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
English Standard Version
The Holy Stones Lie Scattered
4 (A)How the gold has grown dim,
how the pure gold is changed!
The holy stones lie scattered
(B)at the head of every street.
2 The precious sons of Zion,
worth their weight in (C)fine gold,
how they are regarded as (D)earthen pots,
the work of a potter's hands!
3 Even jackals offer the breast;
they nurse their young;
but the daughter of my people has become cruel,
like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4 The tongue of the nursing infant (E)sticks
to the roof of its mouth for thirst;
(F)the children beg for food,
but no one gives to them.
5 Those who once feasted on delicacies
perish in the streets;
(G)those who were brought up in purple
embrace ash heaps.
6 (H)For the chastisement[a] of the daughter of my people has been greater
than the punishment[b] of Sodom,
(I)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 (J)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.
10 (K)The hands of (L)compassionate women
(M)have boiled their own children;
(N)they became their food
during the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 (O)The Lord gave full vent to his wrath;
he poured out his hot anger,
and (P)he kindled a fire in Zion
that consumed its foundations.
12 (Q)The kings of the earth did not believe,
nor any of the inhabitants of the world,
that foe or enemy could enter
the gates of Jerusalem.
13 This was for (R)the sins of her prophets
and (S)the iniquities of her priests,
who shed in the midst of her
the blood of the righteous.
14 (T)They wandered, blind, through the streets;
they were so defiled with blood
(U)that no one was able to touch
their garments.
15 “Away! (V)Unclean!” people cried at them.
“Away! Away! Do not touch!”
So they became fugitives and wanderers;
people said among the nations,
“They shall stay with us no longer.”
16 (W)The Lord himself[f] has scattered them;
he will regard them no more;
(X)no honor was shown to the priests,
(Y)no favor to the elders.
17 (Z)Our eyes failed, ever watching
(AA)vainly for help;
in our watching we watched
for (AB)a nation which could not save.
18 (AC)They dogged our steps
so that we could not walk in our streets;
(AD)our end drew near; our days were numbered,
for our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were (AE)swifter
than the eagles in the heavens;
they chased us on the mountains;
they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.
20 (AF)The breath of our nostrils, (AG)the Lord's anointed,
was captured (AH)in their pits,
of whom we said, (AI)“Under his shadow
we shall live among the nations.”
21 (AJ)Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom,
you who dwell in (AK)the land of Uz;
but to you also (AL)the cup shall pass;
you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.
22 (AM)The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter of Zion, is accomplished;
he will keep you in exile no longer;[g]
but (AN)your iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will punish;
he will uncover your sins.
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 4:16 Hebrew The face of the Lord
- Lamentations 4:22 Or he will not exile you again
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
