Lamentations 4
Jubilee Bible 2000
Aleph
4 ¶ How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are scattered through the crossings of every street.
Beth
2 The sons of Zion, precious and esteemed more than pure gold, how are they taken for earthen vessels, the work of the hands of the potter!
Gimel
3 Even the sea monsters draw out the breast; they give suck to their young ones; the daughter of my people is cruel like the ostriches in the wilderness.
Daleth
4 The tongue of the sucking child cleaves to the roof of his mouth for thirst; the young children ask for bread, and there was no one to break it unto them.
He
5 Those that did feed delicately are made desolate in the streets; those that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.
Vau
6 For the iniquity of the daughter of my people has increased more than the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and companies did not camp upon her.
Zain
7 Her Nazarites were whiter than snow; they were more radiant than milk; their composure had more fire than the precious stones cut from sapphire:
Cheth
8 Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets; their skin cleaves to their bones; it is withered; it is dry like a stick.
Teth
9 Those slain with the sword are better than those slain with hunger; for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the earth.
Jod
10 The hands of the compassionate women have cooked their own children; they were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.
Caph
11 The LORD has accomplished his fury; he has poured out his fierce anger and has kindled a fire in Zion, and it has devoured the foundations thereof.
Lamed
12 The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world never believed that the adversary and the enemy would enter in through the gates of Jerusalem.
13 ¶ Mem 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,
Nun
14 They have wandered blindly in the streets; they were polluted in blood, so that no one could touch their garments.
Samech
15 They cried unto them, Depart ye; it is unclean; depart, depart, touch not because they were contaminated; and when they were thrust through, they said among the Gentiles, They shall never dwell here again.
Pe
16 The anger of the LORD has separated them; he will never look upon them again. They did not respect the countenance of the priests, nor did they have compassion on the elders.
Ain
17 As for us, our eyes have failed in seeking our vain help; in our watching we have watched for people that cannot save us.
Tzaddi
18 They hunt our steps that we cannot walk in our streets; our end came near; our days were fulfilled; for our end is come.
Koph
19 Our persecutors were swifter than the eagles of the heaven; they pursued us upon the mountains; they laid wait for us in the wilderness.
Resh
20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the LORD, was taken in their pits, of whom we had said, Under his shadow we shall live among the Gentiles.
21 ¶ Schin Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup shall also pass even unto thee; thou shalt be drunken and shalt vomit.
Tau
22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will never cause thee to be carried away again; he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will uncover thy sins.
Lamentations 4
Tree of Life Version
Devastation of Jerusalem
4 How dulled is the gold,
how tarnished the fine gold.
The sacred gems are poured out
at the corner of every street.
2 The precious sons of Zion,
once worth their weight in gold—
alas! now they are treated like clay jars,
the work of a potter’s hands!
3 Even jackals offer their breast
to nurse their young.
The daughter of my people has become cruel,
like ostriches in the desert.
4 The nursing infant’s tongue clings
to the roof of his mouth for thirst.
Little children ask for bread,
but no one gives it t0 them.
5 Those who used to eat delicacies
are desolate in the streets.
Those who were brought up in purple
embrace trash heaps.
6 For the iniquities of the daughter of my people
is greater than the sin of Sodom,
which was overthrown in a moment,[a]
yet no hands turned to her.
7 Purer than snow were her princes,[b]
whiter than milk,
their bodies more ruddy than rubies,
their appearance like sapphire.
8 Their form has become darker than soot!
They are not recognized in the street.
Their skin has shriveled on their bones,
withered like a tree.
9 Better are those slain by the sword
than those struck down by famine—
they waste away, racked with pain,
for lack of fruits of the field.
10 The hands of compassionate women
boiled their own children.
They became their food
when the daughter of my people were destroyed.
11 Adonai has vented His fury.
He has poured out His burning anger.
Yes, He kindled a fire in Zion
that devoured her foundations.
12 The kings of the earth did not believe,
nor did the inhabitations of the world,
that enemy and foe would enter
the gates of Jerusalem.
13 Yet it happened because of the sins of her prophets,
and the iniquities of her kohanim,
who shed in her midst
the blood of the tzadikim[c].
14 They wander in the streets,
like blind men.
They are so defiled with blood,
no one can touch their garments.
15 “Turn away! Unclean!”
They cry to them.
“Turn away, turn away! Don’t touch!”
So they fled and wandered about.
People among the nations say,
“They can stay here no longer.”
16 Adonai Himself has scattered them.
He will look on them no more.
They did not respect the kohanim.
They did not favor the elders.
17 Even now our eyes waste away
looking in vain for our help.
From our towers we watched
for a nation that could not save us.
18 They hunted our steps,
so we could not walk in our streets.
Our end was near.
Our days were numbered, for our end had come.
19 Our pursuers were swifter
than eagles of the sky;
they pursued us over the mountains;
they ambushed us in the wilderness.
20 The anointed of Adonai,
the breath of our nostrils,
was captured in their pits,
of whom we have said,
“Under His shadow we will live among the nations.”
21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom,
you who dwell in the land of Uz.
To you also will the cup be passed.
You will be drunk and stripped naked.
22 O daughter of Zion,
your punishment is accomplished;
He will exile you no longer.
But, O daughter of Edom,
He will punish your iniquity
and uncover your sins.
Footnotes
- Lamentations 4:6 cf. Luke 10:12; 2 Pet. 2:6.
- Lamentations 4:7 Or, Nazirite, consecrated ones.
- Lamentations 4:13 Or just ones; or the righteous.
Copyright © 2013, 2020 by Ransom Press International
Tree of Life (TLV) Translation of the Bible. Copyright © 2015 by The Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society.