Parallel Bible results for "lamentations 4"

Lamentations 4

American Standard Version ASV

1 How is the gold become dim! [how] is the most pure gold changed! The stones of the sanctuary are poured out at the head 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 jackals 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 iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the sin of Sodom, That was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands were laid upon her.

7 Her nobles were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk; They were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was as 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 are slain with the sword are better than they that are 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 boiled their own children; They were their food in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

11 Jehovah hath accomplished his wrath, he hath poured out his fierce anger; And he hath kindled a fire in Zion, which hath devoured the foundations thereof.

12 The kings of the earth believed not, neither all the inhabitants of the world, That the adversary and the enemy would enter into the gates of Jerusalem.

13 [It is] because of 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 wander as blind men in the streets, they are polluted with blood, So that men cannot touch their garments.

15 Depart ye, they cried unto them, Unclean! depart, depart, touch not! When they fled away and wandered, men said among the nations, They shall no more sojourn [here].

16 The anger of Jehovah hath scattered them; He will no more regard them: They respected not the persons of the priests, they favored not the elders.

17 Our eyes do yet fail [in looking] for our vain help: In our watching we have watched for a nation that could not save.

18 They hunt our steps, so that we cannot go in our streets: Our end is near, our days are fulfilled; for our end is come.

19 Our pursuers were swifter than the eagles of the heavens: They chased us upon the mountains, they laid wait for us in the wilderness.

20 The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of Jehovah, was taken in their pits; Of whom we said, Under his shadow we shall live among the nations.

21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz: The cup shall pass through unto thee also; 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 uncover thy sins.

Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB

1 How the gold has become tarnished, the fine gold become dull! The stones of the temple lie scattered at the corner of every street.

2 Zion's precious people- [once] worth their weight in pure gold- how they are regarded as clay jars, the work of a potter's hands!

3 Even jackals offer [their] breasts to nurse their young, but my dear people have become cruel like ostriches in the wilderness.

4 The nursing infant's tongue clings to the roof of his mouth from thirst. Little children beg for bread, but no one gives them [any].

5 Those who used to eat delicacies are destitute in the streets; those who were reared in purple [garments] huddle in garbage heaps.

6 The punishment of my dear people is greater than that of Sodom, which was overthrown in an instant without a hand laid on it.

7 Her dignitaries were brighter than snow, whiter than milk; [their] bodies were more ruddy than coral, their appearance [like] sapphire.

8 [Now] they appear darker than soot; they are not recognized in the streets. Their skin has shriveled on their bones; it has become dry like wood.

9 Those slain by the sword are better off than those slain by hunger, who waste away, pierced [with pain] because the fields lack produce.

10 The hands of compassionate women have cooked their own children; they became their food during the destruction of my dear people.

11 The Lord has exhausted His wrath, poured out His burning anger; He has ignited a fire in Zion, and it has consumed her foundations.

12 The kings of the earth and all the world's inhabitants did not believe that an enemy or adversary could enter Jerusalem's gates.

13 [Yet it happened] because of the sins of her prophets and the guilt of her priests, who shed the blood of the righteous within her.

14 Blind, they stumbled in the streets, defiled by this blood, so that no one dared to touch their garments.

15 "Stay away! Unclean!" people shouted at them. "Away, away! Don't touch [us]!" So they wandered aimlessly. It was said among the nations, "They can stay here no longer."

16 The Lord Himself has scattered them; He regards them no more. The priests are not respected; the elders find no favor.

17 All the while our eyes were failing [as we looked] in vain for assistance; we watched from our towers for a nation that refused to help.

18 Our steps were closely followed, so that we could not walk in our streets. Our end drew near; our time ran out. Our end had come!

19 Those who chased us were swifter than eagles in the sky; they relentlessly pursued us over the mountains and ambushed us in the wilderness.

20 The Lord's anointed, the breath of our life, was captured in their traps; we had said about him: We will live under his protection among the nations.

21 So rejoice and be glad, Daughter Edom, you resident of the land of Uz! Yet the cup will pass to you as well; you will get drunk and expose yourself.

22 Daughter Zion, your punishment is complete; He will not lengthen your exile. But He will punish your iniquity, Daughter Edom, and will expose your sins.