lit. Weighed against
- Lamentations 4:2 reckoned
- Lamentations 4:7 Or nobles
- Lamentations 4:7 Or purer
- Lamentations 4:7 Lit. polishing
- Lamentations 4:10 boiled
- Lamentations 4:16 Tg. anger
- Lamentations 4:18 Lit. hunted
- Lamentations 4:22 has been completed
Lamentations 4
Contemporary English Version
The Punishment of Jerusalem
The Prophet Speaks:
4 The purest gold is ruined
and has lost its shine;
jewels from the temple
lie scattered in the streets.
2 These are Zion's people,
worth more than purest gold;
yet they are counted worthless
like dishes of clay.
3 Even jackals[a] nurse their young,
but my people are like ostriches
that abandon their own.
4 Babies are so thirsty
that their tongues are stuck
to the roof of the mouth.
Children go begging for food,
but no one gives them any.
5 All who ate expensive foods
lie starving in the streets;
those who grew up in luxury
now sit on trash heaps.
6 (A) My nation was punished worse
than the people of Sodom,
whose city was destroyed
in a flash without the help
of human hands.[b]
7 The leaders of Jerusalem
were purer than snow
and whiter than milk;
their bodies were healthy
and glowed like jewels.[c]
8 Now they are blacker than tar,
and no one recognizes them;
their skin clings to their bones
and is drier than firewood.
9 Being killed with a sword
is better than slowly
starving to death.
10 (B) Life in the city is so bad
that loving mothers have boiled
and eaten their own children.
11 The Lord was so fiercely angry
that he burned the city of Zion
to the ground.
12 Not a king on this earth
or the people of any nation
believed enemies could break
through her gates.
13 Jerusalem was punished because
her prophets and her priests
had sinned and caused the death
of innocent victims.
14 Yes, her prophets and priests
were covered with blood;
no one would come near them,
as they wandered
from street to street.
15 Instead, everyone shouted,
“Go away! Don't touch us!
You're filthy and unfit
to belong to God's people!”
So they had to leave
and become refugees.
But foreign nations told them,
“You can't stay here!”[d]
16 The Lord is the one
who sent them scattering,
and he has forgotten them.
No respect or kindness
will be shown
to the priests or leaders.
17 Our eyes became weary,
hopelessly looking
for help from a nation[e]
that could not save us.
18 Enemies hunted us down
on every public street.
Our time was up;
our doom was near.
19 They swooped down faster
than eagles from the sky.
They hunted for us in the hills
and set traps to catch us
out in the desert.
20 The Lord's chosen leader[f]
was our hope for survival!
We thought he would keep us safe
somewhere among the nations,
but even he was caught
in one of their traps.
21 You people of Edom
can celebrate now!
But your time will come
to suffer and stagger
around naked.
22 The people of Zion
have paid for their sins,
and the Lord will soon
let them return home.
But, people of Edom,
you will be punished,
and your sins exposed.
Footnotes
- 4.3 jackals: Desert animals related to wolves, but smaller.
- 4.6 hands: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 6.
- 4.7 jewels: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 7.
- 4.15 here: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 15.
- 4.17 nation: Egypt, a former ally of Judah.
- 4.20 chosen leader: Probably Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, taken away to Babylonia in 586 b.c.
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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