Lamentations 2:18-20

Young's Literal Translation

¹⁸Cried hath their heart unto the Lord; O wall of the daughter of Zion, Cause to go down as a stream tears daily and nightly, Give not rest to thyself, Let not the daughter of thine eye stand still.

¹⁹Arise, cry aloud in the night, At the beginning of the watches. Pour out as water thy heart, Over against the face of the Lord, Lift up unto Him thy hands, for the soul of thine infants, Who are feeble with hunger at the head of all out-places.

²⁰See, O Jehovah, and look attentively, To whom Thou hast acted thus, Do women eat their fruit, infants of a handbreadth? Slain in the sanctuary of the Lord are priest and prophet?

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Lamentations 2:18-20

New International Version

¹⁸The hearts of the people
    cry out to the Lord.^(A)
You walls of Daughter Zion,^(B)
    let your tears^(C) flow like a river
    day and night;^(D)
give yourself no relief,
    your eyes no rest.^(E)

¹⁹Arise, cry out in the night,
    as the watches of the night begin;
pour out your heart^(F) like water
    in the presence of the Lord.^(G)
Lift up your hands^(H) to him
    for the lives of your children,
who faint^(I) from hunger
    at every street corner.

²⁰“Look, Lord, and consider:
    Whom have you ever treated like this?
Should women eat their offspring,^(J)
    the children they have cared for?^(K)
Should priest and prophet be killed^(L)
    in the sanctuary of the Lord?^(M)

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Lamentations 2:18-20

New King James Version

¹⁸Their heart cried out to the Lord,
“O wall of the daughter of Zion,
^(A)Let tears run down like a river day and night;
Give yourself no relief;
Give ^[a]your eyes no rest.

¹⁹“Arise, ^(B)cry out in the night,
At the beginning of the watches;
^(C)Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord.
Lift your hands toward Him
For the life of your young children,
Who faint from hunger ^(D)at the head of every street.”

²⁰“See, O Lord, and consider!
To whom have You done this?
^(E)Should the women eat their offspring,
The children ^[b]they have cuddled?
Should the priest and prophet be slain
In the sanctuary of the Lord?

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Footnotes

Lamentations 2:18 Lit. the daughter of your eye
Lamentations 2:20 Vg. a span long

Lamentations 2:18-20

English Standard Version

¹⁸Their heart cried to the Lord.
    O ^(A)wall of the daughter of Zion,
^(B)let tears stream down like a torrent
    ^(C)day and night!
^(D)Give yourself no rest,
    ^(E)your eyes no respite!

¹⁹“Arise, ^(F)cry out in the night,
    at the beginning of the night watches!
^(G)Pour out your heart like water
    before the presence of the Lord!
^(H)Lift your hands to him
    for the lives of your children,
^(I)who faint for hunger
    at the head of every street.”

²⁰Look, O Lord, and see!
    ^(J)With whom have you dealt thus?
^(K)Should women eat the fruit of their womb,
    the children of ^(L)their tender care?
Should ^(M)priest and prophet be killed
    in the sanctuary of the Lord?