Lamentations 4:4-9
English Standard Version
4 The tongue of the nursing infant (A)sticks
to the roof of its mouth for thirst;
(B)the children beg for food,
but no one gives to them.
5 Those who once feasted on delicacies
perish in the streets;
(C)those who were brought up in purple
embrace ash heaps.
6 (D)For the chastisement[a] of the daughter of my people has been greater
than the punishment[b] of Sodom,
(E)which was overthrown in a moment,
and no hands were wrung for her.[c]
7 Her princes were purer than snow,
whiter than milk;
their bodies were more ruddy than coral,
the beauty of their form[d] was like sapphire.[e]
8 (F)Now their face is blacker than soot;
they are not recognized in the streets;
their skin has shriveled on their bones;
it has become as dry as wood.
9 Happier were the victims of the sword
than the victims of hunger,
who wasted away, pierced
by lack of the fruits of the field.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 4:6 Or iniquity
- Lamentations 4:6 Or sin
- Lamentations 4:6 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Lamentations 4:7 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Lamentations 4:7 Hebrew lapis lazuli
Lamentations 4:4-9
New King James Version
4 The tongue of the infant clings
To the roof of its mouth for thirst;
(A)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
(B)Embrace ash heaps.
6 The punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people
Is greater than the punishment of the (C)sin of Sodom,
Which was (D)overthrown in a moment,
With no hand to help her!
7 Her [a]Nazirites were [b]brighter than snow
And whiter than milk;
They were more ruddy in body than rubies,
Like sapphire in their [c]appearance.
8 Now their appearance is blacker than soot;
They go unrecognized in the streets;
(E)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 (F)pine away,
Stricken for lack of the fruits of the (G)field.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 4:7 Or nobles
- Lamentations 4:7 Or purer
- Lamentations 4:7 Lit. polishing
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
