chapter_Lamentations_4
Lamentations 4:1: How is the gold become dim, Changed the best &#8212; the pure gold? Poured out are stones of the sanctuary At the head of all out-places. Lamentations 4:2: 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. Lamentations 4:3: 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. Lamentations 4:4: Cleaved hath the tongue of a suckling unto his palate with thirst, Infants asked bread, a dealer out they have none. Lamentations 4:5: Those eating of dainties have been desolate in out-places, Those supported on scarlet have embraced dunghills. Lamentations 4:6: 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. Lamentations 4:7: Purer were her Nazarites than snow, Whiter than milk, ruddier of body than rubies, Of sapphire their form. Lamentations 4:8: 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 &#8212; it hath been as wood. Lamentations 4:9: 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. Lamentations 4:10: 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. Lamentations 4:11: 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. Lamentations 4:12: 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. Lamentations 4:13: Because of the sins of her prophets, The iniquities of her priests, Who are shedding in her midst the blood of the righteous, Lamentations 4:14: They have wandered naked in out-places, They have been polluted with blood, Without any being able to touch their clothing, Lamentations 4:15: Turn aside &#8212; unclean,' they called to them, 'Turn aside, turn aside, touch not,' For they fled &#8212; yea, they have wandered, They have said among nations: 'They do not add to sojourn.' Lamentations 4:16: 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. Lamentations 4:17: While we exist &#8212; consumed are our eyes for our vain help, In our watch-tower we have watched for a nation that saveth not. Lamentations 4:18: They have hunted our steps from going in our broad-places, Near hath been our end, fulfilled our days, For come hath our end. Lamentations 4:19: 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. Lamentations 4:20: The breath of our nostrils &#8212; the anointed of Jehovah, Hath been captured in their pits, of whom we said: 'In his shadow we do live among nations.' Lamentations 4:21: 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. Lamentations 4:22: 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!
Lamentations