Lamentations 4
International Children’s Bible
The Attack on Jerusalem
4 See how the gold has lost its shine!
See how the good gold has changed!
The stones of the Temple are scattered
at every street corner.
2 The precious people of Jerusalem
were more valuable than gold.
But now they are thought of as clay jars
made by the hands of a potter.
3 Even wild dogs give their milk
to feed their young.
But my people are cruel
like ostriches in the desert.
4 The baby is so thirsty
that his tongue sticks to the roof of his mouth.
Children beg for bread.
But no one breaks off a piece to share with them.
5 Those who once ate fine foods
are now starving in the streets.
The people who grew up wearing nice clothes
now pick through trash piles.
6 My people have been punished
more than Sodom was.
Sodom was destroyed suddenly.
No hands reached out to help her.
7 Our princes were purer than snow.
They were whiter than milk.
Their bodies were redder than rubies.
Their faces shined like sapphires.
8 But now they are blacker than coal.
No one even recognizes them in the streets.
Their skin is stretched over their bones.
It is as dry as wood.
9 Those people who were killed by the sword had it better
than those killed by hunger.
They starved in pain and died
because there was no food from the field.
10 With their own hands kind women
cooked their own children.
The children became food for their parents.
This happened when my people were destroyed.
11 The Lord turned loose all of his anger.
He poured out his strong anger.
He set fire to Jerusalem.
It burned down to the foundations.
12 Kings of the earth and people of the world
could not believe it.
They could not believe that enemies
could come through the gates of Jerusalem.
13 But it happened because her prophets had sinned.
And her priests had done evil.
They killed in the city
the people who did what was right.
14 They wandered in the streets
like blind men.
They became dirty with blood.
So no one could touch their clothes.
15 “Go away! You are unclean,” people shouted at them.
“Get away! Get away! Do not touch us!”
So they left and wandered around.
The other nations said, “Don’t stay here.”
16 The Lord himself scattered them.
He did not look after them anymore.
He did not respect the priests.
He showed no mercy to the elders.
17 Also, our eyes grew tired
looking for help that never came.
We kept watch from our towers
for a nation to save us.
18 Our enemies hunted us
so we could not even walk in the streets.
Our end came near. Our time was up.
Our end came.
19 The men who chased us
were faster than eagles in the sky.
They ran us into the mountains.
They ambushed us in the desert.
20 The Lord’s appointed king, who was our very breath,
was caught in their traps.
We had said about him, “We will be protected by him
among the nations.”
21 Be happy and glad, people of Edom,
you who live in the land of Uz.
But the Lord’s anger is like a cup of wine that you also will have to drink.
Then you will get drunk on it and make yourselves naked.
22 Your punishment is complete, Jerusalem.
He will not keep you in captivity any longer.
But the Lord will punish your wrongs, people of Edom.
He will uncover your sins.
Panaghoy 4
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible)
4 Ang mga mamamayan ng Jerusalem ay tulad ng kumupas na ginto o ng mamahaling bato na nagkalat sa lansangan. 2 Kung katulad sila ng tunay na ginto noon, ngayon namaʼy itinuturing na parang mga palayok na gawa sa putik. 3 Kahit na ang mga asong-gubat ay pinasususo ang kanilang mga tuta, pero ang mga mamamayan koʼy naging malupit sa kanilang mga anak, gaya ng malalaking ibon[a] sa disyerto.
4 Dumidikit na sa ngala-ngala ng mga sanggol ang mga dila nila dahil sa uhaw. Humihingi ng pagkain ang mga bata pero walang nagbibigay sa kanila. 5 Ang mga taong dati ay kumakain ng masasarap, ngayoʼy namamatay na sa gutom sa mga lansangan. Ang mga dating lumaking mayaman, ngayoʼy naghahalungkat ng makakain sa mga basurahan. 6 Ang parusa sa aking mga kababayan ay higit pa sa parusa sa mga taga-Sodom, na biglang winasak ng Dios at ni walang tumulong. 7 Ang mga pinuno ng Jerusalem, nooʼy malulusog at malalakas ang katawan. Nakakasilaw ang kanilang kaputian gaya ng snow o gatas, at mamula-mula ang kutis tulad ng mga mamahaling bato. 8 Pero ngayon, hindi na sila makilala at mas maitim pa kaysa sa uling. Mga butoʼt balat na lamang sila at parang kahoy na natuyo. 9 Di-hamak na mas mabuti pa ang mga namatay sa digmaan kaysa sa mga namatay sa gutom na unti-unting namatay dahil sa walang makain. 10 At dahil sa kapahamakang ito na nangyari sa aking mga kababayan, ang mga mapagmahal na ina ay napilitang iluto ang sarili nilang mga anak para kainin dahil sa labis na gutom.
11 Ibinuhos ng Panginoon ang matindi niyang poot sa Jerusalem, sinunog niya ito pati na ang pundasyon nito. 12 Hindi makapaniwala ang mga hari sa buong mundo pati na ang kanilang mga nasasakupan, na mapapasok ng mga kaaway ang mga pintuan ng Jerusalem. 13 Pero nangyari ito dahil sa kasalanan ng mga propeta at mga pari nito na pumatay ng mga taong walang kasalanan. 14 Sila ngayon ay nangangapa sa mga lansangan na parang mga bulag. Puno ng dugo ang kanilang mga damit, kaya walang sinumang nagtangkang humipo sa kanila. 15 Pinagsisigawan sila ng mga tao, “Lumayo kayo! Marumi kayo. Huwag nʼyo kaming hipuin.” Kaya lumayo silaʼt nagpalaboy-laboy sa ibang mga bansa pero walang tumanggap sa kanila. 16 Ang Panginoon ang siyang nagpangalat sa kanila at hindi na niya sila pinapansin. Hindi na iginagalang ang mga pari at ang mga tagapamahala.
17 Lumalabo na ang aming paningin sa kahihintay ng tulong ng aming mga kakamping bansa, pero hindi sila tumulong sa amin. Sa mga tore namin ay nagbantay kami at naghintay sa pagdating ng mga bansang ito na hindi rin makapagliligtas sa amin. 18 Binabantayan ng mga kaaway ang mga kilos namin. Hindi na kami makalabas sa mga lansangan. Bilang na ang mga araw namin; malapit na ang aming katapusan. 19 Ang mga kaaway na tumutugis sa amin ay mas mabilis pa kaysa sa agila. Tinutugis kami sa mga bundok at inaabangan kami sa disyerto para salakayin. 20 Nahuli nila ang aming hari na hinirang ng Panginoon, ang inaasahan naming mangangalaga sa amin mula sa mga kaaway naming bansa.
21 Magalak kayo ngayon, mga angkan ni Edom na nakatira sa lupain ng Uz. Dahil kayo man ay paiinumin din sa tasa ng parusa ng Panginoon. Malalasing din kayo at malalagay sa kahihiyan. 22 Mga taga-Jerusalem, matatapos na ang parusa ninyo. Hindi magtatagal ay pauuwiin na kayo ng Panginoon mula sa lugar na ito na pinagdalhan sa inyo nang bihagin kayo. Pero kayong mga taga-Edom, parurusahan kayo ng Panginoon dahil sa inyong mga kasalanan at ibubunyag niya ang inyong kasamaan.
Footnotes
- 4:3 malalaking ibon: sa Ingles, “ostrich.”
Lamentations 4
King James Version
4 How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.
2 The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!
3 Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.
4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.
5 They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
6 For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.
7 Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:
8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.
9 They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.
10 The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
11 The Lord hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.
12 The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.
13 For the sins of her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests, that have shed the blood of the just in the midst of her,
14 They have wandered as blind men in the streets, they have polluted themselves with blood, so that men could not touch their garments.
15 They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not: when they fled away and wandered, they said among the heathen, They shall no more sojourn there.
16 The anger of the Lord hath divided them; he will no more regard them: they respected not the persons of the priests, they favoured not the elders.
17 As for us, our eyes as yet failed for our vain help: in our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save us.
18 They hunt our steps, that we cannot go in our streets: our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.
19 Our persecutors are swifter than the eagles of the heaven: they pursued us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits, of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the heathen.
21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked.
22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.
The Holy Bible, International Children’s Bible® Copyright© 1986, 1988, 1999, 2015 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission.
Ang Salita ng Dios (Tagalog Contemporary Bible) Copyright © 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015 by Biblica, Inc. ®